Nepal Elects Its First Trans Woman Member Of Parliament
In a milestone moment, Bhumika Shrestha became the first transgender woman MP in the first election since Nepal’s anti-corruption uprising last September.
Featured image: Bhumika Shrestha via Facebook
On Monday, Bhumika Shrestha was confirmed as the first transgender woman to represent in Parliament in Nepal. As reported by AFP from Kathmandu, the 37-year-old was draped in garlands as she accepted the honor of becoming a proportional representation MP (Member of Parliament). “I am very excited but also feel the responsibility on my shoulders,” the LGBTQ rights advocate told the French news agency. Srestha had been nominated by the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party which won by a landslide in the recent election.
Shrestha will occupy a seat in the 275‑member House of Representatives which took shape on March 5, in the first election since the Gen Z anti-corruption uprising last September. The massive youth-driven demonstrations had been sparked by a national ban on major social media platforms along with frustration over corruption and government’s lack of accountability. Violent clashes resulted in fatalities, as well as the resignation of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli. Reportedly, it was the first time in Nepal’s modern history that mass civilian deaths occurred in an anti-corruption movement. By the end of September, at least 75 civilians had been confirmed dead and over 2,000 injured, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
For many, Bhumika Shrestha’s appointment marks a turning point for the Himalayan nation, one that has sparked optimism and joy.
Umisha Pandey, President of the LGBTQ rights group Blue Diamond Society described this milestone to the AFP as historic: “Our pains, our sufferings, our feeling, our stories and our every problem is only understood by us, not by others.” Following her victory, well-wishers came out to support Bhumika Shrestha in the BDS office in Kathmandu with gifts of flowers, scarves and a pen as a symbol of her power as a legislator – and to welcome her as the first transgender lawmaker in Nepal.
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According to Sikkim News Hub, “Shrestha is widely known for her longtime advocacy for the rights and dignity of sexual and gender minorities in Nepal, and has worked to raise awareness about discrimination, social exclusion, and the need for legal protections for LGBTQ+ communities.”
