The demand for LGBTI radio content is growing in Nepal. | Photo: S Pakhrin/Flickr
Nepal will start getting radio shows about LGBTI issues, in an important step to raising public awareness of the community.
A number of community and independent FM radio stations have started producing specialized LGBTI shows.
The radio stations involved have reached out for more LGBTI people to join the teams making the radio programs.
Nepal is a landlocked country is South Asia. It is arguably one of the most progressive countries in the region in regards to LGBTI police.
Nepal is one of the few countries in the world that recognizes a third gender on passports and official documents.
But same-sex marriage is not legalized and there is a long way to go in promoting acceptance of the community.
Working together to raise LGBTI awareness
Radio Taranga in the central Kaski District began creating LGBTI content after a Norweigan NGO reached out to the station to begin the project.
While Radio Taranga is keen to keep producing LGBTI content it is strongly pushing for members of the community to come in and create the content, according to Pahichan.
Pahichan is an LGBTI news outlet that is online but also produces radio shows in Nepal.
Nepal’s leading LGBTI advocacy group, Blue Diamond Society, pushed radio stations about why they did not produce more rainbow content outside of the Pahichan’s program.
Blue Diamond Society’s, deputy director, Parshu Ram Rai met with radio stations to ask them about their ‘lack of inclusion’.
After Rai’s comments, the head of Radio Taranga Him Nidhi Laudari said he was committed to producing more LGBTI content.
While Nepal may have a number of initiatives to help the LGBTI community, many still face persecution and discrimination.
In an exclusive interview with Gay Star News, a gay Nepal man is in fear for his life after a UK court outed him. He hopes to stay in the UK because he fears reprisals for his sexuality for being gay.
