Kathmandu (Pahichan) June 17 – This is Basantapur, a place located in central Kathmandu. This is under the process of reconstruction. All sides are covered with irons and there is a banner which says,” Prohibited Area.” In front of this banner a gay is standing.

June is a pride month for this community. This gay is frankly and with a pride is telling others that i am gay. LGBTI communities across the world celebrate this month as pride month. Shuvam Chaudhary (22) of Sunsari is giving his identity. “His placard card says, “I am a gay, would you hug me?” he is telling about this community.

Like in United States and United Kingdom, there is a practice of celebrating this month in Nepal as well. On 15 June which was a hottest day in Kathmandu valley, he stood with placard.  He shared that he gathered more motivation when he came Basantapur from Thamel.  However, there is not sufficient awareness about this month among LGBTI members.

It was not an easy for this young man to stand in the busy road. There was a crowd go see him. He faced some problems from street bogs and small vendors which offered him to buy something.

There were also people who took photograph with him which provided him further strength to claim himself as a gay.  Shuvam who is studying fashion design said that he did this with an aim of increasing the social acceptability of this community.  “In one word I want equality like male and female,” he said.

Manindra Singh Danuwar who bagged the title of second Mr. Gay Handsome said all should make their identity public to increase the acceptability of this community. “We cannot hide ourselves for the long time.  We are a member of society like others,” he said. He said parliament should endorse same-sex marriage.

Bibek Magar who is a member of Youth Council of American Embassy said he came with placard to know about the acceptability rate of this community in society. He said it is a gay visibility.

Although the Stonewall riots on June 28, 1969, are generally considered the impetus of the modern gay liberation movement, a number of demonstrations of civil resistance took place prior to that date. These actions, often organized by local homophile organizations but sometimes spontaneous, addressed concerns ranging from anti-gay discrimination in employment and public accommodations to the exclusion of homosexuals from the United States military to police harassment to the treatment of homosexuals in revolutionary Cuba. The early actions have been credited with preparing the gay community for Stonewall and contributing to the riots’ symbolic power.