Kathmandu: A complaint has been lodged with Press Council Nepal, an autonomous and independent media regulatory body, against a news portal, Pahichan, over its reporting on death of Christina Magar, a third gender woman. The complaint, filed by some sexual and gender minority organisations, including Blue Diamond Society (BDS), has accused the news website of violating the journalist code of conduct by allegedly spreading false information about Magar’s death. The news report claimed that Magar, 31, died after taking hormone medications.

BDS maintained that the reporting has discouraged SGM members from pursuing gender reassignment surgery or hormone therapy, the medical procedures that BDS promotes despite their legal status being unclear in Nepal.

According to the complaint, SMG organisations, including BDS, the Federation of Sexual and Gender Minorities Nepal and Cruiseaids, pressured individuals to sign the complaint. “They (these organisations) called a meeting at Care and Support and told us to file a complaint and surround the media,” said one of the complainants requesting anonymity for security reasons.

The complaint has demanded action against Pahichan, claiming that the media has spread negative reports on gender reassignment and hormone therapy, thus “causing a damaging impact on the entire SGM community”.

The complaint was registered on 13 September 2024 regarding the news report titled “Christina’s death sparks concern about hormone therapy in Nepal” appeared on Pahichan (https://pahichan.com/). “A week ago, the news that she (Christina) died due to a ruptured head vein at Chirayu Hospital was deliberately spread for personal gains, linking her death with hormone use, which would have a negative impact on the entire community, and the report revealed her involvement in alleged sex work for survival, violating her privacy. We request action against the media as there is a negative impact on the entire third gender community due to the coverage,” read the complaint.

However, Pahichan has defended that the news report was based on fact and evidence, including quotes from Christina’s friend and family. The news portal emphasised that it is always committed to following the Journalist Code of Conduct, which requires the dissemination of true, factual and balanced news contents without discrimination or harm to individuals.

Third gender individual’s death sparks concern over hormone therapy in Nepal

The report included an audio clip which says Christina was taken to Grande International Hospital when she fell ill, but the hospital referred her to TU Teaching Hospital after its ICU was packed. Her parents were also present there. Her mother returned home after the teaching hospital referred her to Chirayu Hospital where she breathed her last. The media quoted her friend as confirming her death.

The article cited medical professionals, including Sher Bahadur Rana, Managing Director of Cardio Hospital, and a doctor, who previously worked for a hormone clinic run by the Family Planning Association of Nepal in collaboration with BDS and Mitini Nepal, who warned about potential health risks of hormone medications, such as heart and kidney complications, and urged taking them under medical supervision.

Victims have said pursuing gender reassignment surgery or hormone therapy has gone rampant in Nepal, recently, particularly under the influence of the foreign trend, where some countries only recognise gender binary.

Even BDS’s officials have complained about potential common side effects of hormone mediations, such as nausea, forgetfulness, and irritability.

SGM activists pointed out that Nepal does not legally mandate individuals to undergo gender reassignment surgery or hormone therapy to access government services. The country recognises non-binary gender allowing individuals to access services under the “other” category on government documents, including citizenship.

However, the complaint suggests that organisations, like BDS, have been promoting these medical options as mandatory for SGM identity. Katalin’s case is in point. Katalin under alleged pressure from BDS had to undergo gender reassignment surgery for identification and later obtained citizenship as a woman.