SABINA RAYAMAJHI /Pahichan – The word “THIRD GENDER” itself sounds funny and that word always suits in any matter while criticizing friends–this was my way of thinking in the past. Before coming and joining the BDS (BLUE DIAMOND SOCIETY) as intern. I hadn’t seen them face to face.  When I had got chance to participate in one programme which was related to third gender and in that program I saw LGBTI people I was totally amazed.

They had outstanding life standard, their get up and makeup seems like they are models. So, my curiosity increased at high level thinking that I should talk them face to face but I did not got chance to interact with them. After sometimes, I heard gossips of various people and even news that most of the third genders are sex worker, and we may found them in Asan and Ratnapark at night. So, due to that my thought goes little bit negative. But still I want to know the case and reasons for doing so.

In 2016, maybe it’s in February, when I was doing intern at UNIC my co-intern and my senior who was ex-intern of BDS, she explained and described about LGBTI and their lifestyle and daily activities struggles and so on. At that time my perception towards those people did not match and all my unnecessary news and thoughts which I heard went wrong. Then by listening about them, my negative thoughts were vanished and ultimately positive energy regarding them was increased. So, from that time I was thinking about to do internship at BDS and fortunately I even got chance to do internship there. After attending orientation classes and interacting with the people working there, I got information about LGBTI people in detail.

After going in Blue Diamond Society, I got to know all the people are same and someone being born with different sexuality doesn’t mean they are alien or back people of the society. In fact they are the gift of god in a different form.

I also learned that we should treat them equally and they should also have the equal rights like us. Being in Blue Diamond Society is the greatest thing that happened in my whole life as I got to know the importance of respecting people.

May be my internship time in Blue Diamond Society will finish but the lesson and experiences that I have got from here would be with me forever and for that I am thankful to Blue Diamond Society. My overall thinking has been changed completely because I used to think LGBTI people as bad people of society involving in prostitute by changing their gender but now I know that my thinking was completely wrong and I also got to know that the LGBTI people are normal people like us having more talent but with different sexuality.

At last I would like to say that BDS is only not enough to uplift their economic and social life standard because there are more than 5, 6 lakhs third gender person only in Nepal. So, government of Nepal and other NGOs, INGOs should focus on them giving positive enthusiasm and motivation. Many programs and seminars should be organized in every corner of the country related to rights and identity of LGBTI people. They should be given opportunities same like male and female and should include them in quota system too

They should be treated equally and government should make special attention regarding their development smoothly. In most of society their family are not accepting them and discriminate them by giving various names like chaaka, hijada etc. Most of the peoples thinking is that they are only useless weight of the earth and cannot do anything but just spoil the society and family members image and prestige. They are not weak and they also can perform good society welfare.

They think as a common man and same mind energy but only hormonal activities differs which is not a great problem and difficulty to build up the society. Thus for this, we youths and society plays an important role to bring out their identity and express their feelings freely in the society in future. And I think third gender will surely prove that they are not less as much as other gender people.

“Humans are Humans

Respect all irrespective of diversity”

                                                     Santwona College