Organiser Sunil Pant, director of the Blue Diamond Society and the first openly gay politician in Nepal, say the event is modeled on the global Gay Games which are organised by “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) promoters for athletes from the same community to promote inclusion and encourage the pursuit of personal growth.”
“30 years later, Blue Diamond Society (BDS), which is the country’s largest human rights organisation that works to empower the marginalised LGBT community has taken the initiative to bring a version of these unique games to Nepal,” the press release added.
Organisers say the festival has confirmed participation from over 200 Nepali amateur athletes from the LGBTI community and at least 150 foreign athletes from over 17 countries. Participants will compete in more than ten groups and individual events such as karate, track running, 5KM fun marathon, football, volleyball, swimming and long jump. The events will be held at the Dasharath Rangashala stadium and the National Theater Hall in Kathmandu.
Special guests include openly gay American Olympic medalist Greg Louganis, who had won two gold medals in diving in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics and Peter Tatchell, a prominent human rights activist from the UK. The organisers say they hope for local high level governmental officials and politicians to attend the event as guests.
There are plans to hold a human rights seminar and LGBTI film festival in conjunction with the sporting event, more details will be announced later.
The "Asia-Pacific Outgames", a regional multi-sport event held every three years for LGBT athletes and participants in the Asia-Pacific region, has only been hosted by New Zealand and Australia. A smaller scale sporting event, The Straits Games, has been held annually since 2002 and rotates between Phuket (Thailand), Taipei (Taiwan), Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Singapore. The next event is slated to take place in Phuket, Thailand from Oct 12 to 14.
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What can athletes do in two days ?
(200 local amateur athletes from the LGBTI community and some 150 foreign athletes from 17 countries.)
and -being somewhat curious as the real motives- is it not along with
Nepal wooing gay tourists to merely attract pink dollars ? Or just a fun party in the mountains ?
1)Nepal to host LGBTI sports festival Oct 12-14
2)The Straits (and straight) Gamesto take place in Phuket, Thailand from Oct 12 to 14.
A bit much wouldn't you say ?
What can athletes do in two days ?
(200 local amateur athletes from the LGBTI community and some 150 foreign athletes from 17 countries.)
and -being somewhat curious as the real motives- is it not along with
Nepal wooing gay tourists to merely attract pink dollars ? Or just a fun party in the mountains ?
1)Nepal to host LGBTI sports festival Oct 12-14
2)The Straits (and straight) Gamesto take place in Phuket, Thailand from Oct 12 to 14.
A bit much wouldn't you say ?
Your reaction is that of a westerner living the Western and living in SF.
When you are an American who's lived in Asia for some twenty yyears, as I have, your perspective in quite different. In south-east Asia guys don't have the luxury to fight for gay rights barely for existing rights.
Here in Asia, we need to focus and concentrate of what is essential to advance gay rights because those rights are refused at best tolerated as long as you stay firmly in the closet with a heavy lock. I used to work for Act-up in the U.S so I think I know what will make an impact and what will not, what will be be banned by a given govt and what will give goose pimples to others. One cannot have a multitude of gay even in Asia without bringing the ire of these bloody goons. This a a campaign presently to block all LGBT rights under the to-be revised ASEAN Agreement. Gays should not even exist in this region they say, should be locked up, "converted", "educated", when murder is not on the mind (and Australia is not getting better it seems, although PM Gilliard in a complete U-turn is supporting a gay rugby team event).
So a flurry of gay events can only irritate those endangering the lives of gay Asians with no chance, so far, of an Asian Spring.
I am all for "striking" hard through concerted events well planned with a strong political agenda, but not through sporting events that are merely copycats of the two wonderful recent London sporting ones.
That is my view and my intention was certainly not to ridicule the Nepalese one.
Yours sincerely.
"Govt-endorsed parental guide to "identify" gay and lesbian children slammed....
Do you realise now the pressure youth, young men, gays in general
have to face, in Malaysia, in particular, but also all over south-east Asia ?
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