Nepal to Host LGBT ‘Olympics’

“Welcome to South Asia’s Most LGBT-Friendly Country” – this may well become the new motto for Nepal, which is set to host the region’s first sports competition for the lesbian, gay, bisexuals and transgender community.

The event’s announcement comes less than a year after Nepal hosted South Asia’s first lesbian wedding, which took place shortly after the country recognized a “third gender” in its census data.

The event, “Blue Diamond National Sport Competition” will feature volleyball, football, long jump, martial arts, tennis and yoga, among other sports. It is set to start in late September or early October, organizers announced earlier this week.

An initiative of Blue Diamond Society, a Kathmandu-based gay-rights group, the sporting event is also open to hijras, men who dress and behave like women and who have a long history in the region.

http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2012/03/22/nepal-to-host-lgbt-olympics/?mod=google_news_blog