Pink Everest: Nepal appeals for gay tourists

[Duncan Grant]

In this photo taken Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, Sushila, a Nepalese transgender man, smiles at a women's clothes store in Katmandu, Nepal. The conservative Hindu nation wants to host the world's highest same-sex wedding at Everest base camp, to attract the multibillion dollar gay tourist market to help pull it out of its wrenching poverty. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)

Pink Everest: Nepal appeals for gay tourists

<snip>
Tourism is one of the main drivers of Nepal's economy, worth about $350 million last year, and government officials are determined to double tourism to 1 million visitors next year.

They hope gay tourists will be far more lucrative than the backpackers who stay in cheap hotels here and travel on shoestring budgets.

"They do have a lot of income ... they are high-spending consumers," said Aditya Baral, spokesman for the Nepal Tourism Board. "If they behave well, if they have money, we don't discriminate."

The driving force is Sunil Pant, a member of parliament, the nation's most prominent gay activist and founder of the new Pink Mountain tour company.
<snip>

Interesting implications on so many levels, don't you think? Full story here.

[joeybee12]

1. KNR!!! n/t

[LeftHander]

2. Stupid AP editors....media resists using proper pronouns...

TRANSGENDER WOMAN!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. The conservative Hindu nation ??

really? since when is nepal that conservative.

[donco6]

4. What does "behave well" mean, exactly?

Not have sex in the street? Not hold hands? Not indicate in any way whatsoever that you're together? What?

[joeybee12]

6. I'm wondering it it's just something lost in translation...or pharsed badly

because the speaker has limited English.

[WillParkinson]

5. If we behave. If we have money. Wow. I can just feel the love.

Of my money.

[closeupready]

8. I know what you mean, but in that region of the world, this is rather progressive.

It's not ideal, though, don't get me wrong. I just think it's an honest proposition for gay people.

[Toasterlad]

9. My Reaction As Well.

However, I'm not likely to go to Nepal under any circumstance anyway, so I suppose it doesn't matter what their motivation is to try and get me there.

[closeupready]

7. Just knowing this makes me want to go spend my money there.

I worked once with a guy from Nepal - just a very sweet, gentle man. Heterosexual, but not homophobic in any shape, way or form.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

10. despite how this article wants to pain nepal as a conservative place

its not. clearly, in many ways more progressive than NY state.

yes, they love US dollar. why wouldnt they. they are poor.

yes, they want people in general to be well behaved, but thats part of the culture and has nothing to do with homophobia. that guys probably wants everyone to be well behaved. some societies put a high value on etiquette.

i am not sure why so many feel the need to view nepal suspiciously, where they voted in gay marriage and where sunil babu pant has really made a great impact as a gay lawmaker.

[closeupready]

11. I'm not sure.

Fear of the Other is common, and sometimes among GLBT people, too, even though in theory, it doesn't make sense (since it's GLBT people who are the outcasts in most Western cultures).

Many, many of my friends are South Asian, and when I'm out with them, out for a drink or a meal, I'll often find them getting the weirdest, cold receptions among 'white people', and almost never deserved. I don't know what stereotype people are acting upon, but South Asians of any state are typically quite gentle and friendly, in my experience.

So anyway, this story isn't as surprising to me as it may be with others. :)