Everest set to become new Brokeback mountain after Nepal U-turn on gays

timesonline.co.uk ^ | April 21, 2010 | Jeremy Page

[Free ThinkerNY]

As recently as 2007, Nepal classified homosexuality as a crime, punishable by up to two years in prison. Gays and lesbians were harassed and beaten by police, and denounced by Maoist rebels as “a product of capitalism”. Three years on, this Himalayan nation is not only about to become the first in Asia to allow same-sex marriages: it is promoting gay weddings on Everest in an attempt to become the continent’s top gay tourism destination.

“We’re completely changing this country. It’s a newborn republic — and we want to showcase this change,” Sharat Singh Bhandari, the Tourism Minister, told The Times. “We also want to re-establish tourism as a major industry.” He aims to attract one million tourists in 2011, more than double the number last year.

He kicked off the marketing campaign in October with a written message to the International Conference on Gay & Lesbian Tourism in Boston — an unprecedented gesture for an Asian minister. “As the world knows, Nepal is the land of Mount Everest, world’s highest peak and the birth place of Lord Buddha, light of Asia,” the message said. “I, therefore, would like to take this opportunity to invite and welcome all the sexual and gender minorities from around the world.”

[a fool in paradise]

We also want to re-establish tourism as a major industry

Tourism should never be a major industry. Crowds are fickle and you cannot be self-sufficient if you don't produce anything.

[bunkerhill7]

Everest set to become new Brokeback mountain after Nepal U-turn on gays after lesbian couple came straight down the mountain to avoid avalanche

[bsf2009]

Get in everything while there's still time

[little jeremiah]

Horrible.

[Uncle Miltie]

Well at least there aren’t any public helth threats in Nepal to start with.

< / amoebic dysintery >

[max americana]

>Maybe they were being chased away by a Yeti?
**

What about Me-Chelle Obama?