Batting colourful lashes and swinging their silky wigs, drag artists danced to a cheering crowd at a Nepali restaurant in the country's first such show.

The floor of the Pink Tiffany, Nepal's first LGBTI-friendly restaurant, was packed on Tuesday evening to applaud the debut performances, with many in the audience also wearing glittery make-up and vibrant outfits.&nbsp;

Meghna Lama, the restaurant's owner and a transgender woman, said she was excited to host the groundbreaking event.&nbsp;

"We wanted to organise programs to show that LGBTIs also exist here, so for the first time we are trying to do the drag show," Lama told AFP.&nbsp;

The show was headlined by American artists, but Lama hopes it will open doors for Nepali drag enthusiasts to take to the stage.&nbsp;

"This is exciting, I feel very free here. It is so good to see others enjoy (transforming) as I do," said a 20-year-old Nepali participant who goes by the name of Peachy Pie.

Nepal has some of South Asia's most progressive laws on homosexuality and transgender rights.&nbsp;

Landmark reforms in 2007 prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and recognised gay Nepalis, at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in neighbouring India.&nbsp;

Transgender Nepalis were also granted the right to tick "other" when voting, applying for a passport, or other official documents.

But gay and transgender Nepalis and rights activists say action has not matched the rhetoric. More than a decade on, the community still faces discrimination in the conservative society.

"In Nepal, we didn't have specific spaces for LGBTIs even now. So when you are doing certain things that are aimed to be queer you are also reclaiming space, not just as space but also a space in society," said Rukshana Kapali, a transgender woman who came to watch the show.

More than 900,000 of Nepal's roughly 26 million population identify as a sexual minority, according to LGBTI rights group Blue Diamond Society.

Batting colourful lashes and swinging their silky wigs, drag artists danced to a cheering crowd at a Nepali restaurant in the country's first such show. The floor of the Pink Tiffany, Nepal's first LGBTI-friendly restaurant, was packed on Tuesday evening to applaud the debut performances, with many in the audience also wearing glittery make-up and vibrant outfits.

Batting colourful lashes and swinging their silky wigs, drag artists danced to a cheering crowd at a Nepali restaurant in the country's first such show. The floor of the Pink Tiffany, Nepal's first LGBTI-friendly restaurant, was packed on Tuesday evening to applaud the debut performances, with many in the audience also wearing glittery make-up and vibrant outfits. Meghna Lama, the restaurant's owner and a transgender woman, said she was excited to host the groundbreaking event. "We wanted to organise programs to show that LGBTIs also exist here, so for the first time we are trying to do the drag show," Lama told AFP. The show was headlined by American artists, but Lama hopes it will open doors for Nepali drag enthusiasts to take to the stage. "This is exciting, I feel very free here. It is so good to see others enjoy (transforming) as I do," said a 20-year-old Nepali participant who goes by the name of Peachy Pie. Nepal has some of South Asia's most progressive laws on homosexuality and transgender rights. Landmark reforms in 2007 prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and recognised gay Nepalis, at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in neighbouring India. Transgender Nepalis were also granted the right to tick "other" when voting, applying for a passport, or other official documents. But gay and transgender Nepalis and rights activists say action has not matched the rhetoric. More than a decade on, the community still faces discrimination in the conservative society. "In Nepal, we didn't have specific spaces for LGBTIs even now. So when you are doing certain things that are aimed to be queer you are also reclaiming space, not just as space but also a space in society," said Rukshana Kapali, a transgender woman who came to watch the show. More than 900,000 of Nepal's roughly 26 million population identify as a sexual minority, according to LGBTI rights group Blue Diamond Society.

Artists light up Nepal's first drag show

It took a long time, but on Thursday Australia became the 26th country to achieve marriage equality.

The LGBTI community is euphoric and relieved with this hard-fought victory. But there is also trauma from the drawn-out postal survey campaign, which saw attacks on rainbow families and communities. It left many feeling vulnerable and distressed. In some cases, it brought back painful memories of the bullying and abuse they were subjected to in their adolescence.

But once the celebrations from Australia achieving marriage equality have subsided, the fight for LGBTI people to live lives free from discrimination will continue.

Watch:&nbsp;Marriage equality has passed, so what&rsquo;s next?

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A long way to go

The focus recently has, understandably, been on achieving marriage equality. However, it&rsquo;s important to recognise that this accomplishment does not mean that LGBTI people enjoy all of the same human rights as heterosexual people.

Australian law has not yet caught up with the reality of modern families. Children in LGBTI families may have more than two parents: a lesbian couple may have a child with the assistance of a gay couple, for instance, and all four parents may be actively involved in raising the child.

In contrast to Canada, which allows birth certificates to record up to four parents, Australia allows only two parents to be recorded. This means that this pivotal identity document may not accurately reflect a child&rsquo;s family structure.

Another issue that can now receive greater attention is the ongoing use of conversion therapies to &ldquo;cure&rdquo; a person&rsquo;s same-sex attraction. These harmful practices appear to have gone underground but are actually more prevalent in Australia than ever before.

Conversion therapies have been condemned by the medical profession as harmful and ineffective, and by the UN as a breach of human rights. Nevertheless, they continue in Australia.

In 2016, the Victorian government established a commissioner to investigate and ban unregistered health practitioners who claim to be able to convert same-sex-attracted people. However, the Health Complaints Commissioner does not have the power to examine faith-based organisations engaging in such practices, which limits this initiative&rsquo;s effectiveness.

In the US, however, several states and cities have enacted legislation to ban conversion therapy &ndash; either for minors or, in the case of New York City, for adults as well.

Additionally, a case in the state of New Jersey against a Jewish counselling group culminated in a decision that the group had committed consumer fraud when it promised to change a person&rsquo;s same-sex attraction into opposite-sex attraction and was held liable to pay damages.

Given the attempts to embed discrimination against LGBTI people in the marriage equality legislation under the guise of religious freedom, and the government&rsquo;s review into whether Australian law adequately protects religious freedom, now may not be the best time to advocate for the removal of religious exemptions from federal, state and territory anti-discrimination legislation.

As it stands, religious bodies are allowed to discriminate against a person on the basis of their sexual orientation. The impact of such exemptions was recently illustrated when a teacher at a Baptist school in Western Australia was lawfully sacked for being gay.

Another issue that has received little attention is the ongoing practice of subjecting intersex infants to surgical or hormonal interventions to &ldquo;fix&rdquo; their sex to appear male or female. Advocates are calling for such medical interventions to be banned unless it is freely given and fully informed consent.

Advocacy on the world stage

Australia achieving marriage equality will also help improve our human rights reputation on the international stage &ndash; which is in desperate need of help.

At its UN Human Rights Council periodic review in 2016, several countries recommended that Australia amend its laws to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Australia should also lend its support to persecuted LGBTI people in other parts of the world. This includes in the Asia-Pacific region, where 19 countries criminalise homosexuality. As Martin Luther King said: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

We should celebrate and enjoy the fact that Australia finally has marriage equality. But it is by no means the end of the road when it comes to the law reform necessary to enable LGBTI people to enjoy lives of dignity and equality.

Birth certificates that accurately reflect a child&rsquo;s family, ban on conversion therapies, removal of religious exemptions from anti-discrimination legislation, and prohibitions on surgeries to &ldquo;normalise&rdquo; an intersex infant&rsquo;s genitalia are just some of the issues that need to be fixed before Australia&rsquo;s LGBTI community can fully enjoy their human rights.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-has-finally-achieved-marriage-equality-but-theres-a-lot-more-to-be-done-on-lgbti-rights-88488" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

Image Credit: AAP

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Australia legalising marriage equality does not necessarily mean LGBTI people enjoy all of the same human rights as heterosexual people

It took a long time, but on Thursday Australia became the 26th country to achieve marriage equality. The LGBTI community is euphoric and relieved with this hard-fought victory. But there is also trauma from the drawn-out postal survey campaign, which saw attacks on rainbow families and communities. It left many feeling vulnerable and distressed. In some cases, it brought back painful memories of the bullying and abuse they were subjected to in their adolescence. But once the celebrations from Australia achieving marriage equality have subsided, the fight for LGBTI people to live lives free from discrimination will continue. Watch: Marriage equality has passed, so what’s next? × A long way to go The focus recently has, understandably, been on achieving marriage equality. However, it’s important to recognise that this accomplishment does not mean that LGBTI people enjoy all of the same human rights as heterosexual people. Australian law has not yet caught up with the reality of modern families. Children in LGBTI families may have more than two parents: a lesbian couple may have a child with the assistance of a gay couple, for instance, and all four parents may be actively involved in raising the child. In contrast to Canada, which allows birth certificates to record up to four parents, Australia allows only two parents to be recorded. This means that this pivotal identity document may not accurately reflect a child’s family structure. Another issue that can now receive greater attention is the ongoing use of conversion therapies to “cure” a person’s same-sex attraction. These harmful practices appear to have gone underground but are actually more prevalent in Australia than ever before. Conversion therapies have been condemned by the medical profession as harmful and ineffective, and by the UN as a breach of human rights. Nevertheless, they continue in Australia. In 2016, the Victorian government established a commissioner to investigate and ban unregistered health practitioners who claim to be able to convert same-sex-attracted people. However, the Health Complaints Commissioner does not have the power to examine faith-based organisations engaging in such practices, which limits this initiative’s effectiveness. In the US, however, several states and cities have enacted legislation to ban conversion therapy – either for minors or, in the case of New York City, for adults as well. Additionally, a case in the state of New Jersey against a Jewish counselling group culminated in a decision that the group had committed consumer fraud when it promised to change a person’s same-sex attraction into opposite-sex attraction and was held liable to pay damages. Given the attempts to embed discrimination against LGBTI people in the marriage equality legislation under the guise of religious freedom, and the government’s review into whether Australian law adequately protects religious freedom, now may not be the best time to advocate for the removal of religious exemptions from federal, state and territory anti-discrimination legislation. As it stands, religious bodies are allowed to discriminate against a person on the basis of their sexual orientation. The impact of such exemptions was recently illustrated when a teacher at a Baptist school in Western Australia was lawfully sacked for being gay. Another issue that has received little attention is the ongoing practice of subjecting intersex infants to surgical or hormonal interventions to “fix” their sex to appear male or female. Advocates are calling for such medical interventions to be banned unless it is freely given and fully informed consent. Advocacy on the world stage Australia achieving marriage equality will also help improve our human rights reputation on the international stage – which is in desperate need of help. At its UN Human Rights Council periodic review in 2016, several countries recommended that Australia amend its laws to allow same-sex couples to marry. Australia should also lend its support to persecuted LGBTI people in other parts of the world. This includes in the Asia-Pacific region, where 19 countries criminalise homosexuality. As Martin Luther King said: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We should celebrate and enjoy the fact that Australia finally has marriage equality. But it is by no means the end of the road when it comes to the law reform necessary to enable LGBTI people to enjoy lives of dignity and equality. Birth certificates that accurately reflect a child’s family, ban on conversion therapies, removal of religious exemptions from anti-discrimination legislation, and prohibitions on surgeries to “normalise” an intersex infant’s genitalia are just some of the issues that need to be fixed before Australia’s LGBTI community can fully enjoy their human rights. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Image Credit: AAP (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Australia approves marriage equality, but lots need to be done on LGBTI rights

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Artists light up Nepal's first drag show

Opinion: Australia approves marriage equality, but lots need to be done on LGBTI rights