Published: April 21, 2010 at 9:57
AM
KATHMANDU, Nepal, April 21
(UPI) -- Nepal, a country that classified homosexuality as a crime just three
years ago, is now seeking to become a top destination for gays, its tourism
minister says.
Sharat Singh Bhandari says
not only is his country about to become the first in Asia to allow same-sex
marriage but it is also promoting gay weddings on Mount Everest, The Times of
London reported Wednesday.
In addition to mountain
weddings, Nepal's tourism board is considering offering elephant safaris to gay
honeymooners and a variety of other special activities.
Sunil Babu Pant, Nepal's
leading gay rights activist and the only openly homosexual lawmaker in South
Asia, deserves much of the credit for his country's progress, The Times says.
Pant founded the Blue Diamond
Society, an organization with 120,000 members that has been campaigning for gay
rights.
A same-sex marriage law is
currently working its way through Nepal's parliament.