Top 7 LGBTQ+ Words in Nepali You Need to Know

Honey, if you're looking to sashay your way through Nepal and slay with some fierce LGBTQ+ knowledge, then you've come to the right place. Get ready to werk it with these top 7 LGBTQ+ words in Nepali that will have you feeling fabulous and in the know. These terms are not just words, they’re the essence of the Nepali queer experience. So grab your tea and let’s spill the truth, darling!

1. Para Lingi (पारा लिंगी)

Definition: This fierce term means "third gender" and is for all the gorgeous folks who don’t fit into that basic binary nonsense of male and female.

Context: The term "Para Lingi" has replaced the older term "Tesro Lingi," which is now considered offensive. Nepal is werking it with their recognition of a third gender category since 2007. Talk about progressive, honey! Para Lingi is the realness for those who live beyond the binary and are living their truth, loud and proud.

2. Meti (मेती)

Definition: Oh honey, "Meti" is all about the elegance of transgender women or fabulous feminine-presenting males in Eastern Nepal.

Context: This term is steeped in tradition and cultural glam. It’s a testament to the diverse identities that make Nepal so unique. Remember, darling, sometimes the old ways have their own kind of fabulousness.

3. Samalingi (समलिंगी)

Definition: Slay, queen! "Samalingi" means "homosexual," for all you gorgeous gays and luscious lesbians out there.

Context: Nepal is stepping up its game, embracing "Samalingi" as the term for same-gender love. It's especially popular in urban areas where the queens and kings are werking it and making waves.

4. Hijra (हिजड़ा)

Definition: Yaaas! "Hijra" is the iconic term borrowed from South Asian culture, used for transgender and intersex individuals who are serving authenticity.

Context: This word has a rich history, darling. It’s been both reclaimed and celebrated by the community, showing that we are here, we are fierce, and we are fabulous. Let's keep destigmatizing and slaying with pride!

5. Chhakka (छक्का)

Definition: Ooh, the shade of it all! "Chhakka" is often used as an insult for our effeminate men or transgender sisters, but we’re turning that read into realness. It's the Nepali equivalent of "faggot."

Context: This term might be thrown like shade, but our community is flipping it and making sure everyone knows that being different is what makes us fierce. Educate, liberate, and let’s stop the hate, baby!

6. Natuwa (नटुवा)

Definition: "Natuwa" is for our Terai region queens who are serving femininity and fabulousness as transgender women or feminine-presenting males.

Context: The Terai region has its own kind of magic, and "Natuwa" is a part of that cultural tapestry. It’s all about embracing who you are and letting your inner diva shine.

7 . Baranath (बरनाथ)

Definition: Werk! "Baranath" is for our butch females and gender non-conforming royalty who are breaking all the gender rules.

Context: This term is all about smashing the binary and living your truth. Whether you're serving masculine realness or just being your bold self, "Baranath" is your badge of honor.

Nepal's LGBTQ+ scene is lit and it's only getting brighter. Understanding these words will help you connect, respect, and celebrate the diversity that makes our community so fabulous. So next time you're strutting your stuff in Nepal, remember to werk those terms like the fierce queen you are.

Joey Foster Ellis

For me living abroad, lacking local blood, my status will always be a foreigner. Yet, I am no different from any artist, wherever they might be, whose aim is to set out a moral and adorn a tale; mine, a story of how a young man raised in Upstate New York can be influenced by, and influence, a culture other than his own, forming a language that bears repeating.

https://www.joey.qa
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Guide to Kathmandu [Spring/Summer 2024]