Located in the eastern Himalayas, Bhutan is a country that prioritises Gross National Happiness (GNH) over Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a philosophy introduced in the 1970s. This…
In June 2022, in the middle of Pride Month celebrations across the world, Tashi Choden Chombal was crowned the third Miss Bhutan. Chombal was 23 years old…
Shivani Dave is a freelance journalist and broadcaster at Openly and Virgin Radio. Growing up I never thought Brown people could be LGBTQ+. That’s an absolutely ridiculous thought,…
Tashi Choden will not only be the first contestant to represent Bhutan at the Miss Universe competition — she is also the Himalayan country’s only openly gay…
In 2021, Bhutan decriminalised homosexuality after King Druk Gyalpo signed off on a law amending the small Himalayan country’s penal code. Parts of the code had criminalised…
In a major shift in paradigm for Bhutan, which is generally considered as a traditional and conservative country, will send a lesbian to the Miss Universe 2022…
The tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan became the latest country to decriminalize gay sex as its Penal Code Amendment Act came into force on Feb. 17, 2021….
LONDON, Dec 24 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Coronavirus dominated news around the world in 2020, creating particular challenges for the LGBT+ community in terms of mental health,…
NEW DELHI, Dec 10 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – As countries around the world move to dismantle often centuries-old laws banning gay sex, Bhutan has become the latest…
Bhutan must seize an historic opportunity to secure equal rights for LGBTI people in the country, Amnesty International said today, calling on the upper house of parliament…
2019 has been a mixed year for opponents of the anti-gay laws that still oppress LGBTQ people in dozens of countries worldwide. During 2019, millions fewer people…
Homophobic bullying in Myanmar. Rainbow socks in Singapore. A first for trans people in Pakistan. This is a brief roundup of LGBTI news from countries that have…
Bhutan’s National Assembly has begun the process of decriminalising gay sex, a move which could hand LGBT+ people improved rights. The Buddhist kingdom’s lower house voted on…