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Thimpu (Bhutan) (AFP) – Tashi Choden will not only be Bhutan’s first representative to the Miss Universe pageant: she is also the only openly gay public figure in the Himalayan country.
The remote country is known for its “Gross National Happiness” philosophy, which prioritizes the well-being of its citizens alongside economic growth.
But until February 2021, homosexuality was defined in the criminal code as “sexual conduct contrary to the laws of nature” and therefore illegal in the Buddhist country.
Therefore, Choden’s crowning as Miss Bhutan 2022 took on significance for the country of nearly 800,000 people and its LGBTQ community, she said.
“I speak not only for the Bhutanese community, but also for the minority community on a platform like the Miss Universe pageant,” she told AFP. “I can be her voice.”
The 23-year-old, who at 14 had lost both of her parents, said she came out as sexual in June, International Pride, after “a lot of research and introspection”.
He initially felt a “very strong reaction” from members of his religious and conservative family, but Choden felt it was important for them to be a part of his disclosure process.
“The first thing is that your acceptance is important to me,” he said. “After a while they accepted it and I’m very grateful for that because a lot of people aren’t lucky enough to have that acceptance.”
“As long as they know I’m going to be okay in life, that I can be an independent woman, I think my sexuality isn’t really relevant to them,” she added.
Although he had “some negative reactions” online after his coronation, the triumph generated support inside and outside the country.
Even Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, who practices as a doctor on weekends, personally congratulated her and wished her success.
Open your way
Bhutan has always charted its own path, based not only on economic growth but on maintaining the ecological health of its picturesque valleys and snow-capped mountains.
The country is carbon negative and its constitution mandates the preservation of 60% of Bhutan’s forests.
It also eschews the global tourism model, instead imposing a $200-a-day “sustainable development fee” on foreign visitors, a fund used to offset its carbon footprint.
Television was only authorized in 1999, archery is the national sport and it is common to see phalluses painted on houses to ward off evil spirits.
But members of the LGBTQ community have reported cases of discrimination and social stigma, which is why many do not come out.
But the decriminalization of homosexuality in the kingdom in 2021 was a sign of growing openness and acceptance, said Rinzin Galley, a genderfluid beautician.
“With decriminalization… I feel more comfortable in public than before,” Galley told AFP.
“I like to put on makeup and go out, but it is not normal for a man to go out with makeup,” he said.
Several transgender women have changed their name and gender on their identity documents, and the LGBTQ community is slowly becoming more visible.
Community organizations such as Queer Voices of Bhutan and Bhutan Pride, as well as the NGO Lhak-sam, have provided support to the sector.
And now, with Choden representing Bhutan on the Miss Universe stage, with millions of viewers around the world, many are hopeful for the future of the country’s sexually diverse youth.
“Having a gay woman like Miss Bhutan allows the rest of the sexually diverse community, especially young people, to aspire to higher goals in their lives,” Regita Gurung, a bisexual woman, told AFP.
“This representation paved the way for the rest of us to have more confidence in who we are,” he added.
© 2022 AFP
