LGBT RIGHTS IN BHUTAN- A CRITICAL STUDY

Abstract

Around the worlds, LGBT rights are a matter of discussion and some of the rights have been arranged for the community. But, the rural areas in Bhutan, hardly any discussion of LGBT issues is noted. Although, the community found speaking up for their rights with the help of media and social media. The provisions of section 213 and 214 of the Bhutanese Penal Code which criminalized “unnatural sex” or “homosexuality” omitted on 10th of December 2020, by the joint sitting of both houses of Bhutan’s parliament after prolonged intensive campaigns by activists, advocates and by the individuals belonging to the LGBT community themselves. Despite the amendments, homosexuality still considered a taboo subject in conservative religious Bhutanese society, this has made the lives of the members of LGBT community hard and unworthy of living. There is hardly any discussion of LGBT issues in the rural areas in Bhutan as they think that sexual orientations of that kind is against the order of nature. This paper for displaying a true picture about the lives and rights of the members of LGBT community prior to and after decriminalizing homosexuality and suggest suitable changes in the existing system to ensure rights to the community in Bhutan with the help of doctrinal and non- doctrinal methodology.