Gay Athletes Prepare For Asia’s First LGBT Sports Festival

Nepal will host the groundbreaking games in October.

More than 200 LGBT athletes from 17 Asian countries are slated to compete in the festival on Oct. 12.

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Image by Niranjan Shrestha / AP

Here, members of the Blue Diamond Society, Nepal’s only gay rights group, practice at Dasarath stadium in Katmandu on Sunday, Aug. 26.

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Sunilbabu Pant, head of the Blue Diamond Society.

Image by Niranjan Shrestha / AP

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Image by NAVESH CHITRAKAR / Reuters

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Bhakti Shah, a lesbian who served in the Nepalese Army until she was discharged because of her sexuality.

Image by Niranjan Shrestha / AP

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Image by Niranjan Shrestha / AP

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Image by NAVESH CHITRAKAR / Reuters

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Image by NAVESH CHITRAKAR / Reuters

8.

Competing athlete Prabin Taman, 21.

Image by NAVESH CHITRAKAR / Reuters

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Image by Niranjan Shrestha / AP

10.

Image by NAVESH CHITRAKAR / Reuters