Supervisor: Mag. Dr. Rolf Bauer

Co-Supervisor: Dr. Alaka Chudal M.A.

 This master's thesis explores how gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) individuals in Nepal navigate their sexual identities within a sociocultural environment shaped by heteronormative expectations and strong familial obligations. While Nepal’s 2015 Constitution guarantees rights for LGBTQIA+ individuals, everyday life remains constrained by traditional gender roles, the centrality of cis-heterosexual marriage, and the pressure to uphold family reputation.

Grounded in three months of ethnographic fieldwork in the Kathmandu Valley, this study draws on participant observation, narrative and semi-structured interviews, and informal conversations with ten GBQ-identifying individuals. The research employs a qualitative, interpretive approach informed by cultural anthropology, gender studies, and queer theory.

The analysis is structured around four thematic areas: (1) the effects of heteronormativity and heterosexism on gender and sexual expression; (2) the family as both a supportive and restrictive institution; (3) GBQ identity development as a nonlinear, relational process; and (4) culturally specific practices of identity disclosure, including the model of “coming with” as an alternative to Euro-American coming out narratives.

Findings reveal how GBQ individuals develop strategies of adaptation and resistance - ranging from self-censorship and performative conformity to creative expression and activism - in order to balance self-authenticity with social acceptance. Through these everyday negotiations, participants not only assert agency but also reshape notions of belonging, demonstrating that queer life in Nepal persists and flourishes despite structural constraints.