Nilam Poudel becomes first trans woman to summit Everest
Climber reaches 8,849-metre peak at dawn, marking a milestone for representation in Himalayan mountaineering
PC: Nilam's Facebook
A Nepali climber, Nilam Poudel, has become the first trans woman from Nepal to summit Mount Everest, reaching the 8,849-metre peak at 6.35 a.m. on May 23, 2026, according to expedition organisers.
The ascent was confirmed by Pemba Gelje Sherpa, Managing Director of Expeditions High Mountain Pvt Ltd. Poudel stood atop the world’s highest mountain alongside seven other climbers during the early morning summit window.
Poudel, who previously climbed Mera Peak in 2025, has joined a growing cohort of Nepali climbers using Everest not only as a mountaineering milestone but also as a platform for personal and social narratives.
In a Facebook post, she described the climb as carrying “years of silence, doubt, struggle and strength”, adding: “Today, I stood on Sagarmatha not just for myself, but for every trans person who has ever felt unseen. We belong everywhere. Even at the top of the world.”
Her summit has been widely described by supporters as a symbolic moment for Nepal’s LGBTQ+ community, particularly in a society where transgender people continue to face social and institutional barriers despite incremental legal recognition.
Advocacy group Project Abhaya said the achievement underscored “courage, dignity and possibility”, framing it as both a sporting milestone and a broader statement on inclusion and identity.
Everest has increasingly become a stage for socially significant ascents alongside record-setting climbs and commercial expeditions. Poudel’s success adds to that pattern, reshaping the symbolism of Sagarmatha as not only a test of endurance but also a site of representation.
Organisers say the ascent is among the notable achievements of the 2026 spring climbing season, which has already seen high traffic and a series of record and milestone summits on the world’s highest peak.
