Transgender Discrimination in Pakistan
Sometimes I wonder what is the worst form of discrimination in our society? I think of discrimination based on religions, regions, languages, and colours, but I realize that the worst discrimination in our society is constructed between genders. Amongst such discriminations, the most affected are transgender. The valuable talent and assets of our country have become prey to this tremendous hatred.
Looking back into history, the issue of transgender was not as severe as it is now. Pre-Anglo society respected and gave tremendous reverence to transgender. They were often part of Royal Courts and were also given the designation of personal guards of the Mughal Emperor. They were oftentimes appointed as the special mentors of the princes. After the end of the Mughal era, they lost their moral status.
According to the census of 2017, there are 10,481 transgender lives in Pakistan. They are living in isolation from the community in small groups. Most of them are abandoned by their families or are inappropriately pressurized to isolate themselves from the defined boundaries of society. When they live in such socially distant settings, they become prey to psychological disorders, mental illness, and malnourishment.
Above all, they are deprived of their fundamental human rights, such as the right to employment. These circumstances compel them to use prostitution and begging as their sole income. However, out of all this negativity, they have always proved themselves whenever there is a chance. For instance, Aisha Mughal was the first transgender person officially hosted by the United Nations, as Pakistan’s representative. Other prominent transgender people are Marvia Malik and Rima Ali, who played extraordinary roles in Pakistan's media industry. Their existence proves that transgender people are not futile but an integral part of our society.
The youth has to play its part in resolving these problems. They should raise awareness about this issue on social media, and also support them in society. They should educate transgender about their legal rights and how they can avail opportunities in society. Youth is the future pillar of our country; their thinking and actions matter with regards to the future outlook of a country. Young students should make it necessary that every social event being organized in school or college should have the participation of transgenders. When people observe youth giving respect to such people, they will adopt similar practices and consider them as a part of society. Similarly, young activists can run campaigns of publicly shaming people who harass transgender people to set a precedent that society will equally disrespect those who will disrespect transgenders.
It is the time when we should reconsider how we treat others. Transgenders are also a human being, and they have all the right to be respected and ensured which every other individual of the society have. Transgender Person Bill 2017 is a small step towards the inclusion of the transgender community in our society, but it is not enough. We need to work individually and collectively to end this absurd idea of gender inequality, which is nothing more than a stigma on the face of our society.
