Our society claims to be an Islamic society; however, it is
blind to its own mistreatment of minorities, far from anything Islam teaches. I
believe all minorities in Pakistan are maltreated in one way or another, but one
such minority which was not even recognized by our government until 2009 is the
intersex and transgender community. This maltreatment continues to happen
because of weak policy implementation, legislative loopholes, and our deeply
patriarchal society. Before you further read, you must understand what the term
transgender means.
Transgender people are different when it comes to gender identity (how they feel
about themselves internally), gender expression (how they dress and act), and
sexual orientation (the gender they are inclined towards). Intersex people are
born with sex characteristics (including genitals, gonads, and chromosome
patterns) that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female. They are
known as Khawaja Sirah in our society and more commonly in an abusive
connotation ‘Hijrah’.
Our society is patriarchal in nature and continues to uphold and encourage toxic
masculinity. This confused with half-baked knowledge of religion has led people,
men particularly, to believe that anyone who is not born a man is somehow
inferior. In the case of transgenders and intersex individuals – our society
does not even recognize them as humans worthy of respect or even acknowledges
their existence as natural in public and private spheres.
The moment a transgender child is born in any household in Pakistan their own
parents are the first ones to disown them and throw them away in the hands of a
nearby transgender community which is the only community willing to accept the
child. When they grow up, they come to know of their gender which our society
has made a taboo and which they think of as something to be ashamed of upon
being called by it. Every other day you would be able to spot people out there
calling someone they know by yelling “Khusrah” or “Chakkah” such terms are
purposefully meant to have a derogatory connotation attached to them and the
other person feeling ashamed of being called by it. Imagine the amount of
discomfort and uneasiness an actual transgender must have to go through
witnessing such abuses. The existential crisis we inflict onto transgenders must
be unimaginable because of such acts of individuals and as a society.
Due to the lack of recognition in public spaces, the economic and social
disparity we have created for them is absolutely horrifying. How often have you
seen a transgender person working at a nearby shop or restaurant? How often have
you seen a transgender child attending the same school as yours or the one which
your child attends? The only two professions they are forced to opt for in our
society are begging and prostitution. Because that’s the only way of existence
for them which is acceptable to our society.
It was in 2009 that a Supreme Court ruling allowed Pakistan’s National Database
and Registration Authority (NADRA) to issue ID cards to transgenders in which
their sex could either be written as Khawaja Sira, female Khawaja Sira, or
Mukhannas which allowed them to participate in casting their electoral votes.
Until then such individuals could not do anything which normal ‘citizens’ of
Pakistan consider normal, like purchasing a house in their own name, registering
a case, owning a vehicle.
Another study carried out by a collaboration between Aurat Foundation and USAID
found out that more than 34 percent of the transgender women who took part in it
were uneducated and the main source of income wad through begging, dancing, and
sex-work through which the majority of the respondents were able to earn less
than PKR 10,000.
After being rejected and thrown out by their own loved one’s transgenders become
vulnerable and are subjected to mental, physical, and sexual abuse which is
quite prevalent in our society because they do not have a family safety net
neither do they have anybody else out there to support them in such
circumstances.
They become subjected to verbal, physical, emotional, as well as sexual violence
by men who lure them into relationships upon the condition that they will
provide them a monthly allowance. If the man fails to provide for, they sever
ties with him. Another practice that is quite prevalent in our Muslim majority
society is that of head-shaving of the Khawaja Sirahs which is another sign of
toxic masculinity and patriarchy instilled in the minds of men. Besides, the
police in Pakistan does not help the victims in such cases instead they gaslight
the victims and even go to the extent of making sexual advances. Consequently,
transgenders feel insecure, intimidated, and are forced to choose to not report
such cases.
They suffer through mental abuse in many different forms like some people being
curious about the gender they belong to by asking them about it, majority of the
men in our society catcalling and verbally harassing them at market places,
people imitating the way they speak or their body language as a means to insult
others, and society’s perception towards them as some weird beings or aliens.
On top of all of this imagine the access to basic facilities like healthcare
they are deprived of with an income of less than PKR 10,000 which is below the
minimum wage in Pakistan, barely enough to feed a person for a whole month let
alone healthcare expenses. In addition to all the above-mentioned practices
which are very common in our society the third gender on the identity card (Mukhannas)
is not recognized by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a consequence third-gender
identity cardholders are barred from performing hajj which for Muslims is the
home of Allah (God). It’s sickening to even think of someone stopping another
person from the act of worship and disgraceful when you see a whole system
perpetuating this behavior.
On a micro-level, it is time we as individuals take a stand for transgender and
intersex people and educate members of the society around us regarding the daily
abuses and pressure our marginalized and overlooked members of society face.
It’s not that hard to make them feel accepted and welcome which one can easily
do by politely interacting with these members of society.
In Islam, there is a strong emphasis on the rights of fellow human beings and
keeping the feelings and emotional being of other people we interact with in
mind before speaking. Hence if you claim you are living in an Islamic society
then own it and try your best to follow all the teachings not just the ones
according to your own convenience.
Whereas, on a macro level, the Government can and should implement a list of
steps like:
i- decriminalization of the orthodox modes of income to provide them some sort
of safety net and lessen the minority's exploitation.
ii- all policies and laws must include gender and sexual minorities.
iii- amend laws on sexual and physical assault to include genders other than men
and women.
iv implementation of the “Arsh” law under the Pakistan Penal Code which can be
used in cases of head shaving of transgenders.
v- make sure the third gender option “Mukhannas” related confusion is cleared to
allow transgender/intersex to perform the sacred ritual of performing Hajj as
it’s their basic right to worship being Human beings.
In recent years the activism with the transgender community has gained some
momentum, I believe we should not only talk of being allies but actually act
like allies with this marginalized community. I believe decent human beings
should know how to treat others around them and make them feel included in both
public and private spheres because only through inclusion and hearing their
voices will we begin to understand and actually address the injustice that
continues to happen to such marginalized communities.