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"My family thinks I'm disgusting"

"My family thinks I'm disgusting"

Transgenders suffer a life of abandon, living with the realisation that they are unaccepted everywhere they go.

Maati Tv October 25, 2011

Transgenders are often forced to live under miserable conditions in Pakistan. Society does not accept them and they live as outcasts who are discriminated against in every field of life. This treatment extends not only to strangers but the family of transgenders too, who disown them and may even beat them till they are forced to leave their homes.

In this video we learn of the humiliation they are regularly made to suffer. People not only mock and ridicule them, they do not allow transgenders to study alongside them in school. Many eunuchs are, thus, forced to live a life of begging, dancing and entertaining - this is their livelihood. It is evident that they are viewed as the lowest rung of society, and people only associate them with either shame or jokes.

Even though the Supreme Court has stated that 80,000 transgenders have been registered, there are still many who are unregistered. The government has been instructed to provide them with education and money, however, the transgenders interviewed have received nothing.

Moreover, religious scholars of Islam, Christianity and Sikhism have stated that their respective religions preach only equality towards all people. Yet, transgenders live a life of suppression, mockery and degradation in Pakistan. They are destined to eternal abandonment and loneliness where they have to suffer the realisation that they are unaccepted everywhere they go.

This video originally appeared here

WRITTEN BY:
Maati Tv A community journalism website that aims to provide an alternative voice for people.

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

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COMMENTS (35)

mariyum | 13 years ago | Reply Eunuchs deserve equal rights and sympathy because it is clearly not their fault for who they are or for what they are like.

Kay | 13 years ago | Reply Right. So here we have it. As a person, I am directly in contact with such humans, as well as victims of abuse, rape, domestic violence and tragedy. All I have learned is this: We are all the same, little living things that come with an expiry date. I have seen cruelty. I have opposed it. I have limitations: physical ones, because I am a woman, but I would take a cane to the perpetrators if I had a stronger arm, I swear...I am tired of the flippant and almost apathetic attitude of most people in this country. I cannot believe the number of times I have seen people idly watch as someone was being beaten by the police or a mob, or an animal was being tortured, or seeing children get boxed around, or accident victims bleeding and traumatized being filmed on camera phones while the rest gathered in a beholding crowd. Rare is the good Samaritan in Pakistan. Raise your children to insist on being the better person. Male or female, teach them to help. Stop fearing repurcussions or society or simply being lazy and hard hearted. On a micro-scale, make sure you do your part. Don't wait for someone else to 'take care of it'. And count your blessings: you never know when God may send a trial your way...and God forbid you're that victim being watched in the middle of the road, bleeding away.

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Fari | 13 years ago | Reply okay... I think THE AUTHOR MEANS TRANSVESTITES. Not transgender and transsexuals. And BTW those on our streets ARE NOT transsexuals. THEY are transvestites, which @SANA is referring to. They are born that way- that is it starts from the womb. And its not a hormonal or mental condition but a biological condition- that is it is different from psychological disorders like those of transsexuals. Please, can the author clarify this. Because we are on different grounds- and people who dress like women on our country's street don't do it because they want to- they are extremely confused too. They have been rejected by our society. And a few months back someone spoke with reference about our religion sympathizing with transvestites. Please refer to numerous Islamic awareness societies functioning in educational institutes as well as independently if you have questions. And again eunuchs are different from each of the above mentioned. They are castrated.

Nafisa | 13 years ago | Reply A desire to resist oppression is implanted in the nature of man_Tacitus Life finds a way to resist and repel, to survive. Being accepted by humans is contrary to reason. We are the tweaks, the snags, we are the humans.

Leila Rage | 13 years ago | Reply @Modazul: Again you missed my point. I'm not saying its fine to do as animals do. But I see no point in arguing since you might misconstrue whatever else i say as well. However I am offended by your assumption that I'm doing nothing about these things. What do you know? I'm all ready running charities for people who have suffered such abuse, providing them with shelter, emotional and psychological support. Think before you judge someone. But I can't STOP these injustices till the police and government get involved, and the mindset of people changes. So stop passing judgement and misreading what Im saying.

Haider | 13 years ago | Reply @Modazul: Homosexual behavior if done between two consenting adults is not harming anyone. It's really absurd of you to even compare this with murder or woman killing her children. Homosexuality is a natural phenomenon and yes it has been found in about 1500 species, but as humans we also have morals which other animals don't. We know that murder is morally wrong, because it does harm the society, but homosexuality doesn't unless you're going by morality defined by religion.

Leila Rage | 13 years ago | Reply @Modazul: I never said YOU support these crimes. I said its naieve to say that such things are not encouraged here in Pakistan because the lawlessness and lack of adequate punishment of these things (Sexual perversion and animalistic behavior to use your words) means that they are in fact subtley implicitly encouraged. Thats all. I NEVER said YOU personally were encouraging these things.

Modazul | 13 years ago | Reply @Raja Islam Like i said, corruption doesn't necessarily affect societies directly, they cause effects indirectly as well. A perfectly normal teenager might get influenced by homosexuality if its rampant in the society. @Leila Rage What is wrong with you woman? Did I ever say anything which remotely suggests or implies that I support rape, sexual abuse and terrorism in Pakistan? DID I ? Your rage has overtaken your senses and has exposed your narrow mindedness you have towards people who demand moral and social stability. I fully condemn those malicious disgraceful acts you mentioned and if I ever see it happening in front of me then I will attempt to stop it with all powers available at my disposal. @ Pir Ali Raza Well its corruption according to me AND according to the three major REVEALED religions in the world. Basically its corruption according to YOUR Creator who is the Creator of everything you see around you. For some people embezzlement, cheating, saying blatant lies to do business is not corruption but a way of life. But does it make that right? Does it make it correct? NO

Sana | 13 years ago | Reply @waqas: Fact: Transgenrder and Transsexuals are NOT the same! Now go to bed...

Shahid3 | 13 years ago | Reply The very definition of fascism is that only you express your opinions openly while others are prohibited to express theirs... Fascism has defied easy categorization ("I know it when I see it"), but there are many parallels as shown in this well-known piece by the Italian writer Umberto Eco who had first-hand experience with the real deal: No syncretistic faith can withstand analytical criticism. The critical spirit makes distinctions, and to distinguish is a sign of modernism. In modern culture the scientific community praises disagreement as a way to improve knowledge. For Ur-Fascism, disagreement is treason. Besides, disagreement is a sign of diversity. Ur-Fascism grows up and seeks for consensus by exploiting and exacerbating the natural fear of difference.

Naqvi | 13 years ago | Reply @acha bacha: FACT: Transgendered person is not Allah Creation! (REF: http://www.isna.org/faq/transgender) A transgendered (FAKE) person is born as a perfect human being, male or female, but he/she choose to defy how Allah has created him/her. A transgendered (FAKE) is that when a perfect male chooses to dress like a female or a perfect female chooses to dress like a male. If they are tested on medical grounds they can be clearly identified as an absolute male or female. A natural She-male is different from transgendered person and have, medically proven, features of both male and female in the same body. It has nothing to do with religion as some un-educated people are trying to show-off their literacy level. Nontheless, Islam has given lots of respect and rights to a she-male depending on their specific degree of deformity, as all she-male are different in level of deformity. But a transgendered person is an impostor!

acha bacha | 13 years ago | Reply I hate those people who mock at such creation of GOD... We need to realize that these are Allah's creation and it might have hidden aim that we don't know. So, mocking at trans-gender is equivalent to mocking at Allah's art.

waqas | 13 years ago | Reply @ Naqvi = another muslim who forces other people to change their lifestyle, but the same muslim who wants respects in the west!

Naqvi | 13 years ago | Reply @Sana: FACT: Transgender and transsexual are the same! FACT: Hermaphrodite (she-male) are not same as transgender! Do some research. You may also read this: http://www.isna.org/faq/transgender

Sana | 13 years ago | Reply I'm very pleased to see that most of the readers are defending the writer...our future isn't so bleak after all... Yes, transgender and transsexuals are two different things but in both cases, it all starts in the womb.

Sana | 13 years ago | Reply @Modazul: Dear sir, Do you even know what transgenders are? Do you know that they are born that way, having both testicular and ovarian tissue (for most transgenders), therefore they associate more with other sex than their assigned sex. So basically, it's all biology which has NOTHING to do with morality or the invisible man in the sky and his minions. As for the Pakistani society, it is already the most corrupt in every way imaginable. A helpless transgender can't harm it anymore :P As for sexual perversion and animalistic behaviour, it is present in EVERY society, as we're all mammals (except for muslims...you guys were made from superior quality clay, weren't you). The only difference between Pakistan and the US is that here in Asia, sex is a taboo so most people wouldn't be open about their lifestyles ('cause they fear the wrath of your kind).

Naqvi | 13 years ago | Reply @Raja Islam: Sorry Raja sahib, your knowledge is incorrect about transgendered ppl. Transgendered are not those who are born with "physical deformity". Person born with a "physical deformity" is called a she-male. She-male and Transgendered are not same. Please read this for more accurate understanding: -- http://www.isna.org/faq/transgender

Pir Ali Raza | 13 years ago | Reply 'Well nobody has the right to say ‘hey I’m a guy but I want to be a girl and roam around in society because that’s just how I feel’ people actually do have that right. if you want to live in Afghanistan or Wahabi Saudi Arabia, you may do so. as this is a free country

Loneliberal PK | 13 years ago | Reply Modazul, It's "corruption" according to you, not according to them. You need to learn that these people have a different set of moral values. As long as they're not hurting you or other people, they can do whatever they want and you needn't get all sanctimonious about it. Plus in this country of rampant religious extremism, transgender are the last "corrupt" people that you should be worrying about.

Leila Rage | 13 years ago | Reply @Modazul: "This is the Islamic republic of Pakistan. Not United States of America where sexual perversion and animalistic behavior is encouraged." Dude, what planet are you living on? If this is really the case, then why is rape the most common crime here in Pakistan ---oh wait, in the ISLAMIC republic of Pakistan? Rape of women, children as young as 2 years of age, teenagers and even rape of MEN by other MEN? Why is no bloody rapist ever hanged in public? Why are paedophiles never punished and alloweed to roam around endangering other people? Why the hell do we have no freaking laws to protect us? Because the absence of law and justice and punishment just proves that HERE "sexual perversion and animalistic behaviour" IS ENCOURAGED.

Raja Islam | 13 years ago | Reply @Modazul: Anyone has the right to say I am a guy but would like to dress like a girl. I am not saying it is the right thing to do, but individuals should have the right to do anything they want so long as they are not committing a crime or hurting someone.

Raja Islam | 13 years ago | Reply @Modazul: A hermaphrodite or a transgender person is not sexual perversion or animalistic behavior, but it is due to a physical deformity.

Liberal fascist | 13 years ago | Reply Ok...Ok...lets remove this perversion from madrassas!

Modazul | 13 years ago | Reply @loneLiberal Well nobody has the right to say 'hey I'm a guy but I want to be a girl and roam around in society because that's just how I feel'. Btw, You dnt need to 'force' people to corrupt themselves. Society is made up of everybody and wht one person does bad it negatively affects the other be it forced or not. Nobody has the right to corrupt and spread mischief in society. Corruption spreads like wildfire coz defying God is always easy for a human and he/she doesn't need to be forced by someone to defy God. Societies should be protected by corrupt groups and individuals alike coz everything starts in small amount. Eunuchs are not by choice neither are they shunned in any other religion. Transgenderd are shunned coz that's just sexual perversion.

Loneliberal PK | 13 years ago | Reply Naqvi, How are they impinging your freedom at the traffic signals any more than a regular beggar out there? Also, try to differentiate between "beggars" and "transgenders", because a transgender isn't a beggar by default (maybe in Pakistan they are, where the intolerant society leaves them with little choice to do anything else).

Loneliberal PK | 13 years ago | Reply Modazul, Nobody said anything about encouraging gays and transgenders. All I ask is that you accept for them the choices that they make, because it's none of your business. They don't knock on your doors telling you what you should wear, and you should show them the same respect as fellow human beings. Also, I'm as much of a Pakistani as you are, thus entitled to speak my mind. The very definition of fascism is that only you express your opinions openly while others are prohibited to express theirs, so let's stay clear of that.

Modazul | 13 years ago | Reply Same here. Eunuch should be given full rights as it's clearly not their fault at all whatsoever.

Naqvi | 13 years ago | Reply Please try to understand the difference between transgendered and Eunuch. I have all the respect for Eunuch. As for transgendered yes they are "impinging" my freedom on all the traffic signals and also bringing bad name to genuine Eunuch, who are born like that.

Modazul | 13 years ago | Reply @ LoneLiberalPK This is the Islamic republic of Pakistan. Not United States of America where sexual perversion and animalistic behavior is encouraged. Please keep your liberal views to yourself because this is not the country and society where you have the freedom for moral corruption. Your views are not suited for this place and will never be in the future also. Please change your passport and spare us Pakistanis from your liberal pro-sexual-perversion views

Loneliberal PK | 13 years ago | Reply Naqvi, Keep your social, moral, religious values to yourself, as I restrict mine to myself. As long as a transgender's lifestyle is not impinging upon your freedom (or anybody else's), she doesn't need your moral policing.

Forbidden Fruit | 13 years ago | Reply One of the many unfounded social taboos, this. We can begin by changing our own and our family's attitude towards them and also extending our assistance wherever possible. One day, the attitude of the whole society will change!

Naqvi | 13 years ago | Reply @KolachiMom: This is a very confusing article. Not sure if its about natural 'Eunuch' or self became 'Transgenders'. Both have different life-stories, One deserve sympathy and the others should be punished on social, moral and religious grounds.

Shahab | 13 years ago | Reply I have seen alot of posts columns and what not about transgenders and the tragic fate they are forced to have in our society. Talking boldly about such matters might be an option but not a solution. the question is.. What can you do about it??

KolachiMom | 13 years ago | Reply I disagree with the part about people only associating them with shame and jokes. There are plenty who also treat them as sex slaves. I live close to a main road where many transgender people beg for money. And, it is disgusting to see how many males (of every class) proposition them.

Leila Rage | 13 years ago | Reply Correction: Eunuch refers to a castrated man. Transgender refers to one who identifies with the opposite of the gender that they were at birth.

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