Social inclusion only panacea

In the wake of this week’s landmark move to table two bills in the lower house of parliament that codify the rights of transgender persons, it is imperative to interlink its implementation with social inclusion of the group. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill is the first piece of proposed legislation that extends recognition to this often-ignored segment of society. This might as well be a watershed moment for the community, notwithstanding, as a society, the third gender argument has never been accepted, thus denying transgender persons of having an identity of their own.

It is widely believed that a transgender person is just a ‘man’ cloaked in the garb of a ‘woman’. Unless this mindset changes, society will never be able to give due recognition to the community or their right to a separate identity. To do so, Pakistanis must think outside the male or female columns. We can also draw parallels to India’s Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi who has become a champion for the plight of sexual minorities.

She is a role model for the transgender community in her own country while there is a dearth of personalities like her in our own.

In 2017, we saw a host of cases of abuse against transgender persons being highlighted in the media, with the most recent case in Murree which drew the ire of the public. Members of the community are seen as a plaything to use, abuse and then discard as they please with impunity.

Before the legislation was proposed, there was even a dispute over the actual number of transgender persons with the authorities in Punjab counting them at below 1,000, ignoring the fact that 28,000 had applied for CNICs as transgender persons. Besides respect, members of this community require education and job opportunities most of all. Only when these facilities are given to them will we be able to bring about a qualitative change in their lives.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2017.

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