Transgender pioneers

Minorities in Pakistan have a hard time, and few harder than the lives led by one of the smallest of the minorities — transgender persons. Recent years have seen transgender people become better organised and the reports that at least 13 of the community are to contest in the upcoming elections, two of them for National Assembly seats is much to be welcomed. The law of averages suggests that there is at least a possibility that one of them is going to be successful. The announcement came via the All Pakistan Transgender Election Network (APTEN) after consultation with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as to the importance of political inclusion and minority empowerment in Pakistan.

As a group transgenders have a range of concerns that bear examination, with the matter of their identity documents being foremost. Some have a CNIC that identifies them as male but they look, dress and live in society as women. The creation of APTEN for the first time gives the community a platform that is recognised by state entities such as the ECP and thus adds power to their voices. As a group they suffer widespread discrimination, are often the subject of violence and some die every year as a result.

Considering the levels of intolerance that characterise public life in these days when extremism has appropriated the narrative, this is a quite remarkable achievement. Around the world the transgender community is raising its profile across the spectrum. A transgender won the Eurovision Song Contest not so long ago and even in conservative societies they are finding political and social space often as activists for a range of minority issues, not only those that relate directly to the transgender community. We welcome this development, one of the few sparks of light in recent political times and Pakistan has something it can celebrate.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2018.

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