Transgender people keep eyes on road, hands upon wheel

After completing driving course, they will work with ride-hailing company

LAHORE: Transgender people are also set to take to the streets of Lahore, but it will not be to fight for their rights. This time the community will be behind the wheel of a car as a project has been launch to teach them driving.

Lahore Gender Guardian started the initiative so that transgender people work with ride-hailing services to make a living.

Initially, six transgender people, who also live in Lahore, are learning to drive and are quite happy with the initiative.

Maiza, who is learning to drive, says she will buy a car soon and make driving a source of income for herself. She is a matric pass and wants to become a self-sufficient person through better means of earning.



“I don’t like singing and dancing nor do I want to beg. I just want to live my life like any other individual,” she tells Express News. “I prefer driving because it’s easy. I am delighted that I will learn driving soon and start working.

Moon, who also hails from Lahore, says she couldn’t get an education beyond Grade 8 due to financial constraints. She tried to work at several other places, but the attempts remained unsuccessful.

“Now I am not only pursuing an education at the school for transgender people, but also learning to drive. I want to create better earning opportunities,” she points out.

Moon hopes to get more customers for being a transgender. “I have a feeling both male and female customers will feel safe with me. Girls usually feel uncomfortable travelling alone with a man,” she says. “When they learn I am a transgender captain, they will happily take the ride.

Lahore Gender Guardian CEO Asif Shehzad hopes his efforts will yield positive results for the welfare of the transgender community. “Along with driving, various other skills are being taught to them so that this section of society is able to lead a better and more respectable life.”

Shahzad says six transgender people are learning how to drive at present. They have also signed a contract with a ride-hailing company that will employ their services as soon as they complete the course.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2018.