Hundreds of transgender activists and their supporters protested in Karachi Sunday to campaign for equal rights and raise awareness of discrimination against the community.
The protest comes days after the local release of the film “Joyland.”
“The time has come for us to tell people who we are and our demands,” protest march organizer Shahzadi Rai told AFP.
“We are human beings and have the same heart, feelings, and emotions that you have.”
Despite a rich history in South Asia, most transgender Pakistanis are forced to live on the fringes of society — often resorting to begging, dancing at weddings, or sex work for survival.
Protesters chanted and sang while carrying placards calling for the rights of the transgender community.
A prominent slogan was “women, life, and liberty” — a rallying call for the current women-led protests in Iran.
“No matter our gender … we should get equal rights,” popular Pakistan classical dancer Sheema Kirmani said.
Participants gave fiery speeches, performed lively dances, and held symbolic funerals for transgender victims of violence.
According to Amnesty International, 18 transgender people have been killed in Pakistan since October last year.
Transgender people were legally recognized as a “third gender” by a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2012.
They were then given the right to vote, equal access to employment and education, and the right to identify their gender on the national identity card through hard-won legislation in 2018.
“There was momentum for acceptance of transgenders, but religious parties made this Act as part of their political agenda just to gain seats, undermining the respect of our gender identity,” Zarish Khanzadi, a trans woman taking part, told AFP.
Discrimination against transgender people in Pakistan often translates into honor killings, rape, and other physical violence.
“Joyland”, a Cannes prize-winning movie and Pakistan’s entry for next year’s Oscars, was banned by the government last week for being “clearly repugnant to the norms of decency and morality” of the country.
The national censorship board cleared the movie earlier, giving it the green light after the government ordered a review.
But that law is now being threatened by some legislators and religious parties. (AFP)
