Transgenders in Pakistan — as you may imagine — exist since the beginning of the national history, however, it was just recently that the country issued its first ever transgender passport to a transgender activist.
This marks as an achievement by the transgender community as the government decided to introduce third-gender category for the passport holders.
Farzana Jan, a renowned transgender activist, was the first individual to get the passport last week and as the gender was marked with “X” all transgenders in the country are immediately qualified to obtain a passport travel abroad.
Farzana, the president of the charity Trans Action Pakistan, told routers that introduction of the X classification – along with M for Male and F for Female – is a significant step in the community’s fight for legal recognition in Pakistan.
She said that while male and female individuals were given all the rights, transgenders are still fighting for an identity in this age and time.
Farzana said that she — and her community — also wants to see the outside world and travelling wasn’t possible for them before this.
It must be noted that transgenders lead better lives in Pakistan as compared to many other countries, however, they have struggled to get legal and official identification at various levels. This is why transgender community is yet to get jobs or healthcare facilities in Pakistan.
Farzana is hopeful that circumstances are changing and better future for transgenders is about to be here real soon.