NIGHTMARE ON THE MARGINS
term hijra derives from the Indian subcontinent of the Kama Sutra period, and means “leaving one’s tribe” in Urdu.
So in a historical perspective, transgender women are accepted, even so much so that in 2009 the law of the third gender was passed and trans-women were recognised as lawful and respected citizens.They also have civil rights, the most groundbreaking being the right to vote.
However, this all looks almost to good to be true, and it is. It has been estimated that 80 000 transwomen live in and around Karachi and 200 000 in Pakistan overall, and yet they still are marginalised from society.
They still earn their living by begging on the streets and sex work. They are discriminated against, harassed, violated, and even refused treatment at government hospitals. Cases are rarely taken to court and the perpetrators rarely are caught.
Q:
How does South Africa compare, in terms of its policies?
In terms of policies and laws, there is a definite difference, even though it has no effect.
When one looks at discrimination or ostracised communities, it is unavoidable to take a closer look at society as a whole. South Africa is like Pakistan, a country with a large population, and with huge gaps between socio-economic and ethnic groups. That is why the new abbreviation QTIPOC is important: Queer Trans Intersex People Of Colour underlines that even within the LGBTQ activist movements there are sub-groups.
A: Q:
Why did you decide to deal with this issue in your films? Being brought up without facing discrimination, fear of rape and violence, and having socio-economic
A:
security, I have always felt I needed to repay my luck. I believe we all have to take action to effect social change. Trans-individuals should have access to gender-appropriate identity documentation and to legal services, and harassment by law enforcement personnel must be eradicated.
I was brought up with a Pakistani father and Danish mother. I have frequently been on family visits in Pakistan. Over time I have become friends with amazing women and trans-activists from Pakistan. This has resulted in film projects and also taken us around the world together and we have talked to audiences about the importance of this matter.