The Pakistani transgender community has only recently begun to overcome some long overdue battles and have started to receive some recognition by the state and within society. Although we still have a long way to go it is the collective efforts of individuals brought together by a common goal to help better people’s lives that makes a difference.
One such trio are three O-level students fro Lahore Grammar School who got together with fashion brand Jeem and NCA graduate, Umar Khan to organize a photo-shoot with transgender model, Mavia.
Fatima Zia, Meerub Taimur, and Anoushey Khan thought up a project for their Global Perspectives CIE project which they aptly titled, The Flip Side.
The girl’s motive behind the entire project was to raise awareness about the lives and struggles of our misunderstood “third gender”.
In a write up they said, “We initiated it for our Global Perspectives final CIE project but it ended up becoming something none of us had foreseen: a reality check. We interviewed all kinds of people for our project; businessmen, housewives and children and surprisingly, most of them did not even know what the term ‘transgender’ meant. The more understood word amongst the public was the derogatory term ‘khusra’. Through The Flip Side, we decided to do something about the misconstrued perception of the transgender community.”
https://www.facebook.com/jeemfashion/videos/2014213445500847/
According to the girls, the goal was to bring more acceptance and tolerance into people;
“We believe that this photo shoot in itself can remove the stigma associated with the transgender community and promote acceptance. Our main goal is to spread awareness about the discrimination the transgender community faces in Pakistan. A society that is inclusive and celebrates differences rather than looking down upon them is a society that has the potential to be progressive. Acceptance and inclusivity is the whole ideology behind The Flip Side.”
“It is high time we learn of that which has gone unnoticed for far too long”
“The antagonizing lifestyle led by the majority of the transgender community in Pakistan is painfully hidden in plain sight. However, the bravery shown by those making the decision to stand up for their rights is commendable. It is high time we learn of that which has gone unnoticed for far too long; that which will shake our understanding of society, which we acknowledge exists but refuse to think about. This lies outside our suffocating and protective bubble and is the opposite of what we believe.”
