Growing up in Pakistan I’ve seen countless trans women on the streets of Karachi, likely thrown out of their homes upon coming out. I grew up seeing everyone make fun - “men dressed as women” they would say, how absolutely degrading right? To be a woman, to be ‘feminine’ is the absolute worst thing one can be, after all - an absolute downgrade.
These women were thrown out of their homes, forced to live on the streets and beg for a living, exposed to all types of hatred and violence at the hands of our ignorant society. Some would argue it would be easier to just lay low, avoid all the pain. But I saw trans women out on the streets everyday in vibrant outfits, jewelry and makeup, without hesitation. They held on to their dignity no matter what, and I wanted to pay tribute to that. Now I don’t claim to speak for the trans women on the streets of Pakistan, but it seems to me that they would rather be themselves and face the danger of it than pretend to be anything else. They come out on the streets literally begging for our help, their families having turned them away, and what do we give them? Nothing but blood. We need to do better.
These women were thrown out of their homes, forced to live on the streets and beg for a living, exposed to all types of hatred and violence at the hands of our ignorant society. Some would argue it would be easier to just lay low, avoid all the pain. But I saw trans women out on the streets everyday in vibrant outfits, jewelry and makeup, without hesitation. They held on to their dignity no matter what, and I wanted to pay tribute to that. Now I don’t claim to speak for the trans women on the streets of Pakistan, but it seems to me that they would rather be themselves and face the danger of it than pretend to be anything else. They come out on the streets literally begging for our help, their families having turned them away, and what do we give them? Nothing but blood. We need to do better.
