The Senate Committee on Human Rights has irked human rights defenders for substituting the word “transgender” with “khunsa (intersex)” in the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018.
Human rights defenders and especially transgender rights activists have decried the move as exclusionary.
Transgender rights activist Nayab Ali called the move “alarming” and said the “substituting term “Transgender” with “Khunsa (Intersex)” reinforces harmful biases and strips away self-identification. Come together to support my community.”
Alarming news: the Senate Committee on HR is undermining the rights of #Transgender individuals. Substituting term”Transgender”with”Khunsa (Intersex)” reinforces harmful biases and strips away self-identification. Come together to support my community. #TransRightsAreHumanRights” pic.twitter.com/oYlx64iGLN
— Nayyab Ali (@nayyabalipk) February 13, 2023
The human rights activist also said that “the presence of a medical board to determine an individual’s gender is a serious matter and it deprives individuals of their right to self-determine their own gender”.
A social media user condemned the move and said “the function of the senate is to protect the interests and rights of the minorities in #majoritarian rule. Here it seems to be acting against the spirit of #Senate. It was never meant to be a pedestal in a democracy”.
Higher House of Pakistan is not a watchdog for bigotry. The function of #Senate is to protect the interests and rights of the minorities in #majoritarian rule. Here it seems to be acting against the spirit of #Senate. It was never meant to be a pedestal in a democracy pic.twitter.com/9K7RrMg9XG
— Meher Zaidi (@Meherzaidi) February 13, 2023
The progressive Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018 accords transgender citizens the right to self-identify. However, recently the bill has faced opposition from extremist elements in the country, who consider it to be “un-Islamic”.
