A Pakistani Supreme Court ruling has decreed that all members of Pakistan’s hijras community should be registered as part of a government survey to better integrate them into society. The term hijras, is basically the Urdu general term used to describe the transgender, genderqueer, and eunuch communities.
According to the Guardian article, “boys who grow up genderqueer in Pakistan are often abandoned by families and left to fend for themselves during early adolescence. Most hijra colonies could be described as matriarchies, with a clear leader, referred to as the guru. Some hijras remain on the colonies, others go out to dance, collect alms or entertain city dwellers for money, which is given to the guru who ensures their food and lodging.”
Whether or not registering hijras will be beneficial or not is still yet to be seen. However, the ruling has brought hijras further into the public eye - allowing for the supreme court to acknowledge their existence, and hopefully inform the public about the impoverished, and desperate conditions that they live in.
