Lahore, October 12, 2022 (PPI-OT):A seminar on rights and social issues faced by third-generation/ transgender was held here at the Government College University Lahore on Tuesday which was also addressed by Faizi, a transgender from Toba Tek Singh who completed MPhil in Urdu Literature. Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Asghar Zaidi chaired the seminar organized by the University’s Bano Qudsiya Society for Gender Sensitization in collaboration with the Urdu Department.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor Prof. Zaidi said that the issues of the third gender could not be addressed until we listen to their position and understand their social rights from their own perspective. He said the GCU Lahore is providing its platform to the third gender where they could come and express their problems.
Prof. Zaidi said that it is the disability of the society that it has failed to integrate the third generation. He said that GCU formed the Bano Qudsiya Society for Gender Sensitization to ensure understanding related to gender equality, social and legal rights, and healthy gender behaviours among their students.
“We will continue to make efforts to build a society that is fair, equitable and does not allow gender-based discrimination in any form,” he said. The Vice-Chancellor said GCU announced five seats for transgender three years ago, but out of thousands of candidates, they didn’t get any admission application on basis of the transgender which shows that there exists serious problem of their inclusion.
He said the motto of GCU Lahore is “courage to know”, and reiterated that we must show this courage and open the doors of this historical educational institution for all political and social debates. Transgender Faizi talked in detail about her legal fight to get a government job as transgender through the Punjab Public Service Commission. She believed that this gap between society and transgender could be bridged if they are given opportunities to work with dignity in different walks of life.
Senior lawyer Mr Liaquat Ali shed light on the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2O18, saying that there exist many misconceptions about this law especially that it permits same-sex marriage which is not true. He discussed the different provisions of the Act. He believed that law reaffirms fundamental rights of transgender people, including education, equality, and health, access to public spaces, political participation, and livelihood.
He said the major criticism is on the right of transgender people to get their identity cards changed in accordance with their self-perceived gender identity but this law does not support homosexuality or same-sex relations.
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