Our Families Are Responsible for Our Marginalization -Identity Development Challenges of Transgenders in Pakistan

Background and purpose

Studies show that positive identity development is essential for one’s mental and psychological well-being as well as an individual's positive contribution to society. Gender plays an important role in transgenders' life. Despite the transgender protection Act of 2018, transgender community in Pakistan is one of the most marginalized communities. They face tremendously complex challenges in their identity development process. Due to discrimination from their own family members, the majority of them leave home around adolescence without finishing high school. They depend on begging, dancing, and prostitution for their livelihood through the Guru system which claim to provide them protection. However, they face constant violence from their families, societies, gurus, and sometimes from their lovers. In order to develop a deep understanding of transgender identity development, our research engaged with transgenders to determine the factors affecting their identity. This included how they understand their own identities, and their perspectives on the roles their families, societal institutions, government, and media need to play to facilitate positive identity development.

Methodology

This qualitative study used narrative research methods to find out the factors that impact the identity development of transgenders. 21 Unstructured in-depth interviews were conducted in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Abbottabad, and Peshawar from transgenders to find out the factors that affect the identity development of transgenders. Participants range between 25 to 50 years. They were asked questions regarding their life experiences within their homes, school, guru-system and other societal institutions. Data collected were coded and analyzed under-identified themes using narrative research methods.

Findings

Our analysis suggest that major factors that affect the identity development of transgenders are their family's unawareness of their biological status, discrimination, and bullying within families and in society, abandonment from families, complications they face from guru mafia, stigmatization from the society, indecent professions, lack of formal education, financial, social and emotional insecurity. Our research demonstrates that major problems in transgenders' life begin within their own families. If families are made aware of their biological status through government or NGO-sponsored programs / Workshops in the early stages of their childhood, they can be saved from numerous complications which negatively affect their identity development journey.

Conclusion and Implications

Our analysis taking in view the perspective of transgenders themselves conclude that in order to support their positive identity development and provide them a decent life as other genders, the government should promote awareness about their biological status through specially designed workshops for their family members, if possible at district health units. Also, the government should incentivize their education through financial perks for the family. The Guru system should be regulated to avoid the exploitation of trans individuals. The institute of mosque and school can also play a role if the government or NGOs can arrange workshops to promote awareness for teachers and mosque leaders. To protect them from violence, helplines run by trans individuals can be useful. Also, knowledge of media tools can be helpful so that they can raise their own voice against discrimination.