WORLD

"The Third Gender - Whose Fault Is It?"

Written by_Rubab Talib, Social Worker

Sometimes life introduces us to people who shake our thinking, our ideas, and our conscience. There was a moment in my life when I met a third gender personality, Bulbul. This meeting made me realize that injustice is not only done to the body, sometimes the soul also suffers wounds that do not heal throughout life. I still ask myself a question today: what crime is a person who has no control over his birth, his gender, and his identity serving a sentence? What sin has he committed that has deprived him of the love of his own home, the affection of his parents, the closeness of his siblings, the acceptance of his relatives, the respect of society, and the right to a job? We say that Allah is the Creator of all, so why do we differentiate between His creations? By what authority do we decide on the honor, recognition, and right to life of a person?  Why do we consider ourselves to be the judges of humanity? During our meeting with Bulbul, years of deprivation were visible in her eyes. There was a silent sadness on her face, but there was neither suspicion nor hatred in her tone. She spoke with great love, respected everyone, and selflessly helped others wherever needed. Her cleanliness, selflessness, and high morals made me realize that the greatness of a person is recognized not by his gender but by his character. I realized that day that perhaps it is not Bulbul's fault, but ours. The fault lies with this society that has repeatedly made an innocent person feel that he is different from others, inferior, and undeserving of love and respect. These same behaviors give rise to hatred, loneliness, and helplessness in the heart of any human being. The truth is that people belonging to the third gender are also human beings just like us.  They too have dreams, feelings, desires, and they too are just as entitled to respect, love, and acceptance as we all are. What is needed today is for us to change our attitudes. We should not pity them but respect them. We should not give them charity but equal opportunities. We should not give them sympathy but justice. Because the hallmark of a civilized society is how it treats its weak and disadvantaged sections. Finally, my salute to Bulbul and thousands of brave people like her, who despite facing hatred, prejudice, and injustice every day, are keeping their self-control, their courage, and their humanity alive. Let us pledge that in the future, we will not recognize a person on the basis of their gender, identity, or outward differences, but on the basis of their character, morals, and humanity. Because there is no identity greater than humanity, and no religion greater than love.