Pakistani transvestites meet, dance to Indian music
October 28th, 2010 - 2:04 pm ICT by IANSIslamabad, Oct 28 (IANS) Transvestites from across Pakistan met at a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where they held a gala that included dancing to Indian, Pakistani and English songs.
The News International reported that the get-together was held Wednesday in Mansehra town amid tight security. The dance gala of the year was the highlight of the event.
Dressed in bright and colourful costumes and outfits, the transvestites danced to Indian, Pakistani and English songs.
The transvestites said such events could not be held earlier owing to threats from militants.
Maria Khan, a leader of the transvestites, said they were grateful to Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry for accepting them as third sex and giving them their due rights.
“The government is, however, not implementing whatever the CJ had ordered,” Khan was quoted as saying.
A transvestite said the ongoing militancy in the province affected their business and they suffered financial losses.
Known by the term “hijra” in Pakistan and India, transvestites, eunuchs and hermaphrodites are generally shunned by society.
They often live together in slum communities and survive by begging and dancing at carnivals and weddings. Some are also involved in prostitution.
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