History made as scouts association welcomes: Pakistan’s first-ever transgender recruits

Friday was a historic day for Pakistan and its transgender community as the country’s largest scouts organisation welcomed a batch of 40 transgender youth to its ranks; a remarkable first for the vulnerable community and a heartening show of inclusivity for an increasingly intolerant nation.

The move was hailed by transgender rights activists as evidence of the increasing, albeit gradually, acceptance of the community in Pakistan.

The batch of 40 youths, wearing their scout scarves with pride, took oath and officially joined the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association (PBSA) at a ceremony jointly organised by four transgender rights groups; Blue Veins, Gender Interactive Alliance (GIA), Petarian Human Rights Organisation (PHRO) and the Sindh Transgender Welfare Network (STWN).

Farzana Jan, president of the TransAction Alliance, said the country’s transgender community was extremely happy about the inclusion of the youths in PBSA. “We feel that we are being recognised as equal citizens of Pakistan as the level of acceptance among society at large has been increasing gradually,” said Jan, who is the first citizen of Pakistan to carry a passport that allows its bearer to select a gender other than male or female.

Qamar Naseem, programme coordinator for Blue Veins, said the inclusion of the transgender youth was a momentous day for the community in Pakistan. “This is another major step towards recognition of the transgender community in Pakistan and protection of their rights. The inclusion of transgender persons in the scout community holds its own special significance,” said Naseem, a prominent transgender rights activist who came from Peshawar to attend the event.

Ihsan Khosa, the PHRO’s chairman, praised the prestigious scouts association for opening its doors to transgender youth. “This is a defining moment for the transgender community of Pakistan. It is a milestone in the struggle to end discrimination against the community,” he asserted.

Bindiya Rana, the GIA’s president, said scouting activities play a vital role in character building of youth by promoting their physical, mental and spiritual development. Welcoming the newest recruits, Atif Amin Hussain and Abdul Hai Khan, two leaders of a provincial scouts body, said this was an opportunity to evaluate and update the general approach. “I hope we will get support in expanding the opportunity of scouting to more families and children who can benefit from what our organisations have to offer,” Khan said.