THE front page of Saturday`s edition of this paper carried a photograph of members of Peshawar`s transgender community smiling as they held out their Sehat Insaf cards for the camera. Just the day before, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government distributed cards to address health grievances faced by the community, and to ensure free medical treatment for HIV/AIDS and cancer, or financial help for a range of other illnesses. The gesture is a significant one, and it highlights sincerity on part of the state towards ending discrimination faced by the community. The health concerns of the transgender community have long been a tale of neglect in a country that struggles to understand the needs of non-binary people. Health practitioners often refuse to get involved in their issues, or they lack the required sensitivity. In the worst instances, they outright discriminate against or harass members of the transgender community and refuse to even address their most basic health concerns; with societal prejudice and ignorance trumping their professional obligations. For instance, when a critically injured victim of a gunshot wound was rushed to Peshawar`s Lady Reading Hospital in 2016, the doctors and nursing staff left her unattended for hours, resulting in the victim dying from neglect. One must ask: where is the transgender community supposed to go to have their health concerns addressed under such circumstances? They are usually disowned by their family members and looked down upon by the rest of society, making them a very vulnerable and isolated group. They are seen as an object of scorn or ridicule human lives reduced to a cruel punch line. And they continue to face some of the most depraved acts of violence. Last year, another transgendered person in Peshawar was killed and then her body was mutilated, hacked to pieces.

When Pakistan passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act in May, it was rightfully hailed as a landmark progressive law. Not only does it guarantee the right to self-identify, it also outlaws discrimination by employers and private business owners. It is reassuring to know the state is aware of the issues that exist and is taking the right steps. However, until the message is absorbed by society, equality and respect for the transgender community will remain a dream. It is unfortunate that changing mindsets takes a lot longer than passing legislation.