Pakistan passes transgender protections

The parliament of Pakistan has passed a rights bill for transgender citizens. The Transgender Persons Act allows individuals to choose their gender, and have said gender recognized on government documents.

The bill bans anti-trans discrimination in schools and public transportation. Under the law, transgender voting rights are also protected; the act also mandates safe houses for trans persons. Trans Pakistanis still face regular violence, and discrimination across all sectors of life.

The current legislation can be traced back to January 2017, when a grassroots backlash against a proposed transgender bill took shape.

According to NPR, “The bill now goes to Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain for his signature. If signed into law, it’s not clear when the legislation would go into effect.”