Noted Pakistani designer Maria B continued to remain in the news for her contentious views about the transgender community.
The owner of the country’s largest fashion designer has remained outspoken in her criticism of practices that were said to be against Pakistani socio-cultural norms. She has also been a vocal critic of the transgender community in the country.
Recently, the transgender community and civil society challenged a decision of the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The Shariat Court had struck down a law aimed at protecting transgender people’s rights and declared that some of its provisions were against Islamic injunctions.
The FSC declared that certain sections of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018 – including those pertaining to gender identity and the right to inherit contradicted Islamic law.
A petition has been filed in the apex court by Nayab Ali, director of Transgender Rights Consultants Pakistan (TRCT), and Muhammad Sarim Imran, contending that the FSC has denied rights to identity to an entire community.
We stand with Shariat Court.
We will fight for the protection of our kids, our families & women’s rights(which are eroded by Transgender Act)
According to science, religion & common sense:
1. Sex is binary; there is no third gender/sex.
2. No one can change their sex. pic.twitter.com/H01UKIHodq— Maria.B: Woman=Adult Human Female (@RealMariaButt) July 20, 2023
However, the fashion designer expressed solidarity with Shariat’s court verdict and against the transgender community.
“We stand with Shariat Court. We will fight for the protection of our kids, our families and women’s rights,” she said in a statement on social media, adding that these rights were eroded by Transgender Ac.
She claimed that according to science, religion and common sense, sex is binary and there is no third gender/sex, and no one can change their sex.
Maria B has faced ridicule and even some support for her outspoken views on the transgender community.
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 is a law in Pakistan which aims to provide equal rights to transgender people and safeguard their rights through legal recognition.
The Act gives transgender people in Pakistan the right to choose their gender identity as they perceived it themselves and change it on previously issued government documents.
Why aren’t you wearing Hijab according to Sharia? Why do you use models in your shoots? That’s exploitation and against what “you” stand for. You are a vile creature inciting violence against human lives and should be in jail for hate speech. You also continue to spread…
— Maheen Ghani (@maheenghani_) July 21, 2023
Poor insecure soul can’t stand other human beings having basic human rights to feel safe in who they are.
Khuda dekhay ga aap ke saath. The big enemy of women in Pakistan is shariat court & May you suffer it’s consequences while we work on womXn getting their rights.
Shame!
— Meena Gabeena (@gabeeno) July 22, 2023
Maria, seriously, you need to visit a psychiatrist ….. Get well soon
— Arzoo Kazmi|आरज़ू काज़मी | آرزو کاظمی | ????????✒️???????? (@Arzookazmi30) July 21, 2023
Excellent Maria.
میری خوش قسمتی کہ اطلاعات کیمطابق مجھے پہلے ہی سپریم کورٹ میں اس کیس میں ان لوگوں نے پارٹی بنا لیا ہے۔
ان شاءاللہ،عوام کی حمایت سےپارلیمنٹ سے جلد ہی اس تہذیبی جارحیت پر مبنی ،ثقافتی دہشتگردی کا حامل بل کالعدم ہوگا اور خنثی حقوق بل اس کی جگہ لے گا۔— Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan | سینیٹر مشتاق احمد خان (@SenatorMushtaq) July 20, 2023
Excellent Maria.
میری خوش قسمتی کہ اطلاعات کیمطابق مجھے پہلے ہی سپریم کورٹ میں اس کیس میں ان لوگوں نے پارٹی بنا لیا ہے۔
ان شاءاللہ،عوام کی حمایت سےپارلیمنٹ سے جلد ہی اس تہذیبی جارحیت پر مبنی ،ثقافتی دہشتگردی کا حامل بل کالعدم ہوگا اور خنثی حقوق بل اس کی جگہ لے گا۔— Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan | سینیٹر مشتاق احمد خان (@SenatorMushtaq) July 20, 2023
