Pakistani private broadcaster Kohenoor recently hired the country’s first transgender newscaster. Marvia Malik, who before accepting the news presenter job studied journalism and worked as a model, aired her first segment for the television station in late March.
Malik sees her historic hire as a promising sign for transgender rights in Pakistan. The country has a history of discrimination towards transgender people, many of whom struggle to find employment.
In an interview with the BBC, Malik said, “Our community should be treated equally and there must not be any gender discrimination. We should be given equal rights and be considered ordinary citizens, instead of third-gender.”
In March, Pakistan’s Senate approved a bill protecting transgender people’s rights, and allowing transgender people to determine their own gender identity.
Read more at the BBC