Pakistan

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is ruled under strict Sharia Law, which criminalizes male homosexuality (Bello, 2012). However, there is contradiction in what is written and practiced. The president of NAZ Foundation, a Pakistan NGO, estimated that roughly 90% of Pakistani men are MSM, though this is more observation than fact (IRB, 2017). The ability to be openly gay (though, still discriminated) is exclusive to those in urban settings, and typically those with higher SES (IRB, 2014). In other cases, MSM do not identify as gay, and are therefore less stigmatized (IRB, 2014). Lesbian identity is much less visible, likely as a result of women’s lower status (IRB, 2014). There also exists a third gender in Pakistan, as well as surrounding countries, called Hijra. Hijra can mean many things, from castrated men, to transgender women, feminine men, and those with male and female characteristics (Jami and Kamal, 2015). Sometimes called khwaja sira, they gained recognition as a third gender by the state between 2009 and 2012, though they still face discrimination and stigmatization (Khan, 2019).

Bello, S. (2012). The Punishment of Homosexuality in Islamic Contemporary World: Malaysia, Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as a Case Study (SSRN Scholarly Paper ID 2183622). Social Science Research Network. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2183622

Jami, H., & Kamal, A. (n.d.). Measuring Attitudes toward Hijras in Pakistan: Gender and Religiosity in Perspective. 37. Jami and Kamal—Measuring Attitudes toward Hijras in Pakistan Gen. pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2020, from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e9f7/17ceee2939d4af76cdd0716833e553eb7ce5.pdf

Khan, F. A. (2019). Institutionalizing an Ambiguous Category: “Khwaja Sira” Activism, the State, and Sex/Gender Regulation in Pakistan. Anthropological Quarterly, 92(4), 1135-. Gale General OneFile.

Pakistan: Treatment of sexual and gender minorities by society and authorities; state protection and support services available (2017-January 2019). (n.d.). 20. Pakistan Treatment of sexual and gender minoritie. pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2020, from https://www.justice.gov/file/1130661/download

Population, total—Pakistan | Data. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2020, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?end=2019&locations=PK&start=2019&view=map

Saeed, A., Mughal, U., & Farooq, S. (2018). It’s Complicated: Sociocultural factors and the Disclosure Decision of Transgender Individuals in Pakistan. Journal of Homosexuality, 65(8), 1051–1070. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2017.1368766

Situation of sexual minorities in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore, including treatment by society and authorities; state protection (2010-2013). (n.d.). 5.Situation of sexual minorities in Islamabad, Karac.pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2020, from https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/eoir/legacy/2014/03/04/PAK104712.E.pdf