Eid came a little too early for social media users when on August 10, the much awaited sequel to the critically acclaimed Amazon Prime series ‘Made In Heaven’ released online. The nine episode drama focuses on the lives of Delhi wedding planners Tara and Karan, as they attempt to build a brand name for themselves in the cut-throat world of India’s wedding industry.
Created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, the season was lauded for the powerful performances by Sobhita Dhulipala and Arjun Mathur, as well as for boldly bringing to light issues like cast prejudice and sexual assault.
This time, the second season promised to be quite a show-stopper as Karan decides to stop living in shame because of his sexual orientation and Tara decides to take her ex-husband Adil to court to get a good settlement in divorce. The two were left grappling with loss as their business is torn to shreds after a mob attacks it because of Karan’s support to decriminalize homosexuality. And critics, along with social media, had to agree, kay dair aye laikan drust aye.
Indian drama critics have praised the show for delivering beyond their expectations, and bringing the four year long restlessness to a solid conclusion. The Indian Express praised the show-stopping performances by Sobhita, Jim Sarbh and Marthur, praising the skills with which Akhtar, Kagti and their collaborators “detail their characters and fill them in with specificity, reflect a sense of inner knowledge and empathy, which makes you curious about what’s going on behind their perfect exteriors.”
If the first season was praised for addressing bold themes like same sex relationships, infidelity and ageism, NDTV commented that the new season dwleves even deeper by casting a transgender actor to play a career woman who has had a gender-reassignment surgery and is proud of being in her own skin.
Writing for Film Companion, Rahul Desai praised Made In Heaven for remaining “a rare series that isn’t afraid to present its characters as paradoxical and unlikable.”
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act of2018 has come under intense criticism from some sections of society during the past few weeks with two petitions also having been filed in the Federal Shariah Court against the Act.
The act was enacted in the year 2018 to guarantee transgenders equal rights to Education, basic health facilities , issuance of CNICs and passport and giving them a right to vote and contest elections.
The Supreme Court’s decision on September 25, 2012, that said that eunuchs were entitled to all of the rights protected by the Constitution and enjoyed by other members of society led to passing of the 2018 Act.
However, now a few religious parties are seeking amendments in the act. The major amendment that is being considered is that a trans person should be allowed to change their gender identity after evaluation from the medical board instead of their self-perceived identity.
Criticism:
A lot of misinformation is being propagated about the Act, including accusations that “The bill is merely a disguise for the LGBT community”, while others are saying that it is creating a pathway for same sex marriages.
Transgender Protection Bill has been passed by National Assembly. Alas! We have not been able to do anything against it. Can’t we even raise our voice? What has happened to the Muslims of Pakistan. I raise my voice against it because it allows SAME SEX MARRIAGE.
Former Additional Advocate General Punjab/Advocate Supreme Court Chaudhry Faisal Husain while talking to The Current said that transgenders have been given protection in this act. Calling the debate ‘needless’ Hussain added that every law has minor issues.
He further said that if people are trying to identify themselves as something in particular then NADRA should take precautionary measures.
Does the act allow same sex marriage?
There is a common misconception going on that as per the act, any person can change their ID card from M to F and F to M based on their own perception. However, that is simply not the case, The rules that were notified under this act clearly say that if you are a transgender man or a woman you can change your identification card on the basis of your self-perception but only to X, not to Male or Female.
A person having an X card can not marry a person with an ID card with a male or female gender mentioned on it.
This provision rules out the possibility of same-sex marriage under the transgender act 2018
Lawyer Reema Omar has also shared some ‘”facts and context”, regarding the social media campaign against the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018.
The social media campaign against the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018, is malicious, opportunistic and entirely baseless
Barrister Muhammad Ahmad Pansota, Supreme Court while talking to The Current said, “The bill is criticized by certain religious parties based on some misconceptions that this law would open doors for homosexuality, which is against Islamic injunctions. Complaints of these religious groups are from a perspective that there is possibility of it being misused in terms of same sex marriages. However, nothing in the bill allows room for same sex marriage. It is only strengthening the rights of the transgenders by providing them protection, relief and rehabilitation of the rights of transgenders persons.”
“It is not true as the bill is only for transgenders and doesn’t provide/mention that any person can come up and say that he/she wants to change his/her gender/sexual orientation, only a transgender can do it,” he added.
Even otherwise, same sex marriages are against Islamic principles and cannot be allowed in Pakistan as the same is unconstitutional and un- Islamic, thus will not be allowed in any manner whatsoever.
“No where in the bill has it been stated that same sex marriages are permitted.”
This bill only promotes what has only been guaranteed to the citizens of Pakistan in the Islamic Constitution of Pakistan. There shall be no discrimination against the transgenders. They will be given right to inheritance, the right to education, the right to health, and the right to employment for transgender persons, hence, guaranteeing all constitutional rights. This law only upholds basic human rights.
Talking about the formation of medical boards, Pansota said, “Opinion of medical board can be taken into account. Sensitive history of transgenders may be required to understand the individualized changes and characteristics in the context of hormone administration and surgical intervention. It is important to discuss procedures with the patient beforehand, including the order in which steps will occur and to provide/allow time for the patient to express any concerns prior to beginning the exam.”
Talking exclusively to The Current, Dr Mehrub Moiz Awan called the criticism “unjustified”, adding that it is a part of global far right conspiracy
A court in Iran sentenced two LGBTQ rights activists to death on allegations of encouraging homosexuality.
According to the Hengaw Kurdish rights organisation, the two women, Zahra Sedighi Hamedani, 31, and Elham Chubdar, 24, were sentenced to death by a court in the northwestern town of Urmia.
They were convicted of “spreading corruption on earth.” This accusation is routinely levied on individuals who are found to have violated the country’s sharia regulations.
They were also charged with preaching Christianity and communicating with international media.
Iran’s judiciary has confirmed the sentences but said they were connected to human trafficking and not with LGBT activism.
“Contrary to the news published in cyberspace and the rumours that have been spread, these two individuals have been accused of deceiving women and young girls and trafficking them to one of the countries of the region,” the judiciary’s news outlet Mizan reported.
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, and same-sex intimacy for both men and women is officially criminalised in the penal code.
Matiullah Jan has reacted to rape comments by Journalists. “Thanks everyone for massive support.Such mean tactics can’t deter me from asking Qs. For the record, allegations (now clarified as a joke) r rubbish & reflect upon anchors’ true nature. My offer stands – invite me to your live show & if I prove you wrong you quit journalism,” he wrote.
Thanks everyone for massive support.Such mean tactics can’t deter me from asking Qs. For the record, allegations (now clarified as a joke) r rubbish & reflect upon anchors’ true nature. My offer stands – invite me to your live show & if I prove you wrong you quit journalism.
Twitter has lashed out at Anchor turned YouTuber Imran Riaz Khan for making a crude rape joke regarding Senior Journalist Matiullah Jan. In the video clip, that has gone viral on social media, Imran Riaz Khan, Sami Ibrahim and Jameel Farooqui can be seen making insensitive comments about rape, while Matiullah Jan is also present.
In the video, Imran Riaz Khan is asking Matiullah to pursue the case against his alleged rape in army barracks.
Twitter users have lashed out at Imran Riaz Khan for ‘insensitive, condemnable, and unacceptable’, comments.
Have a look at the Twitter reactions:
Look at all these turds laughing at rape jokes. Ghin nahi ati inko khud se? Look at his age and look at the word vomit coming out of his mouth. https://t.co/AmiR5UbTDJ
This man is a “frontline fighter journalist” for PTI. he casually jokes about rape and then we have baby “feminists” from PTI coming and defending this trashy politics.
The rape of a child is a laughing matter for these sick people. This is the lot that defends and promotes PTI’s narrative. Absolute scum. https://t.co/35HbwjYyiV
جواب دینے کے بجائے ذومعنی الزامات،دونوں نام نہاد اینکر ہنس رہے ہیں اس سے ظاہر ہے کہ “بچوں سے زیادتی” جیسا حساس موضوع ان کے لئے مذاق سے زیادہ کچھ نہیں۔ زیادہ پریشانی کی بات یہ ہے کہ ان دونوں کے لاکھوں سننے والے ہیں، خدا جانے کیا درس دیتے ہونگے اپنے یوٹیوب اور ٹی وی شو میں۔ https://t.co/sCl2tcdhrD
A bunch of brain dead , foul mouthed bullies joking about issues like rape n children molestation so casually. God forbid if one of their children ends up facing the same trauma in life, would they still joke about it. Utter filth https://t.co/j6Cwf6zLmu
Nothing surprising about Imran Riaz Khan turning sexual violence into a joke. He previously tried to shift the narrative in Noor Muqaddam’s case by victim-blamimg her at beginning of Zahir Jaffer’s trial. This scum does not deserve to be called a journalist.
Lawmakers belonging to both the National Assembly and Senate are receiving threats for refusing to move the parliament for the legalisation of homosexuality in Pakistan, senior journalist and analyst Hamid Mir has claimed.
In his latest column for Daily Jang, Mir has quoted a senator as saying that students of a reputable educational institution are nowadays approaching parliamentarians to move the house for the legalisation of homosexuality in the country.
“They [the youngsters] have been contacting different lawmakers and demanding, that like many other countries, homosexuality should be legalised in Pakistan,” the journalist quoted the senator as saying.
He claimed that when the lawmaker advised one of the students to focus on religion and praying five times a day so that “their thoughts do not go astray”, the youngster urged the senator to at least move the Upper House in this regard.
“When the senator strongly turned down the student’s demand, they were threatened by the youngsters,” Mir wrote. He further claimed that some students have also approached parliamentarians belonging to religio-political parties, but they not yet responded.
HOMOSEXUALITY IN PAKISTAN:
The Colonial British government criminalised homosexuality in India under section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860. Pakistan, after independence, adapted the same laws under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) that states, “Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than two years nor more than ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.”
In the 1980s, rules against homosexuality stiffened even more under General Muhammad Ziaul Haq. The punishment for homosexual activities increased to life imprisonment or even death by stoning as a result of the Sharia Law added to the PPC.
Religious leaders have consistently forbidden and condemned homosexual activities as being immoral under the constitution of Islam. People in Pakistan, who identify themselves as homosexual, do not expose their sexual preference in public due to the fear of being looked down upon or physically attacked.
