Sanam Fakir is a transgender woman running for a seat in the Sindh provincial assembly in Pakistan, and she’s standing up for trans people in the country in the process. 

This is the first time a transgender person will be legally allowed to run for office in Pakistan, as the country only allowed trans people (known there as “eunuchs”) to have identity cards and vote in 2011. Homosexuality is illegal in Pakistan and “eunuchs” are treated as sex objects and often subjected to assault and poverty. 

Those classified as eunuchs are traditionally paid to help celebrate the birth of a son, or to dance at weddings.

“It is not our destiny to merely dance for others and hold begging bowls. We have a life to live,” Sanam Fakir, 32, told AFP by telephone from the town of Sukkur in Sindh.

Huge, huge story in Pakistan. I’ll be following this one.