A Pakistani TV drama series on a transgender child’s struggle to be accepted in society is exposing the prejudices of a celebrity in the country. Called Sar-e-Rah, the Adeel Bhatti directorial was released on 4 February 2023. “This is how you sell your soul, well done Pakistan,” said designer Maria B. on Instagram. Her criticism comes amid the show’s recent episode on gender fluidity and freedom of choice.
The limited drama series featuring Muneeb Butt, Saba Qamar, and Nabeel Zafar, is a take on gender equality showing a father (Zafar) and his zankha or effeminate son (Muneeb Butt) living in a conservative society.
In one scene, the father tells his son that on some days, it’s all right to dress up like him, and on other days, like his mother and put makeup on. He stresses that it is for him to make this decision.
Many viewers hailed the touching scene for its sensitive depiction of transgender persons.
I wasn’t expecting this but what an INCREDIBLE message by Nabeel Zafar! 👏🏼 He beautifully talked about gender differences to his son, something which should’ve been taught WAY before but we couldn’t, all because of extremist elements in the society.pic.twitter.com/kKCRTopdGB
— Saad Kaiser 🇵🇸 (@TheSaadKaiser) February 27, 2023
#SareRah Loved the father's support on how he's asking his kid to be true to what kid identifies itself with. This is a very bold message even for India. The trans/third gender community needs it so much.
— Supriya (She/Her) (@SUPRIYADEVERKON) February 25, 2023
A propaganda?
The Sar-e-Rah episode riled up Maria B. “Instead of following sharia and getting corrective help, the father supporting his son is ‘an agenda’ to destroy the nation,” the fashion designer posted on social media. She also mocked Pakistanis for being negligent, suggesting that people are “asleep”.
She shared another story saying “no one [is] born a trans” and that “Islamic fiqh binarises children into male and female” and that “the [gender-fluid] propaganda is real”. ‘No one has the urge to be intersex’, ‘it can lead to increased pedophilia’, Maria added.
Pakistanis on Twitter were abuzz with reactions and calling her a “transphobe”. The designer has previously been criticised for her comments against transgender persons after she applauded transgender activist Mehrub Moiz being removed from an event. In 2022, A Dawn editorial pointed out that her video in which she discusses the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2O18 “marginalises an already marginalised community”.
There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing a transphobe like Maria B getting trigerred. May our TV shows and films provide opportunities to see her meltdown more often 👏 pic.twitter.com/fkkEVUsFiV
— Syed Zain Raza (@SydZainRaza) February 27, 2023
Social activist Ammar Rashid was also quick to point out how such narratives endanger minorities and have “grisly real-world consequences”.
They will breathlessly deny it, but the anti-trans rhetoric of JI, Maria B & countless online burger mullahs has grisly real world consequences. Your self-righteous moralist crusades against the most vulnerable sections of society actively threaten their lives. https://t.co/GZnxpL7Mxg
— Ammar Rashid (@AmmarRashidT) February 24, 2023