Their life is isolation.

Stigmatised, stereotyped and socially disgraced these words encapsulate the unfortunate reality of the transgender community in Pakistan. Their expression is questioned and their lifestyle is ridiculed, leaving them in a position where they are forced to beg on the streets. They are abandoned at birth and discarded as an alleged 'punishment of God,' only to be taken in and raised by Gurus who bind them in a rebirth that initiates with debt. In essence, they are forced into isolation, imprisoned by the walls of socially-constructed norms, stigma and patriarchy that renders them invisible.

Now, COVID-19 has forced the entire world into isolation, handicapping the socio-economic structures of even the world's most powerful countries such as China and the United States; everything has come to a halt and citizens have been required to actively adopt quarantine measures. Difficulties of adjusting to the 'new normal' have become the talk of the town, how self-isolation has induced levels of stress, anxiety, fear and uncertainty across Pakistan. In other words, every Pakistani has been forced to experience the reality of the transgender community, a life that is marked with forced isolation and unacceptability.

Self-isolation has led to emotions of solitude and boredom; social media is filled with posts about how to keep yourself busy with workout routines and fitness regimes, makeup and styling tutorials, cooking recipes etc. The list goes on. We feel anxious because we are not able to walk out freely, meet our friends or go to work; these are all valid emotions but what if your entire life was underscored with abandonment and isolation? Scrolling through news feeds you hear and see people discuss how they 'cannot wait to walk out of quarantine and resume a normal life,' but what do you do when your entire life is the equivalent of living in isolation, such that you have no escape?

During this pandemic, pause and reflect on your actions and reactions. Imagine the lived experiences of the transgender community who are left alone to fight the...