This multimedia journalism feature article raises the complicated question of compensating sources and funding events for journalistic projects, which is generally frowned upon among Western news organizations. However, some journalists have argued that exceptions should be made when important voices cannot contribute to a journalistic piece because of financial constraints. The author’s overarching journalistic goal was to add to the limited literature on trans experiences in Pakistan and highlight the evolution of the transgender community in South Asia, specifically the Khwaja sira community. Khwaja sira is the term used by trans women, intersex people, eunuchs and anyone who associates with a transfeminine identity. The article describes how funding a restaurant meal and transportation expenses helped gather together and build trust with a very closed-off and tight-knit community in a comfortable shared space. Through this event, the author gained insight into trans people’s thoughts on a 2023 Shariat Court ruling that declared sections of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 were against Pakistan’s Islamic values. Finally, the article looks at how countries worldwide are considering drawing back on trans rights.
Read the article in the Spring 2025 issue of Facts & Frictions