Gender, sexuality and cis-heteropatriarchal parental control: navigating the politics of neo-panopticon and the resilience of young Khawaja Sara and Hijra in Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

Background Scholarly works have extensively explored the marginalized positions of transgender individuals in Pakistan. However, there is a noticeable gap in literature concerning the profound impact of cis-heteropatriarchal parental control on young Khawaja Sara and Hijra individuals—members of the transgender community—particularly when they reside in their parental homes in Peshawar, Pakistan. Aim Grounded in Foucault’s panopticon concept, this study seeks to illuminate the pervasive surveillance experienced by young Khawaja Sara and Hijra within the confines of their familial environments. Method The study employed a qualitative methodology, which involved conducting face-to-face interviews with 10 members of the Khawaja Sara and Hijra communities in Peshawar. Findings The findings demonstrate that trans identities are perceived as a breach of honor in the local Pashtun culture, leading to disrespect and disgrace for the family name. In this way, a meticulous monitoring through regular surveillance creates a neo-panoptic environment within their parental households. This pervasive surveillance not only obstructs their access to quality health services, educational facilities, and employment opportunities but also compels many transgender individuals to abandon their parental homes and migrate to urban areas in Peshawar for their security and protection. Despite grappling with societal pressures, encompassing corporal punishment, sexual abuse, and homelessness, the findings underscore the remarkable resilience and resistance displayed by young Khawaja Sara and Hijra members. Their resilience and resistance serve as a potent challenge against the entrenched cis-heteropatriarchal parental control in Peshawar, Pakistan. Conclusion The study concludes on highlighting the harsh circumstances confronted by transgender individuals within their parental households in Peshawar, where their trans subjectivities label them as dishonorable. Despite enduring societal pressures, the resilience exhibited by young Khawaja Sara and Hijra emerges as a formidable challenge to the deeply entrenched cis-heteropatriarchal control. This describes the indomitable strength of the transgender community in overcoming systemic adversities in Peshawar.