Nisha Ayub asked if the meeting was to understand the needs of the transgender community or for the FT religious department to dictate what it wanted the transgender group to be.
“I believe that any discussion between the two parties is a healthy move, as it also acknowledges the mufti’s effort to approach the transgender community.
“However, is the acceptance of the transgender community here based on the religious authorities’ interpretation or based on what the transgender community itself wants,” she asked.
Nisha said her skepticism was based on personal experience, observing that religious authorities here always thought they knew what was best for the transgender community.
“So, does the discussion benefit the transgender community or does it benefit the religious authorities?”
She said the rights of the LGBT (lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender) should not be linked to religion or any other personal belief.
“LGBT is an issue that should be seen more from a medical angle. Globally, transgenderism has been recognised as a health issue.
“However, due to the current situation in our country, everything is being made to relate to religion, including politics,” Nisha said.
The recent meeting between an NGO and the FT mufti was said to be part of an effort to help promote understanding and end discrimination against the transgender community.
Pertubuhan Kesihatan dan Kebajikan Malaysia (PKKUM) said the discussion between transgender activists and the Federal Territory mufti’s office earlier this week had strengthened ties between the transgender community and religious authorities.
The discussion came after Zulkifli expressed interest in helping them.
The founder of PKKUM, Elisha Kor Krishnan, said the meeting discussed the need to encourage interpretation of the Quran and Hadith to create greater awareness among the general populace on transgender issues.
Nisha suggested that there should be participation from all groups representing the transgender community if there was a will to get to know more about the LGBT community.
“If the mufti wants to meet up, he should include everyone in the list (those who are no longer a transgender and those who are still a transgender) so the result would be balanced. If there are views from all sides in the discussion, then the result will be more effective,” she said.
Meanwhile, Nisha acknowledged that the transgender issue had now become a political tool and was being made into a religious issue by some quarters as a result.
She added that in the 1980s, there had been no problem with the transgender community.
“In terms of acceptance or laws, I would want to refer back to the ’80s. Let’s take a look at what had been done without problems at that time and compare it with what is happening now to the transgender community.”