Do intersex people have no right to education? 'Khuda Mera Bhi Hai' raises the issue

ARY Digital’s drama serial ‘Khuda Mera Bhi Hai’ is earning a lot of praise for raising the most pertinent issues about the treatment of intersex people.

The drama is getting more and more relevant by portraying the challenges a mother faces or will have to face if she opts to raise an intersex child.

The drama had already questioned the act of abandoning such children just because of their special needs in a heart touching way, now as it moves forward, the play focuses on intersex people’s right to education and why they don’t need to shed or hide their identity while trying to build their place in the society.

As Mah Gul (Aisha Khan), the brave mother tries to get her child Noor admitted to a top school, the school’s principal not only rejects Noor but goes on to expresses the same sort of bias uneducated people hold against intersex people.

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Mah Gul’s views are those of an enlightened individual and educated mother but sadly, the lady who actually heads a school says “Aisay Bachon Ko Kahan Hona Chahye Ye Baat Aap Buhat Achi Tarah Se Janti Hein”

(You know very well about where this sort of children belong)

Mah Gul’s reply was befitting as always, she said “Hamari society ki waja se aesay bachay kahan hote hein ye me achi tarah janti hun, pr unhe kahan hona chahye, ye soch me badal k rahungii,”

(I know where our society sends these sort of children but I will change this mindset)

The scene leaves country’s educators with some serious question as to why there is no school for intersex children and why they cannot study with other children in country’s top schools because their disability has nothing to do with their right to education.

Where is the option of a third gender in school forms?

Own your identity

As Mah Gul finally arranges a tutor for her child, the tutor, a philanthropist, Mekaeel. The guy asks Mah Gul if she wants to bribe someone in the bureaucracy to get a renewed birth certificate for her child manifesting her child’s gender as male or female. The birth certificate could pave way for his admission.

The guy asks Mah Gul if she wants to bribe someone in the bureaucracy to get a new birth certificate for Noor manifesting her child’s gender as male or female so that he can easily get admission in a school.

As expected, Mah Gul’s reply was a big no.

“Nahin, Bilkul Nahin, Aesa Krnay say such chup jaega or kal jb such samnay aaiga to wo usay accept nahi krpaega. Me sirf apnay Noor ke lye asanian peda krna nahii chahtee blke aesay hr bachay ko haq dilana chahti hun jisse bilawaja ye haq cheena jaraha ha,”.

(I don’t want to lie to him about his gender for its a lie and one day he will have to face the reality. Moreover, I don’t want to just make things easy for my child but for every child who is being deprived of his right to education due to his gender).

The bigger question this scene leaves us with other than the right to education is that why such children should hide their identity to live the way they want? why their identity should be a burden and not a source of pride for intersex people?

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In the most recent episode, Mah Gul’s mother (played by Saba Pervez) asks her to go abroad where her son can get equal rights but the brave lady rejects this idea by saying that she wants to bring change here, in her own country not abroad.

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‘Khuda Mera Bhi Hai’ raises all the pertinent questions over treatment of intersex children