Pakistan's 'third gender' seek greater rights

By ELENA BECATOROS
The Associated Press
Sunday, February 7, 2010; 12:00 AM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/07/AR2010020700014.html

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan -- Taunted at home, Sanhya ran away at age 12, searching for acceptance as she sees herself - neither male nor female, but a member of a third gender.

Pakistan's transgender community has long lived on society's margins, harassed by police, ridiculed as freaks, pitied as the outcast people of Allah and often rejected by their own families. Now the Supreme Court is giving them hope through a petition for their rights to be respected.