Cricket came home to Multan on Wednesday, for the first time in 12 years, where the Multan Sultans took on Peshawar Zalmi and beat them by 6 wickets.
Not only was this a big win for the Multan crowd, the post match presentation held a surprise that was a big win for all of Pakistan. Marvia Malik, who is the first transgender woman to become a news anchor in Pakistan, was featured in the #humarayheroes segment of the presentation and was recognised for all she has achieved despite the difficulties she has faced all her life being a transgender woman.
Did you catch the latest episode of HBL PSL HAMARAY HEROES Powered By Inverex?
We spoke to the inspirational Marvia Malik, Pakistan's first transgender woman news anchor. Keep an eye out on our Youtube page for profile videos on all our heroes!#HBLPSLV #MSvPZ pic.twitter.com/nesxycExHK
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 26, 2020
Today’s #HumarayHeroes had #Marviamalik Pakistan’s first Transgender Tv Host & broadcaster , reconginzed by BBC , VOA and many others in world , working on setting up unique platform for Transgenders on digital and Tv , amazing job by #Hblpsl & #InverexSolar for platform . pic.twitter.com/ADSo6kkMBd
— Sohaib (@ImSohaibirfan) February 26, 2020
Marvia Malik first came under the spotlight when private TV channel Koh-e-Noor made history by hiring her as a news anchor. The journalism major, who earned her Bachelors degree from Punjab University was abandoned by her family at a very young age and since then has remained steadfast in achieving her goals.
“I wanted to do something for my transgender community, wanted to move forward, like we are not accepted in our homes, the same way we are not accepted in society. I had to struggle a lot and get ridiculed by students, society but I kept moving forward. A transgender person’s life is struggle on an everyday basis, now we have gotten used to it. We have to face it, fight for our rights.”
Kudos to Koh-e-Noor for giving a minority a platform to excel in a field of their choosing, and kudos to PCB and PSL for recognising Marvia’s efforts in the field of journalism. It’s about time we support and elevate people from all walks of life, especially those who treated unequally and unfairly out of stigma and prejudice.