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Draft:Mehrub Moiz Awan

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Doctor
Mehrub Moiz Awan
MPH
Born7th, April 1991
Abbottabad, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Other namesShumaila Bhatti, Phudina Chatni, Muhammad Moiz, Dr.Moiz, Moiz Beta.
Occupation(s)Public Health Specialist, Doctor, Politician, Acitivist
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
TitleCentral Secretary of Awami National Party
Political partyAwami National Party

Mehrub Moiz Awan (born April 7th, 1991) is a Pakistani khwaja sira-trans activist, public health specialist, global policy practitioner, independent academic, and performer.[1] who belonged to Awan Punjabi tribe. Their comic performances[2] include the viral Shumaila Bhatti and the bold comic drag persona of Pudina Chatni.[3][4][5] In July 20, 2022 she appeared in DW news documentary about Trans rights and struggle in Islamic republic of Pakistan. She has also appeared in many Pakistani Urdu language podcasts.

Early life and career

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Mehrub Moiz Awan, previously known as Muhammad Moiz[1] was born on 7th April,1991, in Abbotabad, KPK, Pakistan. Mehrub was great at studies from her childhood, she was known for being a teacher's pet, however, she always used to take revenge from the bullies who decided to bully her "Tere to teri maa se bhi baray hain". Mehrub's father is a doctor of medicine in the Pakistan Armed Forces, and her mother, as she likes to put it, is a domestic engineer.

Mehrub completed her high-school from Abbotabad Public School, a famous quasi-millitary, boys only, boarding school. She was one of the top 50 students and her 5 years of high-school were fully funded by the government.

She enrolled into Ayub Medical College and concluded Her Doctor of Medicine in 5 years - all 5 years were funded by the Chief Minister's Academic Excellence Scholarship.

2013-2018: Mid-life crisis

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Mehrub Awan decided to leave medicine, and she started working as the HIV prevention officer for the Naz Male Health Alliance, working on the control and prevention of HIV among transwomen of pakistan.[6][7] Mehrub got an opportunity to go for a Master's of Public Health to The George Washington University, D.C in 2016 as a Fulbright Scholar. This was a hallmark in her career where she decided to switch it all up, Mehrub got interested in global health policy. This was the exact year which skyrocketed Mehrub Awan's with a snapchat character known as Shumaila Bhatti.[8][9][10]

2018-2022: The Uprising

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Mehrub worked as an assistant professor at the Habib University, Karachi in 2018.[11]

Performer and comedian Mehrub Moiz, whose characters Shumaila Bhatti and Miss Pudina Chatni have carved their niche into the millennial Pakistani mind.

Now, bringing his comedic talent to stand-up clubs of Karachi, Miss. P. Chatni. She was labeled as the first ever drag queen of Pakistan.[12][13][14]

In January 2022, Mehrub Awan joined the Gender Interactive Alliance (GIA) as the head of policy, GIA is an organization working for the equality and civil rights of transgender people in Pakistan.[15]

There was a huge beela violence attack on Mehrub Moiz Awan and others on September 19th, 2021.On the evening of September 19th, Mehrub arrived at a farmhouse located on the outskirts of Karachi to participate in the birthday celebration of their fellow Khwaja Sira, Shehzadi Rai. Upon reaching the farmhouse gate, their vehicle was encircled by a group of approximately twelve Beelas who singled out Mehrub, attempting to launch an assault.

Rather than fleeing or succumbing to fear, Mehrub chose to stand their ground and resist. Thanks to their courageous resistance, the group of Beelas was ultimately compelled to retreat from the scene. Dr. Moiz later recounted the incident in a video that quickly gained widespread attention on social media, shedding light on this unfortunate occurrence.[16][17]

In August 2022, transgender rights activist Dr. Mehrub Moiz Awan was removed from the TEDxISL (International School Lahore) speaker roster.[18] The school cited concerns from “some parents” who objected to her being transgender. Dr. Awan decried this as transphobia and shared legal documents pointing out ISL’s discriminatory actions. Fashion designer Maria B supported ISL’s decision,[19] while social media users criticized her transphobic statements. The controversy highlighted the ongoing struggle for visibility and acceptance of transgender individuals in Pakistan.[20]

Political career

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In May 2024, Mehrub Moiz Awan was elected as the central secretary of Awami National Party.[21] she is the first ever transgender individual to be the part of a national political party's central cabinet. Dr. Mehrub Awan’s historic appointment as the first transgender individual in a Pakistani political party’s central cabinet is truly remarkable. Her appointment challenges societal norms and shows the importance of embracing diversity and inclusivity. Beyond symbolism, her role promises to advance transgender rights by advocating for policies addressing healthcare, employment, and discrimination. Her leadership is inspiring.[22][23][24]

References

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  1. ^ a b "The Drag Queen Comedian Who Wants To Create a World Where Being Queer Is the Norm". The Wire. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  2. ^ ""Well, what else are you going to do?": Dr. Mohammad Moiz on Drag, Activism, and Spirituality in Pakistan. – The LUMS POST". Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  3. ^ "Lgbtq-plus/trans rights in Pakistan".
  4. ^ Pamment, Claire; Awan, Mehrub Moiz (2024). "Mehrub Moiz Awan on Queer Joyful Worldmaking, in Pakistan and Beyond". Theatre Topics. 34 (2): 177–184. doi:10.1353/tt.2024.a932211. ISSN 1086-3346.
  5. ^ Pamment, Claire; Awan, Mehrub Moiz (2024). "Mehrub Moiz Awan on Queer Joyful Worldmaking, in Pakistan and Beyond". Theatre Topics. 34 (2): 177–184. doi:10.1353/tt.2024.a932211. ISSN 1086-3346.
  6. ^ "Spotlight 2: Naz Male Health Alliance, Pakistan - Health Equity Matters". www.healthequitymatters.org.au. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  7. ^ APCOM (2015-03-31). "Empowering the Powerless in Pakistan - APCOM". Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  8. ^ Aziz, Fatima (2021-03-27). "Shamelessly cute: Understanding gender ambiguous identity performances via "The Desi Bombshell" Snapchat video selfies". First Monday. doi:10.5210/fm.v26i4.11677. ISSN 1396-0466.
  9. ^ Abid, Alveena (2016-10-17). "Meet the man behind Shumaila Bhatti -- a solution to all desi girls' problems". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  10. ^ "My Voice Unheard: Challenging stereotypes about Pakistan through story telling - Pakistan". Dunya News. 2008-02-14. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  11. ^ "team". Playground. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  12. ^ Saleem, Shahjehan. "Gender benders and all that drag". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  13. ^ "Taking comedy seriously | Instep | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  14. ^ "Art as Existence: Hum Ahang in Conversation with Dr. Muhammad Moiz – The LUMS POST". Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  15. ^ "Gender Interactive Alliance Pakistan". Gender Interactive Alliance Pakistan. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  16. ^ Niche (2021-09-25). "Khwaja sira community holds protest in Karachi against violent attacks". Niche. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  17. ^ A, Ayesal (2023-09-23). "Merub Moiz Awan Talks About 'Beela' Violence Against Trans". WOW 360. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  18. ^ "TED×ISL Bars Trans Icon Mehrub Moiz Awan From Addressing Event". The Friday Times. 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  19. ^ "Twitterati Reacts To Maria B's Take On Transgenders". The Friday Times. 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  20. ^ Team, Cutacut Editorial (2022-08-18). "ISL breaks silence over cancelled talk by Dr. Mehrub Moiz Awan". cutacut. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  21. ^ "ANP Breaks Barriers: Transgender Included In Central Cabinet". WE News English. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  22. ^ observerdiplomat (2024-05-13). "Dr. Mehrub Awan: First Transgender in Pakistani Political Party - Observer Diplomat". observerdiplomat.com. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  23. ^ "ANP Breaks Barriers: Transgender Included In Central Cabinet". WE News English. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  24. ^ "Trans gender Mehrub Moiz Awan". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)