Breaking the stigma: the joint effort of the government, print media, and citizens toward transgender education equality (2018–2022)

The issue of transgender equality has been a topic of discussion for many years. Despite progress in some areas, the transgender community still faces significant challenges regarding education and equal treatment. Breaking the stigma associated with the transgender community requires joint efforts from the government, print media, and citizens. Governments play a critical role in creating laws and policies that protect the rights of transgender individuals and ensure access to quality education. Education is critical for preventing stigma and providing individuals with the knowledge and understanding needed to overcome prejudices and biases. Adolescence is a challenging period for transgender youth with far-reaching consequences for academic outcomes. Despite continued stigma and victimization in secondary schools, the social milieu has changed over time. The government can ensure schools and universities are inclusive through policies that protect transgender students from bullying and discrimination. Print media can educate the public and promote acceptance and understanding through stories and features highlighting challenges and barriers in accessing education. Citizens can advocate for equal rights, support organizations, and participate in awareness efforts. Limited studies have examined the combined effects of media, the government, and citizens on transgender people's education in Pakistan. This study addresses this gap by investigating how and to what extent transgender education, as a national policy tool, interacts with governance, media, and public perceptions in Pakistan. It examines the circumstantial environment and sequential aspects of policy, using a place-and-time perspective to understand how players, agendas, and processes relate. Research questions: (1) What role does the Pakistani government play in educating transgender people? (2) How is the education equality of transgender people portrayed in Pakistani media? (3) How is education equality for the transgender community perceived in Pakistani society? Overall, the study explores how transgender equality impacts different sectors of society, contributing to institutional literature by analyzing support levels among government, media, and citizens, their motives, procedures, and outcomes.

Government's role in transgender education: Pakistan has progressed via policies and initiatives to create inclusive education environments. The National Transgender Policy (2018) and Supreme Court recognition of a third gender mandated inclusion on official documents and equal rights, including education, voting, inheritance, work, and broader constitutional protections. Despite legal advancements, transgender individuals remain marginalized and face persistent discrimination and limited improvements in living conditions. Media portrayal of transgender education: Studies highlight stereotyping, misgendering, and transphobic marginalization in Pakistani media, as well as discrimination in education and labor markets. Barriers to higher education persist, especially in regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The absence of official data on transgender populations hampers accurate media representation. While legal milestones (2009, 2013, 2018) offer pivotal coverage opportunities that can influence public perception, media portrayals can either challenge or perpetuate stigma, affecting access to education and employment. Societal perceptions: Traditional norms strongly influence attitudes toward transgender people in Pakistan, creating a contrast between legal recognition and ongoing discrimination in homes, schools, and communities. Many transgender individuals leave education due to stigma and insults, leading to restricted job prospects and resorting to stigmatized income sources. Surveys have shown very low social acceptability and widespread discrimination. Theoretical frameworks: Transgender theory provides a lens to understand identity-based experiences in education and advocates for recognition beyond the gender binary, gender-inclusive curricula, and empowering transgender students. Feminist and queer theories offer insights into how gender norms affect educational experiences, advocating for inclusive policies, gender-affirming practices, and supportive environments that respect students' identities and promote well-being and equity.

Design: Mixed-methods, integrating qualitative content analysis (government archives and print media) with a quantitative public opinion survey, covering January 2018 to December 2022. An exploratory sequential design was used to capture media coverage and societal perceptions. Government archive research: Systematic review of documents (2018–2022) from the Pakistan Education Ministry's online repository using keywords (Transgender people, Education, Gender equality, Equal rights). Included the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018 and provincial initiatives (e.g., Khyber Pakhtunkhwa free education and vocational training). Documents were grouped thematically. Media content analysis: Three national outlets selected for reach and influence: Dawn News, The Express-News, and Daily Pakistan. Article-level data from online archives yielded 72 (Dawn), 93 (The Express-News), and 137 (Daily Pakistan), totaling 302 articles on gender equality and transgender education. Content framing categories: (1) Status of Transgender Equality; (2) Critiques of Pakistani Education; (3) Transgender Education Reform; (4) Limitations of Transgender Equality. Speaker categories: (1) Provincial government policy; (2) Educated/successful transgender role models; (3) Transgender activists; (4) Transgender identity/rights/social acceptance; (5) Press conference/Protection of Rights Act 2018/Supreme Court decisions; (6) Inclusion in government exams; (7) Others (including religious education). Coding analyzed themes, keywords, and speaker representations. Statistical tests included chi-square for differences in framing across outlets. Public opinion survey: Administered to 250 university students via social media (approx. 10-minute, 10 multiple-choice questions) using stratified sampling. Collected demographics and knowledge/attitudes on transgender equality (adapted from Morgan et al., 2020). Acknowledged self-selection and sampling biases; results are not nationally representative. Analysis proceeded in two stages: descriptive statistics; then linear regression examining associations between citizens' attitudes (dependent variable), respondent gender, qualification, and media exposure. Multicollinearity checked via VIFs (max 1.13).

Government documents: Two themes emerged: Policy for Gender Equality and Rights for Education and Social Acceptance. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 (passed May 8, 2018; effective May 18, 2018) prohibits discrimination, recognizes self-perceived gender identity, and commits welfare measures, including rights to education, inheritance, healthcare, and employment. Federal and provincial officials highlighted protection centers, rehabilitation, medical and psychological care, and dedicated hospital wards. Provincial initiatives included Punjab Literacy and Non-formal Education Policy 2019 (Ilm-o-Hunar for literacy plus vocational skills), Sindh plans to include a separate subject on transgender people and implement ALP for rapid competencies, and establishment of public schools for transgender individuals in Lahore and Lodhran offering free education, materials, transportation, and technical skills training. NGOs and organizations (e.g., Exploring Future Foundation) provide vocational training. Legal recognition of third gender (2018) supports access to services. Media content analysis: Coverage of transgender equality increased 2018–2022 across all three outlets. Total 302 articles: Dawn (72), The Express-News (93), Daily Pakistan (137). Overall content framing across 2018–2022: Transgender policy 35.7% (108/302), Transgender rights 24.8% (75/302), Transgender education 30.7% (93/302), Social acceptance 8.6% (26/302). Framing by outlet: Dawn (Policy 27.7%, Rights 20.8%, Education 34.7%, Social acceptance 16.6%); The News Express (Policy 25.8%, Rights 32.2%, Education 37.6%, Social acceptance 4.3%); Daily Pakistan (Policy 40.1%, Rights 24.8%, Education 27.7%, Social acceptance 7.2%). Chi-square indicated significant differences in framing by outlet (x2=9.26, p<0.05). Temporal patterns showed fluctuations in speaker representation: federal government, provincial government, Supreme Court, and NGOs dominated citations, with ordinary citizens less represented; the share for Supreme Court and provincial authorities dipped in 2020–2021 and rose again in 2022; the 'Other' category rose to 4.5% in 2022. Public opinion survey (N=250): 87% believed transgender individuals should not face discrimination. Emotional responses: 44% respect, 32% fear, 24% no feelings. Support for the 2018 Act: 61% agree, 24% disagree, 14% neutral. Transition process: 61% disagree, 12% agree, 26% neutral. Public toilets usage by transgender: 39% disagree, 60% neutral. Employability: all respondents agreed transgender individuals should be able to work in specific fields. Women’s shelters: 65% neutral; 34% of university graduates comfortable with transgender women seeking refuge. Descriptive statistics: mean attitude 1.85 (SD=0.16); gender mean 1.40 (SD=0.49); qualification mean 2.12 (SD=0.67). Correlations: attitude with gender r=-0.34 (p<0.01); attitude with qualification r=0.15 (p<0.05); gender with qualification r=-0.34 (p<0.01). Regression: gender negatively predicted attitude (Model 1 β=-0.114, p<0.001; Model 3 β=-0.109, p<0.001); qualification positively predicted attitude in Model 2 (β=0.038, p<0.05), not significant in Model 3; R2=0.119; F=16.76, p<0.001; VIFs <10. Results indicate gender and education are significant correlates of attitudes toward transgender equality among students.

Findings show significant policy advances (Transgender Persons Act 2018) and expanding provincial initiatives supporting education and social acceptance, yet implementation gaps persist across education, employment, and healthcare. Media coverage of transgender issues increased post-2018, contributing to visibility and public discourse, though framing varied by outlet and over time, indicating a fragmented landscape that influences public perceptions unevenly. Speaker representation favored government and judicial voices over ordinary citizens, reflecting authority-centered narratives. Survey results suggest generally positive attitudes among university students toward non-discrimination and employability for transgender individuals, with nuanced reservations on issues like public facilities and shelters. Education level and gender were associated with attitudes, underscoring the role of information and socialization. Together, the governmental framework, media narratives, and citizen attitudes address the research questions by demonstrating that policy momentum, media visibility, and supportive public opinion can jointly foster inclusion, while highlighting areas requiring targeted implementation and awareness efforts.

Print media coverage from 2018–2022 increased awareness and understanding of transgender issues, and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018 provided a legal foundation for equality and access to education. Citizens, particularly university students, showed broadly positive attitudes toward transgender equality, indicating progress toward inclusion. The study aligns with transgender, feminist, and queer theoretical calls for gender-affirming educational environments and curricula. However, substantial work remains to translate legal rights into consistent, lived equality in schools and society. A collaborative approach among government, media, and citizens is essential to dismantle stigma and advance transgender education and equality. Future research should expand beyond university students to capture diverse societal views, assess broader media effects, and evaluate policy implementation to enhance generalizability and inform effective, inclusive practices.

- Survey sample limited to university students recruited via social media with self-selection and sampling biases; not nationally representative. - Possible social desirability bias in responses. - Reliance on print/online media archives; coverage and framing may not capture broadcast or social media dynamics. - Inconsistencies in media timing and outlet focus could influence comparability across years and sources. - Government archive analysis is limited to available documented policies and announcements; implementation outcomes may be underreported.