Bangladesh has made the progressive decision of recognising hijras or transgenders as a separate gender. But the larger LGBTQ community in the country is still at the receiving end of constant persecution.
A new social experiment conducted by a Bangladeshi telecom products company gives a faint glimmer of hope. The video (above) reveals what happens when two transgender people arrive at a restaurant to have a meal and break their Ramzan fast. Just as they’re about to place their order, a waiter (an actor) at the restaurant asks them to leave because “he has a lot of customers”.
Soon after, a customer (also an actor) jumps in and rudely asks them to leave as they have “no right to be here”. An altercation ensues, during which several other customers (not actors) fervently speak up to support them.
There’s always hope when people, and not the authorities, come into the picture.
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