RAWALPINDI, Pakistan — On a recent afternoon, a group of friends gathered in a building on the corner of a street in Rawalpindi — the twin city of Pakistan’s capital Islamabad. It’s a place where they can dance, sing, read magazines, and mingle.
And for many, it’s one of the incredibly few places they can be themselves, supported, and respected.
The building is home to the community-based organization Dareecha Male Health Society, which works to prevent and treat HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in marginalized communities in Pakistan, including the transgender community. “Dareecha” is an Urdu word describing a window that allows light to pour in.