Transgender / Khunsa

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Transgender / Khunsa

Transgender issues remain a taboo topic in Malaysia. Many conservatives still believe that transgender people are somehow “not normal.” But science tells a very different story. Human biology is far more complex than the simple categories we are taught. The development of the X and Y chromosomes does not always occur at the same pace, and this can lead to natural variations in sexual development—variations that are not a choice, not a trend, and not a moral failing.

In Malaysia, we have long recognised this complexity through the term Khunsa. A Khunsa is someone whose gender is assigned at birth based on whichever sexual characteristics appear dominant. If the baby shows more male traits, the child is registered as male—even if female genetic or anatomical traits also exist.

But nature does not always reveal itself fully at birth. Some individuals assigned male at birth only begin to develop female characteristics during puberty. By then, their official documents, identity, and social expectations have already been fixed. Their bodies, however, follow their own biological truth.

This is not a hypothetical scenario. It is the lived reality of people like Nur Sajat, Zaidi Zakaria, and many others. When I was studying at Multimedia University, even mentioning topics like this was considered taboo—and that silence still persists today. LGBTQ voices remain unheard, misunderstood, and often dismissed before they are even allowed to speak.

The real question is not whether we “support” them, but whether we are willing to understand them. Are their experiences intentional? Are they the result of mental illness? Or is there something deeper—something rooted in biology, not choice?

In the case of Nur Sajat, she was assigned male at birth. But when she reached puberty, she developed female sexual characteristics. This is not a matter of “confusion” or “rebellion.” It is a matter of science. Her body developed in a way that did not match the gender she was assigned as a baby. To dismiss her experience as a mental illness is to ignore the biological evidence in front of us.

Yet despite this, transgender individuals in Malaysia continue to face discrimination, especially within the Malay Muslim community. In one disturbing incident, religious officers reportedly groped Nur Sajat to “verify” whether her body parts were real. This is not just disrespectful—it is a violation of dignity, privacy, and basic humanity.

If we truly believe in compassion, justice, and understanding—values deeply rooted in Malaysian culture and in Islam—then we must be willing to acknowledge that transgender people are not deviants, not threats, and not mistakes. They are human beings navigating a biological reality they did not choose, in a society that often refuses to see them.

Understanding does not require agreement. It requires empathy. And empathy is the first step toward a more humane, informed, and just society.

LGBTQ acceptance in the workplace is not about challenging cultural or religious values — it’s about fairness and professionalism. Even in a Malay Muslim–majority society, there is no law that prevents companies from hiring LGBTQ individuals. Employment in Malaysia is based on skills and qualifications, not someone’s gender identity or orientation.

When LGBTQ people are given access to stable, legal jobs, they are far less likely to be pushed into unsafe or illegal environments. Many end up in red‑light districts not by choice, but because discrimination leaves them with no other options. Providing fair employment reduces exploitation, strengthens public safety, and allows people to build honest, stable lives.

Inclusive workplaces also perform better. When employees feel respected, they contribute more, collaborate better, and bring diverse perspectives that benefit the entire organisation.

Accepting LGBTQ colleagues does not require anyone to compromise their beliefs. It simply means treating people with dignity and giving them the same chance to work and live safely as everyone else.

But where does Malaysia stand in all of this? 

Are we, as a society, choosing to never address this issue? Or are we simply keeping it at a distance, waiting for some future leader to carry the responsibility we keep avoiding? At some point, we must ask ourselves where we truly stand. Not in terms of supporting or opposing LGBTQ individuals, but in terms of how we treat fellow human beings who exist among us.

The idea of liberty is not about taking sides — it is about recognising that every society must eventually confront the realities within it. The question is not whether we agree with them, but whether we are willing to acknowledge their existence, their challenges, and the humanity they carry.


Co-written with Microsoft Co-pilot.

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