an intersex woman’s story through the lens

Aiman explores her theme of choice by spending and documenting the day of an intersex woman living and working in Pakistan; Anaya. Through her photojournalist work, she aims to highlight the struggles of the gender minorities of the country while also reminding her audience that these people are regular human beings with mundane lives.

Journey to finding acceptance and opportunities has been a difficult one. Despite earning her bachelor’s degree from COMSATS in 2018, she faced rejection from companies due to her sexuality. To earn a living, Anaya turned to comedy, performing with “Aurat Naak”. However, a traumatic experience with an audience member led her to stop performing. She also tried her hand at dancing but found that living as a trans person in Pakistan made it hard to pursue her passions. Eventually, Anaya moved to Dubai, where she found work at an insurance company and had to dress as a man to do so. But her hard work and determination paid off, she now works at Pakistan’s biggest corporate company. This photo documentary offers a glimpse into Anaya’s journey of resilience and perseverance

She has three tattoos and recently added two more to her collection. One of the tattoos holds a special meaning for her, it’s an inscription that reads “I will meet you in heaven”.