<p>As Pakistani transgender woman Jiya measures customers at her tailoring shop in a brand new Karachi market, her eyes gleam with the prospect of a busy Ramadan season and her ambitions to expand.</p>.<p>Already, Jiya, 35, who goes by a single name like many trans people in Pakistan, has broken ground by opening a public shop to make clothes for women and transgender women.</p>.<p>Other trans people running tailoring businesses have tended to do so out of their homes, wary of ostracism in a country with many conservative Muslims.</p>.<p>Many landlords were reluctant to give a shop to a transgender woman, Jiya told Reuters at The Stitch Shop in the southern port city. She finally secured one in a new market, which she opened with two other trans women in March in time for the start of Ramadan in mid-April.</p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/a-transgender-islamic-school-in-pakistan-breaks-barriers-964890.html" target="_blank">A transgender Islamic school in Pakistan breaks barriers</a></strong></p>.<p>The Islamic holy fasting month is traditionally a busy period for tailors as people buy new clothes to mark the Eid al-Fitr festival that ends Ramadan.</p>.<p>For Jiya, who studied at an all-boys' school and learned tailoring with the help of her fellow transgender women, opening her shop marks the start of her ambition.</p>.<p>"We want to expand this business. We want a boutique with Eastern and Western designs, all types of dresses," she said.</p>.<p>Many of her customers are women, who said they preferred a transgender woman to make their clothes, a change from most other tailoring shops run by men.</p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/i-had-to-prove-that-i-exist-transgender-anchor-tashnuva-anan-shishir-makes-history-in-bangladesh-963007.html" target="_blank">‘I had to prove that I exist’: Transgender anchor Tashnuva Anan Shishir makes history in Bangladesh</a></strong></p>.<p>"I felt comfortable while she took my measurements," customer Farzana Zahid said.</p>.<p>Pakistan's parliament recognised the third gender in 2018, giving such individuals fundamental rights such as the ability to vote and choose their gender on official documents.</p>.<p>A 2017 census recorded about 10,000 transgender people, although trans rights groups say the number could be well over 300,000 in the country of 220 million.</p>
<p>As Pakistani transgender woman Jiya measures customers at her tailoring shop in a brand new Karachi market, her eyes gleam with the prospect of a busy Ramadan season and her ambitions to expand.</p>.<p>Already, Jiya, 35, who goes by a single name like many trans people in Pakistan, has broken ground by opening a public shop to make clothes for women and transgender women.</p>.<p>Other trans people running tailoring businesses have tended to do so out of their homes, wary of ostracism in a country with many conservative Muslims.</p>.<p>Many landlords were reluctant to give a shop to a transgender woman, Jiya told Reuters at The Stitch Shop in the southern port city. She finally secured one in a new market, which she opened with two other trans women in March in time for the start of Ramadan in mid-April.</p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/a-transgender-islamic-school-in-pakistan-breaks-barriers-964890.html" target="_blank">A transgender Islamic school in Pakistan breaks barriers</a></strong></p>.<p>The Islamic holy fasting month is traditionally a busy period for tailors as people buy new clothes to mark the Eid al-Fitr festival that ends Ramadan.</p>.<p>For Jiya, who studied at an all-boys' school and learned tailoring with the help of her fellow transgender women, opening her shop marks the start of her ambition.</p>.<p>"We want to expand this business. We want a boutique with Eastern and Western designs, all types of dresses," she said.</p>.<p>Many of her customers are women, who said they preferred a transgender woman to make their clothes, a change from most other tailoring shops run by men.</p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/i-had-to-prove-that-i-exist-transgender-anchor-tashnuva-anan-shishir-makes-history-in-bangladesh-963007.html" target="_blank">‘I had to prove that I exist’: Transgender anchor Tashnuva Anan Shishir makes history in Bangladesh</a></strong></p>.<p>"I felt comfortable while she took my measurements," customer Farzana Zahid said.</p>.<p>Pakistan's parliament recognised the third gender in 2018, giving such individuals fundamental rights such as the ability to vote and choose their gender on official documents.</p>.<p>A 2017 census recorded about 10,000 transgender people, although trans rights groups say the number could be well over 300,000 in the country of 220 million.</p>