He is a woman!

During my undergraduate years, I resided in a women's hostel in Lahore, Pakistan. One day, I noticed a man sitting in a room which came as a surprise since men were not allowed in the hostel. However, the next day, I saw him cooking and eventually discovered that he was not a man at all, but rather a woman named Farheen Ishtiyaq.

Farheen had a challenging past. She was married 23 years ago and became a mother to a daughter when her husband abandoned them just two years into their marriage. This left Farheen struggling to care for her child on her own. Driven by unwavering determination and compelled to fend for herself and her daughter, she made the bold decision to assume a male identity.

Farheen initially found work at a retail store and, over time, managed to establish her own business based in Anarkali Bazar Lahore. Unfortunately, she experienced betrayal by someone she considered like a brother to her when he seized control of the business during her absence.

Undeterred by this setback, Farheen persevered through life's trials and even became an Uber Bike rider as an additional source of income for her family. Her story deeply touched me and served as an eye-opening example of the challenges many single mothers face in society.I was always intrigued by Farheen and found her to be genuinely kind and endearing; however, I never quite garnered enough courage to start a conversation with her.

Imagine living in a society where you don't need to defend yourself from strangers if you're a man, but if you're a single mother or an independent woman who wants a quiet existence, everything is going to hell for you.

Her story serves as just one example of countless women around the world who faced unimaginable hardships for the sake of survival. To all these brave women, we salute you and your unwavering strength—a testament of resilience and inspiration.