Trans comedian left ‘shivering’ after being heckled on-stage and called a ‘shemale’ by YouTube pranksters
Trans comedian Anaya Sheikh was allegedly abused by ants-trans YouTubers during a set in Pakistan. (Instagram)
A trans comedian was left “shivering” after being heckled and harassed by YouTube pranksters in Pakistan, being called a “shemale“.
According to local media, Anaya Sheikh, a Lahore-based blogger, performed at a comedy night when Sharik Shah hurled jeers at her.
He eventually got onto the stage, leading to a night so traumatic for Skeikh she said she doesn’t have the “courage” to watch any recordings of the night.
Transphobic YouTuber shoves way onto stage to harass trans comic Anaya Sheikh, leaving her ‘shivering’.
Wearing a top that read ‘We Should All Be Feminists’, Sheikh went to a café in Johar Town last Sunday to perform.
But while performing her set, she alleged that members of YouTube channel Lahori Prankstar began to subject her to transphobic and misogynistic remarks.
One later tried to get onstage deliberately to make her feel uncomfortable, she claimed.
“Then Sharik Shah, from Lahori Prankstar, and another comedian named Usman made jokes and used the ‘Khusra‘ [a Pakistani term for ‘this gender’] and a shemale while the whole audience was laughing and enjoying my performance,” she told local media.
The YouTuber then “forcibly tried to get on stage”.
“I asked him to leave,” she explained.
“He kept showing me his [middle] finger and I said even my fingers are not worthy of you, so he kept abusing me.
“I completed my performance and I was shivering when I left the stage.”
‘I’m imagining how happy that will make transphobes’.
Anaya Sheikh then described how she “can’t go through this stress and shame which I just faced” ever again.
“I have the video but I don’t have the courage to watch it, and the more I think that many people were recording [the incident], the more I feel depressed and angry.
“I know this will be out and I’m imagining how happy that will make transphobes.”
“I lost my confidence, I thought I’m brave but until when? To what extent?
“Why can’t this society become brave and fight against such people? Why didn’t anyone stand up at the event and answer him?”
The comedy night’s organisers, Lahorified, issued a statement on Instagram slamming the Lahori Prankstar members’ alleged actions.
“Abusing someone on the basis of their gender is totally unacceptable,” organisers said.
“We apologise to Annaya Shiekh that she had to face it! You performed very well and we enjoyed every piece of it.
“More power to you!”
In response to a comment enquiring why organisers let the heckling occur, Lahorifed replied that the incident was an “unfortunate invasion from nowhere which lasted 10 minutes and the mic was taken later on”.
PinkNews has contacted Lahori Prankstar’s team for comment.
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