Silver / 2023 / Press / Feature Story

• Prize
  Silver in Press/Feature Story
• Photographer
  Shazia Khan, Denmark
• Studio
  shaz production
• Website
  http://www.shaz.dk/
• Instagram
  shazo1976

In Pakistan there is a tradition of 'Hijra', pronounced hijara, which are men in a different gender role. They feel feminine and dress in women's clothes, but are physically born as men. They have had a special status in society since ancient times. During the long reign of the Mughals, from the 16th century until the mid-19th century, hijras often held prominent positions at court and in society. When the colonizing English came to power, they could not find a category to place the hijra community in. Colonial rule was largely based on being able to divide the population into categories.

Shazia Khan, born in 1976 in, Denmark, is an accomplished photographer known for her evocative visual storytelling and portraiture that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries.
Before graduating from Media College Denmark in 2000, she trained with the iconic portrait photographer Gurli Nielsen and interned at The National Museum of Photography, Odense. Shazia has since developed a distinctive style that blends documentary realism with artistic abstraction. Her work resonates with audiences worldwide, capturing the essence of diverse cultures and social narratives.