Malaysian Court Upholds Shariah Provision Barring Cross Dressing

In Malaysia yesterday, the High Court in Seremban ruled against four transgender plaintiffs who sued in civil court to bar enforcement against them of a law-- enforced in Shariah courts-- that bans Muslim men from cross dressing in women's clothing. AP and BikyaMasr report that four transgender activists who had previously been arrested by religious authorities for violating the law had challenged the law as infringing freedom of expression and as violating the constitutional prohibition on gender discrimination.  The government argues that the protection against gender discrimination does not cover sexual orientation. The court held that Muslim transsexuals cannot be exempted from Shariah law applying to them. The four plaintiffs have undergone hormone therapy and present themselves in public as women.