Campus Climate and Transgender Inclusion: Rethinking Equity in University Classrooms in Pakistan

Transgender students around the world face marginalization in higher education, and Pakistan is no different. Despite the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act (2018), their lived experiences still involve gender discrimination and stigma. This study focuses on the climate for transgender students in Pakistan. It uses a quantitative survey with 25 participants from public and private universities. The survey measured how often discrimination happened in PHQ-9 mental health scores, and academic satisfaction ratings. The findings show that transgender students in Pakistani campus climates experience more discrimination and mental health problems than cisgender students. Regression analysis reveals that campus climate in Pakistani universities strongly affects psychological wellbeing. In contrast, discrimination is linked to lower academic satisfaction. These results point to the need for policy changes to make campuses more inclusive. Suggestions include faculty training, gender-neutral facilities, and better student support services. This study adds to both national and international research with its evidence-based recommendations for equity reforms.