Justice Sensitivity in an Unjust World

I vividly recall a time when I once posted on Facebook expressing my anger with how the privileged, upper class in my homeland continue to benefit from the legal system, facing no consequences even after taking human lives, while the poor continue to suffer, even when innocent. This led to my very own schoolmates and friends questioning my patriotism and beliefs. It hurt so much that I stopped sharing my thoughts altogether.

Justice sensitivity is a challenge when you’re helpless and speaking up can backfire. For most of us, the world seems like a place where wrongs prevail and standing up for what’s right feels impossible. That feeling of helplessness is beyond painful. 

I’ll never forget the times when my neighbors  run over four kittens, killing them with no remorse, and I can’t legally hold them accountable due to the lack of animal protection laws in Pakistan. They remain unapologetic and they continue their callous behavior. My mother and I persist, but the trauma of helplessness remains, it is a lingering pain.

I now understand why I find it hard to stay quiet about sensitive issues. If they’re indeed so sensitive, shouldn’t we be discussing them more openly? 

My only wish is to bring a change for the less privileged, the oppressed, and the marginalized communities, no matter how hard it becomes for me to survive in return. This is particularly directed to the most misunderstood and stigmatized group in Pakistan, the neurodivergent community. It’s worth noting that the term “neurodivergent” doesn’t sit well with therapists in my country. Should you confront them about their improper practices and stigmatization, you’re suddenly seen as a threat to their businesses. 

With unqualified people operating autism centers, children with autism, ADHD, and other neurodivergent conditions are treated as objects rather than human beings. The lack of education and awareness about neurodiversity in Pakistan is exploited, leading to the commercialization of ill practices in businesses. Parents continue to spend significant amounts of money, only to realize one day that they’ve been misled all along. What their children truly needed was love and acceptance, not a predetermined mold to fit into just to be loved.

What hurts me the most is that these children are being coerced into changing themselves to conform to a mold, simply because our society struggles to embrace diversity and change. I can’t predict how long I’ll keep dwelling on the lack of accountability in this country; after all, it’s been 25 years, and I’m still grappling with the harsh reality that problems persist while solutions face resistance. We have become desensitized to the problems. That’s what it is.  But one thing I can surely say, is that I’ll persist in my pursuit of bringing positive change, no matter how long it takes.