1 / 4   When 21-year-old news anchor Marvia Malik recently made her on air debut for private channel Kohenoor in Lahore, Pakistan, she caused a sensation. /CFP Photo

2 / 4   The former model has become the first transgender news anchor in the deeply conservative Islamic South Asian country. /CFP Photo

3 / 4   According to AFP, she has received "unprecedented love and support" from her audience and is inspiring the marginalized community to fight for equal rights. /CFP Photo

4 / 4   At least 500,000 people are estimated to be transgender among Pakistan's population of 197 million, and it was one of the first countries in the world to legally recognize a third sex in 2009. /CFP Photo