In Afghanistan, women and girls remain the ‘property’ of men, typically their husbands or father. And whilst this leads to horrifying, unimaginable abuse of women and girls, and the dilution of their individuality, and autonomy as human beings; there are ways in which this also harms Afghan boys. Specifically ‘the dancing boys’ of Afghanistan. You see, because women and girls have become the ‘property’ of men; in many ways that has made them “off limits”, protecting them from the exploitation of others. But not boys, who for so many, are fair game. And so bacha bazi, translating as “boy play” begins. It is a practice where young “unbearded boys” dress up as girls, to entertain and dance for powerful men. In around 60% of cases, this includes sexual exploitation, and abuse; which is quietly happening behind closed doors, in all parts of Afghanistan, and is never discussed. The men for whom they dance, and worse, are tribal leaders, mafia bosses, warlords, political figures, and even the police, and so, despite the bacha bazi being illegal in Afghanistan, the law is never implemented for fear of retribution. So the boys dance, lost in a world of sexual violence; thousands of miles away from any kind of safeguarding or justice. Instead, the boys are openly paraded around and shown off; trinkets within a terrible spectacle of pain, whom the world has ignored and forgotten about. So amongst the abuse of Afghanistan’s women and girls, who will talk of its dancing boys? What do you think? ~ The Guardian https://tinyurl.com/ybhk54mp Geopolitical Monitor https://tinyurl.com/3kjtx9ct Ecoi https://tinyurl.com/59fpyr6z

2025-11-03