Dancing Dreams Dashed: Afghan Women's Artistic Expression Under Scrutiny

In Afghanistan, a country that has been at war for over four decades, women are not allowed to dance in public. This is due to the country's culture, traditions, and religious beliefs. However, this has not stopped some women from pursuing their passion for dance. Afghanistan's first female breakdancer, Manizha Talash, has received death threats but continues to dance. Similarly, Fahima Mirzaie, a 24-year-old economist, founded a dance group that performs Sufi Islamic dance, known as Sema, in public. The group consists of both men and women, and they aim to challenge gender expectations in their conservative society. Despite the risks, these women are courageous and determined to express themselves and bring about change.

Women are not allowed to dance in public in Afghanistan

Dancing and singing were rejected by the Taliban, and many Afghan women fear the return of their rule and the subsequent oppression they would experience under a strict form of Islamic law. However, even without the Taliban in power, women dancing in public is largely rejected.

Despite this, some women in Afghanistan are fighting for their right to dance. Fahima Mirzaie, for example, founded a dance group that performs a Sufi Islamic dance called Sema in public. The group consists of both men and women, and Mirzaie herself dances alongside men. She says she is unfazed by what people may say about her dancing and that she cannot live by someone else's rules.

Another example is Manizha Talash, Afghanistan's first female breakdancer. She has received death threats but continues to dance. She told Reuters: "I want to be different...I want to become a good role model in Afghanistan."

There are also women like Mirzaie who are teaching dance to other women in Afghanistan. One such woman is 23-year-old Fahima Mirzaie (the same woman mentioned above), who set up a dance school in the Afghan capital to help her students fight depression and find inner peace. Another is Sajad Temurian, a breakdancer and instructor who said it is "very good that women can do such a sport like break-dancing".

Boys are made to dance in women's clothing and are often sexually abused

In Afghanistan, women are not allowed to dance in public. Instead, boys are made to dance in their place, dressed in women's clothing. This practice is known as bacha bazi, which translates to "playing with kids" or "boy play". The boys, usually from poor families, are often sexually abused and sold to the highest bidder at parties hosted by wealthy and powerful men.

Bacha bazi is an ancient tradition that has been revived in post-Taliban Afghanistan. It is considered a status symbol, with boys being used as a display of wealth and power. The boys, who are often orphans or from impoverished families, are usually between the ages of 10 and 18. They are dressed in women's clothing, with bells tied to their feet and scarves wrapped around their faces, and are made to perform feminine gestures and acts.

The boys are usually released when they turn 19 and are expected to carry on with their lives. However, the psychological damage caused by years of sexual abuse and social isolation makes it difficult for them to reintegrate into society. They are often rejected by their families and shunned by society, leading to many turning to drugs and alcohol to cope.

Despite being outlawed in Afghanistan, with the Taliban banning the practice, bacha bazi continues to thrive due to weak law enforcement and corruption. The Afghan government has been criticised for its inability or unwillingness to tackle the issue, with officials denying the existence of the practice or being complicit in it.

The tradition of bacha bazi has been condemned by religious scholars and human rights activists, who consider it a form of child abuse and a violation of Islamic law. Efforts have been made to address the issue, with the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission being one of the few organisations working to protect the victims. However, the deep-rooted nature of the practice and the influence of its perpetrators have hindered progress in eradicating it.

Women are fighting for their right to dance through Sufi dance groups

In Afghanistan, women are not allowed to dance in public. However, a few women are challenging this norm by forming Sufi dance groups.

Fahima Mirzaie, a 24-year-old economist, founded a Sufi dance and performing arts group called Shohod Arefan, or 'The Intuition of Mystics', in Kabul. The group has strong female leads and includes both male and female members. Mirzaie sees their dance, known as Sema, as a way of challenging gender discrimination and conservative societal expectations in Afghanistan. She says, "I just wanted to express myself and my feelings with Sema dance".

Sufi dance is a mystical form of Islam that emphasizes the inward search for God. It involves swirling movements and is most famously associated with the Whirling Dervishes. The dance is part of Sufism, which has a long-standing tradition in Afghanistan, the birthplace of the 13th-century Sufi mystic poet Rumi.

However, Islamist militants who view mystical traditions of Islam as heretical have attacked Sufi shrines in some Muslim countries. The Taliban, who reject Sufism, dancing, and singing, have also contributed to the suppression of Sufi practices in Afghanistan. Despite these challenges, Mirzaie remains committed to her dance practice, stating, "I never asked anyone’s permission for starting it and I will not need anyone’s permission to end it, so I will never stop or surrender to anyone."

Another young Afghan woman, Manizha Talash, is also challenging norms by becoming Afghanistan's first female breakdancer. She joined a small breakdancing community in Kabul and aims to represent her country in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Despite receiving death threats, Talash continues to pursue her dream, saying, "I want to be different...I want to become a good role model in Afghanistan."

These women are fighting for their right to dance through Sufi dance groups, challenging conservative societal norms and empowering themselves and their communities in the process.

Afghanistan's first female breakdancer has received death threats

Afghanistan's first female breakdancer, 18-year-old Manizha Talash, has received death threats for pursuing her dreams in a conservative Islamic society that frowns upon women dancing in public. However, she is still dancing and aims to represent her country in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Talash joined a small but passionate breakdancing community in Afghanistan a few months ago as its only female member. Dressed head-to-ankle in black for training, she wouldn't look out of place in a dance studio anywhere in the world. Yet, in Afghanistan, she stands out for her courage in defying societal norms. "I want to be different," Talash told Reuters, expressing her desire to become a positive role model for other Afghan women.

Breakdancing, which originated on the streets of New York City in the 1970s, will be included in the 2024 Paris Olympics for the first time. Talash's goal is to represent Afghanistan in this new Olympic sport. The breakdancing club she belongs to now has over 30 members, six of whom are female. They gather three times a week to practice the acrobatic moves, including headspins, that characterise breakdancing.

Talash's pursuit of her passion comes at a time when progressive Afghans fear that the gains in women's rights since the ousting of the Taliban government in 2001 may be at risk. The Afghan government is currently engaged in peace talks that could give the Taliban more influence in the country's future, while the United States prepares to withdraw its remaining troops.

Talash's bravery in the face of death threats underscores her determination to pursue her dreams and be a role model for other Afghan women. She recognises the potential danger of being a woman in Afghanistan, where girls' schools have been frequent targets of militant attacks. Despite the risks, she remains committed to her passion and is an inspiration to those seeking to challenge societal norms and gender expectations in a conservative country.

Women have won hard-fought rights since the Taliban were ousted in 2001

Women in Afghanistan have gained hard-fought rights since the Taliban were removed from power in 2001. However, these rights are now at risk as the Taliban regain control and impose their strict interpretation of Islamic law.

During the Taliban's rule from 1996 to 2001, women's rights were severely restricted. The Taliban imposed a strict dress code, banning women from leaving their homes without a male chaperone and covering themselves from head to toe in a burqa. Women were also banned from education, work, and politics, and their access to healthcare was limited.

Since the Taliban were ousted in 2001, women in Afghanistan have regained many basic rights. They now have the right to education, work, and political participation. The 2004 post-Taliban constitution gave Afghan women a range of rights, and the 2009 Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law was adopted. Women's life expectancy has increased, and maternal mortality has decreased.

However, these gains are now at risk as the Taliban regain power and impose their strict interpretation of Islamic law. The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 and have since banned women and girls from attending secondary school, working, appearing on TV, or even going to a park. Women have been removed from senior government positions, and the Ministry of Women's Affairs was shut down.

The international community has condemned the Taliban's treatment of women and refused to recognize their rule. Aid organizations have paused operations in Afghanistan due to restrictions on female staff, and there are concerns that the economic crisis will be exacerbated.

Despite the risks, some Afghan women continue to fight for their rights. They have participated in protests and are meeting in private to discuss women's rights and encourage others to join the cause. Afghan women have much to lose if their rights are rolled back, particularly those in urban areas who have benefited the most from the post-2001 gains.

The future of women's rights in Afghanistan remains uncertain, and it is likely that their rights will deteriorate further. The international community must continue to pressure the Taliban to protect women's rights and provide safe routes for Afghan women and girls to seek asylum if needed.

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