* from the 9/21 Executive Meeting, presented by Maria Tariq.
"Afghan Boys Are Prized, So Girls Live the Part" by Nordberg
Instead of having three daughters, Azita Rafaat remade her youngest daughter into an Afghan boy so she could have a son. "To those who know, these children are often referred to as neither 'daughter' nor “son” in conversation, but as 'bacha posh,' which
literally means 'dressed up as a boy' in Dari" (Nordberg 2010). Mrs. Rafaat, who is a member of Parliment herself, suggested to her third daughter get a haircut and become their son, to gain their family greater status in Afghan society. It also allows their 'son' access to more educational and social opportunities. NY
Times Article Link
Some questions we came up with at meeting:
- What are some other options women might take to get equal access in society?
- Is this going to be developmentally harmful to Mehran to grow up as a boy only to face societal pressures to be a woman once she hits puberty?
- Does this positively or negatively affect the struggle for Equal Rights between the sexes? Aka, is this a progressive or regressive tactic?
- What does the society think about this type gender switching?
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