Beards Are Compulsory – Now Afghan Men Also Face Taliban Oppression
Since their return to power in August 2021, the religious extremism of the Taliban regime has taken control over the personal lives of the Afghan people. Women suffer the most. According to The Economist, women are banned from attending secondary schools, universities, parks and female-only spaces such as beauty salons. They are not allowed to work in most professions. They are banned from raising their voices or reciting the Koran in public. They are prohibited from looking at any man other than their relatives, and have to cover their faces fully. They are banned from travelling alone and can only be in public if accompanied by a male relative.
Having rendered women powerless, voiceless and invisible, the Taliban have now turned their attention to men.
A new decree has made fist-length beards compulsory for men, and forbidden the wearing of “Western-style” clothing such as denim jeans, and Western grooming, such as short haircuts. This latest decree is just one more way the extremist group is stripping away personal freedom and imposing their harsh interpretation of Islamic law on the people of Afghanistan.
The Taliban’s reach extends beyond just appearances. Their laws also target personal freedoms and behaviours, creating an environment where people must constantly be cautious. This affects not only how men dress and groom themselves but also how they interact with others in public spaces.
A History of Oppression
While this latest act of tyranny targets all men, it’s important to remember that the LGBTQIA+ community in Afghanistan has long suffered under the Taliban’s brutal regime. Same-sex relations, which were already criminalised, are now punishable by death under the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Sharia law.
Entrapment Through Technology
The Taliban and previous Afghan governments have reportedly used social media to lure gay men into deadly traps. Activists reveal that national security officials created fake profiles on platforms like Facebook and Grindr to deceive individuals into meeting them, often leading to rape and murder. In 2021, a gay man in Kabul was lured through social media, only to be raped and beaten by Taliban members. The following year, a 22-year-old gay medical student faced a similar fate.
Many LGBTQIA+ individuals have been forced to flee the country or live in constant fear of being discovered and subjected to horrific violence. The international community must not turn a blind eye to the plight of Afghanistan’s LGBTQIA+ population and must continue to pressure the Taliban to respect human rights for all.
