Society’s dilemma is not something newly discovered when a girl is born!
Surprisingly in the 21st century, the birth of a girl child is often seen as a trammel and disgrace for the family. As a consequence, facing odium by the society few families cut down on emotions and kill their child or discriminate to an extent where girl hardly enjoys human rights.
But undergoing these stories, at any point heard of a ‘culture setting’ where girls are raised as boys? Competently, in Afghanistan, a heritage rooted practice terms into the disposition of girl child into a boy.
With an exception of experiencing repulsion, the poor families of Afghanistan having only girl set forth to live a life of a boy. This culture of the third gender is named as Bacha Posh.
Kinfolk Setar and Ali, biologically- girls are dressed like a boy as belonging from the community practicing Bacha Posh. They say, “Boys have a higher status. Everyone wants a boy.” Image Source: nationalgeographic.com
In this enactment of Bacha Posh, the girl served as a boy leads the life of full freedom, she is allowed to roam in the streets without any fear, play any sport, study till the time she wants, and earn a living for her family. This somewhere makes the girl child independent whilst it isn’t unsophisticated.
Such practice canvasses the identity of a girl not just physically but mentally. These Bacha Posh children are not allowed to do any household work perhaps lead a life of candour freedom. Eventually, it makes the life of Afghani women paltry when solicited to wear Burkha and act like a girl.
Ensuring the time of pubescent children bear physical abuse, called by names and considered as transgender notably makes their life difficult.
In the documentation of National Geography, the Afghanistan country director for U.S.-based Women for Afghan Women, Najia Nasim stated, “This tradition allows the family to avoid the social stigma associated with not having any male children. [Bacha posh girls] may go outside for shopping alone, bring their sisters from school, get a job, play a sport, and play any other roles of a boy in society.”
This gender-based discrimination in Afghanistan leads to this praxis which is a maul for the women coterie. Such disreputable gerrymander ideology makes a count in the ratio of inequality and discrimination of women. Do you still think having a reservation count?