You should know about the dancing boys of Afghanistan.
I came across the term “bacha bazi” buried in research on gender and sexuality. The word “bacha bazi“ is translated to “boy play” in the language of Dari Persian spoken in Afghanistan.
The translation is what caught my attention: Boy play.
What is “bacha bazi”?
“Bacha bazi” is the practice where boys are dressed as women and perform for an all-male audience.
After performing, the boys are sexually abused by the men in the audience, being passed around from man to man.
How did the practice emerge?
Afghanistan’s warlords that fought off the Soviet invasion and instigated a civil war in the 1980s engaged in philophile activities.
Keeping one or more “bacha” for servitude and sexual pleasure became a symbol of power and social status.
In the early 1990s, the Taliban rose into power and made the practice of “bacha bazi” unacceptable and a crime.
Men who did not want to abandon the practice of “bacha bazi“ continued engaging in it in secret.
In 2001, during the U.S. invasion, the Taliban reign ended. When this happened, warlord commanders grew in power. With their power, warlords brought back the practice of “bacha bazi.”
Currently, those warlords hold powerful and important positions in Afghanistan, such as governors, line ministers, police chiefs and military commanders.
How did it spread?
A variety of factors have driven and empowered “bacha bazi.”
A 2014 report, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), explains the factors.
Cultural factors such as gender-segregation in Afghanistan have encouraged “bacha bazi” due to men and boys’ lack of contact with women and girls.
Factors regarding politics and the economy such as corruption, poverty, illiteracy, injustice and violence have helped spread “bacha bazi.”
How are the boys targeted?
The boy performers are called “bachas” and usually vary from the ages of 10 to 18 years old.
The boys are either street orphans and kidnapped from the street or sold by families in attempt to earn some extra money. Some families are promised by owners that their child will be provided with a home, food and an education or job.
Where can I learn more?
“The dancing boys of Afghanistan” documentary on PBS provides more information not this injustice in Afghanistan.
You can also read “The Kite Runner” or watch the film for more information.
My interest for the practice grew after watching “The dancing boys of Afghanistan” because you get to see the face of practitioners and the dancing boys.
You are allowed to hear from the source directly on how and why practitioners choose to practice bacha bazi and witness how boys are manipulated and controlled.
You can research, study, analyze and react.
Visiting aihrc.org is a good place to start. There you can find and study prior research and analysis done by Afghanistan on the consequences of bacha bazi.
