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Kabul was known as one of the few “Liberal” Cities in Afghanistan. The word liberal is enclosed in quotation marks and inflected because it is liberal compared to the rest of the country. Now that the Taliban have taken power, most people who have spoken differently and openly are forced to abide by Sharia law, change their behavior completely, hide their identities or be killed.
The US State Department reported in 2020 that LGBTQ people in Afghanistan were subject to “discrimination, assault and rape” and that “homosexuality was widely regarded as taboo and indecent” before the Taliban came to power in August. Laws against lesbians, gays and transgender people made their existence illegal and punishable by up to two years in prison. These laws have not always been enforced, but they put LGBTQ people at risk of blackmail and abuse by the authorities, the UK government reported.
Despite the discrimination and abuse, LGBTQ people still had a small place in society. Nemat Sadat, a US-based Afghan LGBTQ writer, said that gay, lesbian and transgender people have helped develop the country’s cultural life since the last Taliban rule 20 years ago. But most of these people built their lives calmly.
Now, with the Taliban regime, your place in society is gone, there is no more place to live quietly as an open LGBTQ person. According to the Taliban’s Sharia interpretation, homosexuality is punishable by death.
In an interview with Reuters, Waheedullah Hashimi, a top Taliban decision-maker, said, “There will be no democratic system at all because our country has no basis†and continued, “What kind of political system? It is clear that we should apply to Afghanistan. It is Sharia law and it is. “
A source spoke to a 20-year-old university student who is a lesbian in Afghanistan. Her family accepted her as a lesbian, but now the new Taliban leadership has put the lives of her entire family at risk. There is a new wave of violence against all lesbian, gay and transgender people. This includes anyone who speculates about being lesbian, gay, or trans and those who support them.
This young lesbian woman has gone into hiding. She is part of hundreds of LGBTQ people in Afghanistan who seek help from lawyers and organizations outside Afghanistan to escape Taliban tyranny.
Nemat Sadat tells stories of lesbian, gay and transgender people who stay in hiding. He told the story of a gay man who watched from hiding in the ceiling as Taliban fighters beat a friend who refused to reveal his whereabouts.
LGBTQ people in Afghanistan fear the danger of being arrested, beaten and killed. The Taliban made it clear that they are enforcing their strict religious laws against LGBTQ citizens of Afghanistan. In an interview with the German newspaper Bild, a Taliban judge said that there were only two penalties for homosexuality: “Stoning to stone or being crushed under a wall”.
LGBTQ people in Afghanistan report that their friends, partners and members of their community have been attacked and raped. They also stated that Islamic fundamentalists and insurgent groups are emboldened by the new tyranny and are on the hunt for LGBTQ people.
Another source said that a gay man was targeted for his sexuality and then raped by his male attackers. It is a terrible paradox. He was raped by his male attackers who criminalized him for same-sex relationships.
LGBTQ people go into hiding, desperately trying to leave the country, trying to erase any evidence of their queer identity.
You feel let down by the international LGBTQ community. The Taliban are proving that the Western nations have normalized their relations with their government. The Taliban and their supporters see this as proof of their victory. As a result, LGBTQ people are defeated and fear torture and death.
The US government and other western countries evacuated many people from Afghanistan, including journalists, women’s rights activists and those who worked with foreigners. But LGBTQ activists said nothing was done for them. A source says of her situation: “We are definitely being killed. We ask for immediate evacuation from Afghanistan. â€To date, no safe route has been found.
Even underground measures to support LGBTQ people are challenging and nearly impossible. Rainbow Railroad is a non-governmental organization that helps LGBTQ people around the world escape persecution. Executive Director Kimahli Powell said evacuating LGBTQ people from Afghanistan is particularly difficult as they are often alone, in hiding and unable to communicate with one another. If routes to get them out are almost impossible, it still means those routes are reasonably possible. As difficult as it is, we need to find ways to save these people and get them out.
The Taliban regime has established itself, knowing full well that the world will stand apart, if condemning and protesting, but not intervening. This empowers jihadists around the world, especially in the Middle East. The Taliban have many allies and admirers, including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Hamas.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh traveled from Palestinian territories to meet with Taliban leaders in Qatar. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad has a history of ties to the Taliban even when radicals have joined each other’s organizations. Very public declarations of congratulations were made between leaders of the Taliban, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, all with full Iranian support.
The increase in the bold strength of these groups extends beyond Afghanistan and spreads to the countries dominated by other similar groups. This leads to an escalation of threats for anyone who opposes Sharia law or lives differently than the law allows. LGBTQ people in these countries are at risk.
If we do not help LGBTQ people in Afghanistan, the lives of LGBTQ people, among other similar tyrannies, will face increased insecurity and danger.
Since I posted this video, I’ve been receiving direct messages from LGBTQ people hiding in Afghanistan and those who want to be evacuated. They all share harrowing experiences of attacks, rape and threats from the Taliban, the Islamic State and bullying groups.
Yuval David is an innovative actor, host, and filmmaker with a creative mantra to entertain, uplift, and inspire. He is a compelling performer and compelling storyteller who uses his platform to share narratives that influence social change, especially on behalf of highly respected U.S. and international organizations that raise awareness of the marginalized and underrepresented, inspired by his LGBTQ + and Jewish Identity, and its Israeli-American Roots.
He can be reached via social media
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