

In a Kabul neighborhood, boys kick a yellow ball around a dusty playground. As they play, they seem alike. But the child named Sanam is different. At not quite eight years old, Sanam is a bacha posh—a girl living as a boy.
In Afghanistan, the ruling Taliban curtailed women’s freedoms. In the male-dominated society, females are kept mostly at home. Most women may not work, and most girls may not attend public schools beyond primary school.
Bacha posh is a tradition that lets girls access the freer male world. A bacha posh dresses, behaves, and is treated as a boy, with all the liberties and duties that entails. The child can play sports, attend religious school, and work. But the freedom doesn’t last forever.
A few months ago, Sanam got a haircut, donned boys’ clothes, and took a boy’s name, Omid, opening up a new world. Playing soccer with boys, working a job, and even making direct eye contact are now acceptable for her. As she ages, she, like other bacha posh, must eventually revert to traditional gender roles—and lose their freedoms.
It’s unclear where the practice of bacha posh originated or how old it is. Because of its relative secrecy, it is impossible to know how widespread it might be.
The tradition is a puzzling, human-centered view of God’s design of male and female. (Genesis 5:2) Sadly, in years ahead, Sanam will likely face serious problems that stem from her society’s mistreatment of women.
The reasons parents want a bacha posh vary. Sons traditionally have more worth than daughters, so the practice usually occurs in families without a boy.
Last year, Sanam’s father lost his job. He began selling masks, making $1 to $2 per day. But he needed a helper.
The family has a son. But the 11-year-old doesn’t have full use of his hands due to an injury. So the parents decided to make Sanam a bacha posh.
“Her father doesn’t have anyone to help him,” says Sanam’s mother. “I will consider her my son until she becomes a teenager.”
“I wear [male clothes], jeans and jackets, and go with my father and work,” Sanam says. She enjoys playing with her brother’s friends.
Sanam knows she’ll return to living like a girl someday: “When I grow up, I will let my hair grow and will wear girl’s clothes.”
Years ago, Najieh was a bacha posh. Now married with children, she weeps for her lost freedoms.
“In Afghanistan, boys are more valuable,” she says. “There is no oppression for them, and no limits.”
Why? Oppressing part of their population helps Taliban leaders prop up their wicked government. Isaiah warns that God will “decide disputes for many peoples” (2:4) and rule “with justice and with righteousness.” (9:7)
It is truly devastating how
It is truly devastating how women and girls are treated in Afghanistan :( I am glad I live in America where men and women are equal.
2nd Comment
I'm surprised they even allow girls to be "boys" at a young age. I hope that change happens in Afghanistan soon.
I really hope things in
I really hope things in Afghanistan gets better because this is a really hard community to live in for men but especially woman
I wish all people could agree
I wish all people could agree with God and understand that men and women are created equal. I am praying.
I wish all people could agree
I wish all people could agree with God and understand that men and women are created equal. I am praying.
That's not right.
That's not right. God made girls to be girls and boys to be boys!
@Morgan H.
I totally agree with you.
@Audrey
Yes, but she know’s she’s not really a boy, and this is the only way for her to be free
@Gideon M
I don't think that it's RIGHT for the Afghanistan government to limit women's rights, but it's a blessing that these girls get to be free for a short time. It's obviously not the best solution though.
Its Kind of sad to see how
Its Kind of sad to see how the afghan society values boys more than girls rather than treating them equal like how the bible says.
@Above
The girls have such a hard situation over there. I know that pretending to be a boy is wrong, and we are fighting against transgenderism here in our own country, at least some people are, but at the same time, I can understand that this give the girls a chance to learn and play and be free. I sure it is hard going back to looking like a girl and not being able to do hardly anything. I sure hope that their government changes and that they don't have to do this anymore.
AOIldjfoisre
AAAUGH BIDEN DID U HAVE TO PULL THOSE TROOPS OUT OF AFGHANISTAN LiTErALLY
Equal Rights
This goes back to the fact that people aren't perfect, so either one of two things is happening there. 1) They are just misunderstanding the Bible's teaching that women must submit to their husbands, or 2) They are deliberately mistreating females, which is completely awful. In America, not long ago, people wanted a new amendment called the Equal Rights Amendment. This gave women the same amounts of rights as men have. It never actually got ratified because people said it went against the Bible.
This is Alecia(Ahavahs twin)
Wow. That is very sad. I think women in America take their freedom for granted. Some work and complain about it. And some don't vote. I think they just don't care. Or are uninformed of how hard people in other countries have it.