Afghan tradition allows girls to access the freedom of boys

By MSTYSLAV CHERNOV and ELENA BECATOROS
Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — There is one tradition in the heavily patriarchal, male-dominated society of Afghanistan, where women and girls are usually relegated to the home, which allows girls access to the male world: bacha posh. A girl dresses, behaves and is treated as a boy, allowing her to play and — crucially for her family — to work as a boy would be able to do. But once they reach puberty, the girls are expected to switch back to their traditional gender roles, a transition that isn’t always easy. And with the Taliban now running the country and cracking down on women’s rights, the male world could be even more enticing to some.