Saturday, October 23, 2010

Pashtun Homosexuality a Function of Sharia/Tribal Misogyny?

An unclassified American military document sheds light on Pashtun sexuality, or rather, homosexuality (not that there's anything wrong with that; H/T Kitman TV):
 Some of its root causes lie in the severe segregation of women, the prohibitive cost of
marriage within Pashtun tribal codes, and the depressed economic situation into which
young Pashtun men are placed.
 Other root causes include a long-standing cultural tradition in which boys are appreciated
for physical beauty and apprenticed to older men for their sexual initiation. The fallout
of this pattern of behavior over generations has a profound impact on Pashtun society and
culture.
 Homosexuality is strictly prohibited in Islam, but cultural interpretations of Islamic
teaching prevalent in Pashtun areas of southern Afghanistan tacitly condone it in
comparison to heterosexual relationships in several contexts.
 Pashtun men are freer with companionship, affection, emotional and artistic expression,
and the trust bred of familiarity with other men. They often lack the experience of these
aspects of life with women.
 This usurping of the female role may contribute to the alienation of women over
generations, and their eventual relegation to extreme segregation and abuse.
Eventual relegation? As if such relegating isn't occurring right now? It's perfectly understandable, though (albeit something not mentioned in the above bullets) why men in a culture that's thoroughly misogynistic would want to have as little as possible to do with icky, lowly chicks.

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