Afghanistan Culture
In afghan community boys are highly valued compared to girls. Due to that reason most of families have many reasons for pretending their girls to be boys. It is rampant especially to the family that have many girls without boys either with families that have one boy with many girls. Boys are valued due to economic needs social pressure and inheriting wealth. For example; Mehran is allowed to operate her fathers’ store whereas other girls are denied the right to go there. Apart from such reason boys are allowed to go anyplace wherever they wish unlike girls are not allowed to go even to the shop alone. Women and girls have no rights and are much discriminated in the society including being denied right to education.
Due to such reason women have adopted ways to make their girl child look and behave just like boys. Apart from parents adopting such measures, also some of girl don’t feel to accept themselves as boys and they adopt boy characteristic by practicing and acting like boys. Major attribute to changes is name, the type of clothing and hair style. For instance, Mrs Raafat decides to change the behaviour and character of one of her daughter Mehran by shaving her hair, designing new type of clothing to her so that she will look like a boy known as bacha posh. The same case happens to Zahra who in her life was brought up as a boy. Despite of doing that the problem is posed when they attain puberty stage and they have nothing to do about except accepting. It also poses a challenge as when they attain their age of marriage most of such girl have difficulties in changing. The fact is that they have to be married and family and according to them they can’t refuse to be married as they observe their culture with a lot keenness. Despite of changing to normal life there are some element they don’t change like for instance clothing. For example, with Zahra wearing a burqa was difficult thus she was wearing jeans trouser.
Reasons why boys are valued
Boys have economic need such as being employed to various sector such operating a shop
Social pressure such as walking and ownership of property
Boy can easily receive education
They con work outside home
Boy can escort his sister in the public
they believe a woman without a son has a big miss in her life.
Sex is the difference between male and female with respect to genetics and psychological anatomy. it also constitutes of the genital both external and internal that are different. For example, male and female, it is easy to distinguish sex with the kind of clothing in the society and the relationship. Compared to gender its based on the role that sexes play socially and culturally thus not necessarily defined by genetics. It is reflected with the environment one is.
Gender in the community over the years has raised issues especially when it comes to relationship and the type of clothing. It has raised issues such homosexual that includes gay lesbianism in the society. People on realization are victims they adopt a way to distinguish themselves from other and identify themselves with desired victim. This is attributed by the mode of dressing as the main semiotic. Like for instance if it is for gay; they have adopted several fashions in order to identify himself to the other, like for instance they wore penny loafers, a handkerchief hanging from the back pocket of their trouser with indication of colour and location indicating of their sexual interest. For example, Castro clones created gay men style by use of plaid shirt, boots, jeans and mustaches. For lesbian they have and adopting their dressing style to identify themselves to them basing on their division of butch and femme. For example; butch they used to wear pinky rings jackets with short hair combed back whereas femme adopted dresses, skirts blouses and makeup. They have been changing their style with time.