A disturbing report that shows it’s not just the girls who’ll suffer in the new Afghanistan:
For centuries, Afghan men have taken boys, roughly 9 to 15 years old, as lovers. Some research suggests that half the Pashtun tribal members in Kandahar and other southern towns are bacha baz, the term for an older man with a boy lover. Literally it means “boy player.” The men like to boast about it.
The article draws a direct line between this practice and the social misogyny of the Taliban. Terrorism expert Jessica Stern draws a direct line between pederasty and terrorism. This theme also shows up in viral videos from opposition Iran. I wonder if there’s a link between church-sponsored pederasty and the age of IRA violence? It’s a question certainly worth an Irish sociologist’s time.
