'Bacha bazi' outrage after pandemic takes play to the small screen
When it comes to theatre and filmmaking in the West, portrayals of Afghanistan often don't go beyond women in blue burqas and men carrying AK-47s.
The musical mostly made a good impression on theatre critics; it was called"courageous, thoughtful and beautiful". One review, in the New York Times, called the subject matter"troubling" and said Sohne and Rosser had"taken the challenge of difficult source material too far". The show has also faced criticism for promoting bacha bazi as a tradition that is accepted in Afghanistan.
In the 1990s, bacha bazi was outlawed by the Taliban, with sodomy, dancing and music carrying the death penalty - although the militant group have been accused of participating in the practice themselves. The Afghan LGBTQ community in particular has expressed discontent with the orientalist nature of the story and many have said the show harmed sexual assault survivors.
When the show moved to online streaming, it became accessible to people around the world. And according to Wazina Zondon, a queer sexuality educator, it"triggered discussions of rape and child sexual assault that span across sexual and gender identity". After the consultation with members of the Afghan community, including Ms Azita, Dr Munhazim, Ms Zondon and Ms Wardak, Sohne and Rosser issued a second apology, this time deciding to take down the production along with Youtube videos from the show, ending the sale of the album and removing it from streaming services.
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