Race, Gender and Sexuality Discrimination

Race, Gender and Sexuality

Discrimination in an apparently "civilized" country

HBO's 2011 documentary Silencing the Song: An Afghan Fallen Star puts across an episode in the life of Afghan woman as she struggles to stay by her principles in a restraining community that seems determined to prevent its people from requesting their basic rights. Individuals in post-Taliban Afghanistan are unwilling to allow their society to be influenced as a consequence of its interaction with Western values and are generally unsupportive in regard to anyone who expresses interest in acting against their traditions.

It appears that some people believe that freedom simply enters a society along with the fall of powerful people. Conditions are different in Afghanistan, however, as people there are reluctant to adapt to change and harshly criticize anyone who puts across "unconventional" behavior. The masses generally believe that traditions are one of the most important cultural values in their community. As a result, the protagonist in Silencing the Song: An Afghan Fallen Star encounters heavy resistance consequent to expressing thinking and behavior that is considered to be immoral by people in her country.

It appears that Setara's behavior was too much for the Afghan public, as it has not experienced sufficient progress after the fall of the Taliban regime and is unable to accept such an act. While people from around the world are likely to look at this overall situation in surprise, becoming acquainted with Afghan traditions will certainly make it possible for them to understand more regarding Setara's condition. Most Muslims in the country are very restrictive when considering women's physical appearance and believe that a woman who engages in activities such as dancing or displaying various body parts that are meant to remain hidden from public view is depraved and needs to be punished for bringing shame to the community as a whole. These people put across extremist beliefs and are unforgiving to anyone that they consider to be corrupt.