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At Kandahar a few years back. She wasn't in the city, she was at the base. She did a lot of rural 'female search missions' Searching those women for bombs or whatever. She said a number of interesting, and sad, things. One was that there was a general lack of water, these women didn't have the mean to wash often, and they smelled. They were in poor health and illiterate. No birth control. When she would search them, often they would feel her breasts to ensure themselves that my daughter was actually female, and not some male trying to defile them. They were also terrified.
She said there was a decent sized male homosexual community in the city, with the males often cross-dressing. (I ask her how those guys survived the Taliban, but she didn't know) These men did not consider themselves homosexual. "Women are for babies and men are for pleasure" was the general motto.
Anyway, you're right, we've made some inroads, and least have made help available. Afghan women are as tough and wise as they need to be and they will rise strong if they're allowed
The last thing I'll share that my daughter said, that both chilled and disgusted me, for several different reasons; "The Marines went in there and kicked the Talibans ass, I mean they just kicked there ass, it was no contest. But the Taliban are still there, all over the place"
Wouldn't it be nice if would could accomplish human rights without war? That somehow always seems to be a female-centered concept, (not to disparage all the wonderful male anti-war activists)
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