Afghan Women Defy Taliban With Silent Songs: A Protest Against Voice Suppression

Afghan women are taking a stand against the Taliban’s latest restrictions by posting silent videos of themselves singing on social media. This act of defiance comes in response to the Taliban’s recent ban on public female voices. Videos circulating online show groups of women holding signs with the face of the Taliban’s supreme leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, crossed out, while singing phrases like ‘Our voice is not Aurat (private) and tempting, it’s your eyes that create temptations.’ The Taliban government justifies this ban as a way to uphold modesty, claiming female voices can cause ‘temptation’. This latest move adds to a growing list of restrictions against women, including bans on female education and employment.