Last week I watched the Beauty Academy of Kabul, a documentary about a group of American women who spend time in Kabul, Afghanistan, in order to open a beauty school and train local women to cut hair and properly apply makeup for their customers (many of which are brides-to-be). Ya’d think a noble cause, right?
The documentary begins with some amazing footage of Kabul in the 70s: with men and women dancing together to what must have been current disco music. The film then goes on to explain the ensuing fall of numerous governments and the rise of the taliban. Under this regime, women were no longer allowed to attend school and were forced to cover all parts of their bodies or risk being burned alive or having their hands and feet cut off.
As my little sister might say, “Whoa.”
The documentary itself is well done, providing some interesting historical information about Afghanistan and showing what’s happened there in the last few decades. But it also shows a disturbing contrast and complete lack of understanding by the American women who sweep in to “help” the Afghani women.
I cringed every time the American women, in their brash and outspoken ways, got sassy with these poor women of Kabul. It boggles the mind to think that they could be so ignorant to the horrors that these women have lived through under the taliban and the oppression they continue to experience even today.
The Americans assume that these women can simply go home to their happy homes after their day at school and that all is well. There’s little recognition that these women have been terrorized by their government, communities and families.
Perhaps I’m alone in my shock over the ignorance and overzealousness of the American women. Perhaps they had the right intention in wanting to help. But what is portrayed in this film is a whole lot o’ ignorance and crass behavior that makes it difficult for me to overlook.
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Cathy says
Thanks for sharing this – This should serve as a reminder of how lucky we are to live here in the “free” world.
I personally am grateful that I do not have to live in fear everyday of my life. These are strong women who’s world we cannot even relate to.
Cheers
Cathy
http://www.wheresmydamnanswer.com