Essays

From antiquity to the present, an unequal dualism has persisted across Eastern and Western thought—a dichotomy in which one side claims supremacy over the other, placing women in an uneven struggle against men, seemingly destined to have no victor other than the male. Is the female body truly the locus of shame and sin, or is this a construct fashioned by the male mind to consolidate its own power and dominion? From ancient myths to the most conservative religious interpretations, the female body has continuously been regarded as the "most sinful part of existence". ... Read More

The second issue of the magazine Gandomin begins at a specific turning point: August 15, 2021 (24 Asad 1400)—a day that marked the onset of a new era of deprivation, fear, uncertainty, and the loss of hard-won achievements for many Afghanistani women. Looking beyond high politics and monumental historical events, this issue focuses on the lived realities of women who experienced the fallout inside their homes, schools, universities, workplaces, and in exile. ... Read More

In its inaugural issue, Gandomin magazine compiled and published Seventy Memoirs of Afghanistan Girls, spanning nearly seven decades—from 1951 to 2021. These memoirs appear at a time when Afghanistan has become the only country in the world where girls are systematically denied access to education, employment, and the possibility of living an ordinary life. ... Read More