Bacha Bazi Research Paper

The Bacha Bazi Boys of Afghanistan Bacha Bazi is a widespread practice in Afghanistan. This is where young, poor boys are sold to rich and powerful men. The boys will dress as women and dance for groups of men and will later be used for sex. Essentially these boys are sex slaves. Although this is taboo and illegal, it serves a function in Afghanistan. The main purpose it serves is to support the economy, further divide the caste system, and provide entertainment. The main reason Bach Bazi lives and thrives is because it supports the economy. Conditions in Afghanistan are poor, thus, making most families poor. For a lot of families to survive, they must do unthinkable things. One of which is to sell their son to affluent men if he is young and attractive. These men pay the families graciously and promise to pay for all the boy’s expenses and to care for them so the families do not have to worry about anything. In return, the boys must provide entertainment in the form of dancing. The families, however, do not know the whole truth about what goes on with the boys. Without the extra income from selling their boys, the money would stay with the opulent men and would never reach the bottom of the so called “food chain.” It is in this way that the Bacha Bazi system is the backbone
There is a distinct gap between the rich and poor people in Afghanistan, and having this gap clearly shows the status of people. Because the people at the top of the caste system buy boys from people at the bottom, it supports the divide in the classes and defines the tiers of society. The affluent people on top get richer and more powerful, and the poor people, while gaining income, lose status and power. This is how a big gap is created. With the Bacha Bazi system, the caste system would still be present, but it would be harder to define the classes, thus being meaningful in the Afghan