As images of Taliban forces regaining control of Afghanistan circulate across social media, many can’t help but to think about the future of the country’s LGBT population.
Same-sex sexual activity was already outlawed in the country and even punishable by death. But the Taliban’s stricter rule over Afghan citizens has left many fearing the worst, specially after a Taliban judge stated that the Taliban’s interpretation of Sharia law consists of brutally heinous punishments for those accused of same-sex sexual activity. Now, queer people in Afghanistan face uncertainty and unimaginable fear.
Many outside the country have turned their attention towards aiding the people of Afghanistan and its LGBT population in whatever way possible. However, providing aid might be trickier than it seems as LGBT groups are banned from organizing. In fact, most LGBT people in the country are and will continue to be closeted unless they have the means to migrate out of Afghanistan. With that in mind, here are some ways people have begun helping queer Afghans.
Several Gofundme’s campaigns have been created to provide financial assistance. An emergency fund created by Afghan queer migrants surpassed its goal of $20k in just 4 days to provide individuals with the funds needed to flee the country by attaining legal documents, travel access and housing. However, GoFundMe is now preventing those funds from being withdrawn due to the crisis in the country. All of the website’s Afghanistan-related fundraisers are in the process of being reviewed before the funds can be accessed. So for now, it might be wise to hold off on focusing all donation efforts on GoFundMe until further developments are made.
Because the great majority of Afghanistan’s LGBT population is closeted and the distribution of queer media is outlawed, donating to general campaigns means that money is more likely to reach a queer person. A list put together by i-News highlights general campaigns such as Afghan Aid and International Rescue Committee (IRC) which provide aid for families displaced as a result of the crisis as well as several direct aid funds such as Urgent Crisis Relief for Afghanistan 2021 and Emergency Aid for Victims of the Taliban Attacks. You can also volunteer to assist recent Afghan refugees and show support for the UN Refugee Agency’s call to maintain international borders open for Afghan refugees. Because in the end, that might be the biggest hope for LGBT people inside the country.
First world nations have already begun avoiding responsibility regarding the expected flow of immigrants seeking asylum. But after President Biden signed a Presidential Memorandum protecting the rights of queer people around the world, the U.S. in particular should be the first nation to grant asylum to LGBT refugees fleeing Afghanistan.
Progressive lawmakers have begun calling for the U.S. to take action in this way. But the asylum-granting process is already disproportionately more difficult for refugees seeking asylum based on sexual-orientation based discrimination. That is why citizens of the U.S. should focus their energy in ensuring that lawmakers and governmental representatives not only prioritize granting asylum to Afghan refugees, but see to it that LGBT people in particular are listened to, protected and welcomed. There are also lawyers everywhere from DC to California who specialize in assisting LGBT migrants seeking asylum you can volunteer for or whose information you can post, along with compiled by the UN Refugee Agency and Asylum Connect in order to maximize visibility.
The situation unfolding in real time in Afghanistan is already being called one of the defining human rights crises of our time. Taking a couple of hours of our day to aid will not change that. Standing alongside LGBT Afghans will require decades of effort. So if you’re in the position to, take the time to continuously listen to their needs and do whatever is in your power to help.
