A young girl has sparked quite a scandal in Afghanistan, after a set of photographs, showing her wearing a long skirt and walking in the streets of Kabul city with bare legs, went viral on social media.
The photographs were reportedly taken in Karte-3 area in the western part of Kabul city and was being widely shared on Facebook.
A Washington Post report commenting on the viral photo of the young girl noted: "A young woman with long brown hair tied in a ponytail walking in an upper-middle-class district of Kabul. She wore purple footwear and a purple dress that fell to her knees, revealing her bare legs. In any urban area, hardly anyone would have given a second glance at the woman. But this is Afghanistan, and the woman might as well have been a purple alien dropped down from Mars."
The observation is true, especially, as many in Afghanistan think that the girl was either mentally ill or else she is a prostitute.
Till the late 1960's, women, walking with bare legs or wearing miniskirts, were common in Kabul, however, with the coming of the Taliban, they were once again forced into the fines of hijab. Since the 1996 to 2001 women were even prohibited to work or even attend school.
On social media, many in Afghanistan such as Hajar Ahmadi noted: "It is absolutely shameful situation." Another social media user Masoud Khan Selab wrote: "I am not surprised. In our Afghan society everything is possible – three-years-old baby girl has been raped, girls are being missing and founded raped. Families cannot complain about it because prostitution houses are operating freely..."
While a user, Zahir Alokozai, stated: "A half-naked girl walking in the middle of local people!!! Where is the Islamic government."
Twitter Reactions
Baber Khan Sahel @BaberkhanSahel
Amazing: Bare legs lady for the first time over the past three decades spotted on Kabul streets!!
Anna Loshkin @AnnaLoshkin
Scandal in #Kabul! Bare-legged woman walks on the streets! (She also wasn't wearing any shoes.)
Margherita Stancati @margheritamvs
Someone else broke he internet: Photos of woman walking with bare legs in Kabul goes viral.
MK @MarinaKim_
Whatever her motivation, she is one brave woman... That's how you #breaktheinternet, Kim!
