Men as Allies in Post-2021 Afghanistan: Resisting Gender Oppression and Redefining Masculinity

Abstract

This thesis investigates how Afghan men resist and challenge restrictions on women’s rights under the post-2021 Taliban regime, and how these acts of resistance contribute to evolving understandings of Afghan masculinity and emerging allyship practices. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 15 Afghan participants, seven men and eight women living both inside Afghanistan and in exile, my findings reveal that hegemonic masculinity in Afghanistan is marked by men’s control over women’s physical mobility, decision-making, and public presence, alongside emotional restraint and socially enforced norms regulating women’s behavior. These patterns are deeply rooted in decades of conflict, insecurity, and honor-shame cultural expectations. Applying Raewyn Connell’s (2005) theory of hegemonic and complicit masculinities, I argue that Afghan masculinity is relational and context-dependent rather than fixed or uniform, reinforced not only by men but also through family, religious interpretations, and community norms. My research traces how decades of war and entrenched cultural norms have shaped dominant masculine ideals centered on control, authority, and honor-shame dynamics. During the Republic era (2001–2021), increased education access and urban development enabled some men to adopt more equitable gender roles, though these alternative masculinities remained fragile and context-specific. With the Taliban’s return in 2021, many gender equality gains face reversal. Yet, despite these setbacks, some Afghan men continue to enact allyship through subtle, often invisible acts of resistance. This thesis contributes to feminist and masculinity studies by highlighting the fluid, contested, and contextually grounded nature of Afghan masculinities amid shifting political and social landscapes.