The First Pride of the Afghan LGBTIQ+ Community

26 August 2023 – Bremen, Germany

On 26 August 2023, in the city of Bremen, Germany, the Afghan LGBTIQ+ community held its first-ever Pride event in its history—an event that was not only symbolic, but also a historic moment in the struggle for survival, dignity, and visibility. This Pride took place after the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, at a time when the denial, repression, and systematic erasure of LGBTIQ+ individuals by the Taliban, religious and traditional groups, and even the former political structures of Afghanistan had reached their peak.

This event marked the breaking of a silence that had overshadowed the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals in Afghanistan for years—a silence that claimed countless victims; individuals who, solely because of their gender identity and sexual orientation, were suppressed, erased, and destroyed in secrecy. Afghanistan has never been a safe place for LGBTQ+ individuals, but following the Taliban’s takeover, this situation has become one of the darkest periods in the contemporary history of this community.

While the world remains silent, the Taliban, invoking extremist interpretations of Sharia, legitimize brutal violence against LGBTIQ+ individuals—from threats of execution and stoning to torture, sexual violence, and other forms of systematic violence. Under such circumstances, the silence of the international community, human rights institutions, and international organizations is not only disappointing, but is also considered a form of complicity in these crimes.

Holding this Pride was a voice of resistance, solidarity, and a demand for justice. We came together to declare that our existence cannot be denied, and our rights are not negotiable.

On this day:

We gathered to break the global silence and draw attention to the deep human rights crisis in Afghanistan.

We call for the recognition of human dignity and equal rights for all individuals, regardless of gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

We urge the international community and human rights organizations to end their silence and take immediate and effective action to protect LGBTIQ+ individuals in Afghanistan.

We emphasize the urgent need to create safe pathways for individuals at risk and call for the acceleration of their relocation to safe countries.

We call on countries that have accepted LGBTIQ+ refugees to give special attention to their specific conditions and vulnerabilities.

We condemn any form of political engagement with or legitimization of the Taliban and consider it contrary to fundamental human rights principles.

This Pride was not merely a march—it was a statement against erasure, against exclusion, and against silence.

As members of the Afghan LGBTIQ+ diaspora, we express our deep solidarity with our sisters, brothers, and all members of the rainbow community who continue to live in Afghanistan and in other unsafe conditions. Our struggle continues—for equality, for justice, and for a day when no one is subjected to violence, discrimination, or death simply for who they are.

We hope for a day when all LGBTIQ+ individuals in Afghanistan can live in peace, safety, and with equal rights.