The silence from the Woke Mob toward the treatment of Afghan women under the Taliban is telling, exposing a selective kind of outrage that aligns only with certain causes. In Western nations, we see a flood of support, protests, and government funding directed to diverse cultural and social groups. Yet, we don’t see similar energy directed at supporting fundamental human rights for women who are openly oppressed under extreme regimes like the Taliban.
Consider the Taliban's recent, severe decrees for Afghan women. The regime's laws dictate that women must be neither seen nor heard; every part of their appearance and voice is to be shrouded. They cannot walk outside without fear of punishment or cover their hair without the mandatory, suffocating burqa. Now, even their prayers are restricted, with women told not to let their voices be heard by others, including other women, in public or private. These restrictions are dehumanizing, denying half the population a basic right to express their humanity. And yet, Western activists and organizations that claim to fight for equality and freedom are noticeably silent.
Where are the calls for Afghan women's freedom? The people who protest regularly for causes in the Middle East, wearing their symbols of solidarity for Palestine, do not show the same care or anger for Afghan women. The attention these causes receive is often driven by a sense of virtue or identity politics that seem to require selective outrage. When it comes to standing up for the lives and rights of Afghan women, their energy and moral outrage dissipate. No public gatherings, no hashtags, no Instagram posts, no demonstrations for "Free Afghan Women."
In the Western feminist movement, too, this selective focus shows. The same voices that amplify complaints about exclusion from social clubs and argue for rights in high-powered industries are quiet. The same people who condemned past comments by Western politicians and rallied against various instances of inequality are not offering that same passion to support Afghan women who face actual, present-day oppression. Some feminist voices have indeed raised the alarm, but they are drowned out by those who simply choose silence over taking a stand against the Taliban.
This lack of action raises another question: is it possible that those on the Left are too concerned with how they might be perceived if they criticize a group seen as historically oppressed? Could it be that fears of being called "Islamophobic" outweigh their commitment to human rights? In many circles, the Left champions identity politics, claiming to stand for the oppressed, but in practice, they focus only on specific groups. This selective approach allows them to denounce the West, to protest Israel and other Western entities they view as "oppressors," while neglecting genuine crises like the situation in Afghanistan. They create a hierarchy of whose oppression is worthy of attention, and this dangerous double standard allows the suffering of Afghan women to go unnoticed.
While Afghan women risk their lives to speak out, Western activists show little sign of solidarity. It’s a moral failing to ignore such suffering, and it’s insulting to the women who are willing to risk so much for a chance at a free life. Afghan women are not asking for special privileges—they are asking for rights to live, speak, and exist without fear. The idea of true equality should mean standing for all people, regardless of where their oppression originates or who the oppressors are. Yet, in the case of Afghan women, the commitment to stand up for universal human rights is replaced by convenient silence.
Many in the West see government funds allocated to various cultural and identity-driven causes. Yet when it comes to supporting basic rights and freedom, these funds and efforts seem scarce. Despite the role of Christianity in many Western societies, governments have distanced themselves from providing support, while directing aid toward religious or cultural organizations that align with current progressive narratives. A recent survey suggests that over a quarter of Canadians think immigrants should leave parts of their culture at the door, a sentiment that is less about assimilation and more about establishing a common ground on values that include equal rights for everyone, regardless of gender, origin, or belief.
The persistent narrative that “whites” are the primary or even the only oppressors has reached a point of absurdity. Historical mistakes, yes, should be acknowledged, but to use them as an excuse for fostering a divisive mentality today is destructive. It perpetuates division and distracts from real issues like the silencing of Afghan women under the Taliban. If the Left wants to stand for true equality, it’s time to look beyond this simplistic lens of good versus evil and acknowledge that oppression exists in many forms across different societies.
The disparity in attention highlights a moral double standard. By focusing selectively on certain causes while ignoring others, some activists reveal that their efforts are not about human rights for all. This approach has less to do with advocating for justice and more to do with promoting a convenient narrative. True equality is not just about assigning blame based on historical or cultural factors; it’s about recognizing and supporting every person’s right to dignity and freedom, regardless of where they come from or who oppresses them.
Afghan women are risking everything to have their voices heard, while privileged activists here who enjoy the freedom to speak without fear do not rally in their support. Their activism fails to live up to its stated ideals. Real equality demands that we stand for all those who are oppressed, not just those whose stories fit our preferred script. Anything less is a failure, both for the cause of human rights and for the principle that all people, regardless of identity or culture, deserve the same basic freedoms and protections. It’s time for those who claim to fight for equality to take a real stand—one that doesn’t leave Afghan women in silence.