Jane Ferguson:
Inspired by figures like Ellen DeGeneres, Taban wanted to build a platform that was light enough for her to show the famous and powerful in a way they haven’t been seen before, relaxed.
She faced numerous challenges building her career. After a 2016 bombing killed seven media workers, Taban had to commute to work covered in a burqa. But she may face the greatest yet in the coming months.
The U.S.’ military withdrawal from Afghanistan has left the Afghan security forces struggling to hold on, and the Taliban is advancing. As the group closes in on major cities across the country, they threaten to take over the capital, bringing with them their strict interpretation of Islam.
When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2000, women were publicly brutalized and imprisoned at home. When outdoors, they were forced to wear the burqa. Few have more to lose than young women like Taban, who have built lives and careers that could be taken away overnight.
