If you are a girl in Afghanistan, the Taliban have already decided your future for you. Freedoms that shape identity, confidence and belonging, including education, movement and self-expression, have been stripped away, leaving girlhood itself under threat. Girlhood is a significant phase in a woman’s life, one that shapes identity, empathy and resilience. The disappearance of girlhood erases experiences often taken for granted, including play, independence and physical freedom. Ballet clubs, football teams and opportunities for sport have vanished, removing spaces that once allowed girls to grow, connect and express themselves.

Having grown up participating in gymnastics and ballet, movement played an important role in shaping my own identity, confidence and sense of self. Reflecting on this personal connection led me to consider what it means to lose access to these experiences. This body of work explores movement as both freedom and resistance, considering sport as a site of identity, agency and resilience for Afghan women and girls.