The escalating bans are reaching new heights of absurdity, with officials in Balkh province in northern Afghanistan banned from calling female patients by their actual names. In May, officials reportedly ordered all hospitals, private practices and clinics to use the word “Bibi” instead of women’s names. They emphasised that this instruction must be observed even on medical prescriptions.

The other absurd restrictions notwithstanding, this feels like such a complete lack of respect for women’s personhood, humanity, existence even. Fuck the Taliban.