Every time those claims come out, all I can think of are the Martians in Mars Attacks shooting people while saying 'We come in peace'.

It's tricky.

Islamic theocracy (or, indeed, any kind of theocracy) is incompatible with human rights, the rights of women and girls, and LGB people, you're certainly right there.

But I think a lot of people in the West, and other places besides, are hoping that they can leverage the Taliban's desire for legitimacy as a way of 'improving' the lot of the people still in Afghanistan.

The Taliban don't want to be seen as the pariah failed state they once were. When they controlled the country before, the only other countries that officially recognised them were Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Pakistan, and things quickly soured after 9/11. Now, things seem to be different.

Both Russia and China have kept their embassies in Kabul open with Taliban protection, and both Moscow and Beijing received Taliban delegations over the summer. Iran, Pakistan and Turkey have all also been enjoying America's discomfiture.

All this seems to suggest that it will be difficult for countries in the West to prevent the Taliban from achieving diplomatic recognition. Boris Johnson and Joe Biden are both clearly against this, and Boris has urged the other G7 countries to avoid bilateral recognition.

So I think some people can tentatively take the Taliban at their word, by exchanging recognition and legitimacy for moderation when it comes to human rights etc.

But as the attacks on the airport and the article OP linked suggest, things aren't off to a particularly promising start.