Sexual Orientation in Morocco

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    As June has approached and brought the beginning of Pride Month back home in the States, I have been more aware of the fact that Morocco has an apparent lack of LGBTQ representation. I assumed it was related to the Islamic faith practiced by almost all citizens here, and when prompted for this post, I decided to look more into why this is. 

    After doing some research, I found that in Morocco, LGBTQ individuals face many challenges due to societal norms as well as legal restrictions. As reported by Santi (2019) in El País, homosexuality is illegal, which has resulted in widespread discrimination and violence against LGBTQ people. Many of them conceal their identities to avoid persecution, harassment, and imprisonment. If accused and prosecuted, individuals can face up to 3 to 5 years in prison and may face fines. In addition to these sanctions, before a trial has even occurred, anyone accused of participating in homosexual acts are posted to the public with their name and picture, instantly outing them to all family, friends, and strangers. Some activists have been advocating for basic human rights for this community, but progress is slow because of deep-rooted cultural stigmas. 

    When comparing what I found about LGBTQ rights to the lack of forced religion that I wrote about in my first blog, I noticed that one does not coincide with the other. While the government will not force you to practice any certain faith, the Islamic principles are still deeply intertwined with the law, and all citizens are expected to follow these rules regardless of their personal beliefs. 


References

Santi, J. (2019, May 3). How homosexuals are being jailed and persecuted just 20 kilometers from     Spain. El País. https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2019/05/03/inenglish/1556868262_261729.html

Comments

  1. Ann Carol DanielJune 10, 2024 at 3:46 AM

    Hey Maddy! I also caught onto the lack of representation of LGBTQ while in Morocco! I am so glad you wrote your blogger on this topic because I had no idea it was illegal! It blows my mind that imprisonment is a possible punishment. It is interesting to me that sexual rights and forced religion in Morocco do not collide. You would think they would go hand in hand.

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