Being LGBTQ+ in Morocco

Blog Summary:

• I have not faced any specific obstacles because of my sexuality but I have not outwardly practiced my sexuality
• LGBTQ+ issues are openly discussed in IES Rabat classes
• Queer life tends to be night life
• Tangier is probably the most open-minded Moroccan city
• Sexual relationships in Morocco are not just regulated for LGBTQ+ people

As a queer individual living in a country where homosexual expression is illegal I thought I would face a lot more obstacles than I actually do. Since most of the people I interact with on the daily are open-minded and educated on matters of gender studies I have never felt targeted because of my identity. I do not discuss my identity with my host family simply because I do not want to risk anything and it has not come up—as such it does not bother me much. 

In class, especially the Gender and Society course we discuss LGBTQ+ issues in Morocco quite openly even in classes that you wouldn’t expect like Islam in North Africa and Beyond and North African Cultural Identities. 

Unfortunately most queer life here is night life and I have yet to find a space specifically for women since Moroccan women don’t tend to go out much. There is a gay club near the Old Median that is quite nice. I will refrain from stating its name on the internet for legal purposes but arriving students will most likely find it easily. 

In my cohort, I do not know of anyone outwardly expressing a ‘non-traditional’ gender identity so I cannot say I am qualified to describe a person’s experience if they did express themselves as such. We do have some students of alternative style in my cohort and they definitely got stared at during our time in Meknes but I have not heard of any other problems they’ve had. We also 

The youth in Rabat do dress quite trendily especially in the alternative and streetwear styles and they also seem more open to LGBTQ+ individuals. At a concert I went to in Casablanca a girl about our age openly asked out my friend (who prefers an androgynous/masculine style of clothing) and the same happened at a bar in Rabat.

I would say the city that has the most queer representation in Tangier since some queer celebrities live there peacefully since they also have citizenship in countries that are LGBTQ+ positive.

Sexual relationships in Morocco are not just regulated for LGBTQ+ people though as sex outside of marriage is still illegal. This issue of course is hard to regulate and according to Moroccan World News, “3,000 people were prosecuted in 2018 for the crime of adultery under articles 491 and 492 of Morocco’s penal code.” I recommend checking out this short article titled, 88% of Moroccans Oppose Sex Outside of Marriage, written by Jennifer Morgan Hekking. Morocco World News is a good English source to get information about Morocco and you can even intern for the organization with IES Abroad.