Gay Moroc: The experience is very different for Morocns and foreigners.

Contents:

• GAY-IENDLY: MARRAKECH FOR HOMOSEXUALS
• WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE GAY … MOROC?
• RENNTRE GRATUE GAY MAROC
• GAY DU MAROC
• GAY MARRAKH TRAVEL GUI
• GAY MOROC TRAVEL GUI
• MAROC GAY

GAY-IENDLY: MARRAKECH FOR HOMOSEXUALS

Moroc has been and remas a popular statn for LGBTQ+ travelers spe beg an Islamic untry where homosexualy is illegal and punishable by law.

Homosexualy is seen by most of the populatn as a threat to the “tradnal valu” that support the expectatn of heterosexual norms and Mlim teachgs. As a nservative Mlim untry where homosexualy is illegal, there aren’t any official “gay hot spots” or LGBTQ+ celebratns. That’s not to say that gay-iendly bars, rtrants, night clubs or beach do not exist.

In urban centers like Tangier, Marrakech and Agadir, ’s possible to fd gay-iendly acmodatns and spots that wele a mix of gay and straight visors. Although homosexualy is illegal Moroc—as is the se many Islamic untri— is generally a popular statn for members of the LGBTQ muny. Pacha Marrakech Bar, Nightclub, Gay Bar © David Boyle/Flickr Pacha Marrakech A lively bar and nightclub loted Gueliz, Pacha Marrakech proclaims self to be “the bt club Moroc” and is part of the well-known ternatnal club cha.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE GAY … MOROC?

While not a gay bar, has a iendly and relaxed vibe that mak all party-lovers feel right at home on the dance floor. A gay-iendly club, people n enjoy techno one area or a lively Morocn baret show another. Plastik Club, Hotel Riad Salam, 55, Boulevard la Corniche A Diab, Casablan, Moroc Café Rams Rtrant, Morocn © Thibt Démare/Flickr Loted the btlg heart of Moroc’s largt cy, Café Rams don’t serve alhol, but is open until late the eveng and offers a relaxg, gay-iendly spot.

Travelg to an Islamic untry and experiencg the magic of the Thoand and One Nights together – as a homosexual uple? Even though Marrakech’s clubs and hotels do not openly e labels such as “gay” or “gay-iendly” for advertisg, is the new “Pk Cy”, havg overtaken the formerly ternatnal zone of Tanger. To beg wh: Acrdg to Morocn law, homosexual acts are illegal and will be punished severely.

Near Rabat, for example, two young Morocns were sentenced to four months imprisonment each 2013 bee of homosexual ntacts.

RENNTRE GRATUE GAY MAROC

Strongly fluenced by relign and patriarchal stctur, Morocn society is characterized by tradnal valu, and is, th, rather homophobic. Neverthels, homosexualy is tolerated to the greatt possible extent, as far as ’s lived out discreetly.

They are not gay, but munitg wh their iends the tradnal manner. Hetero — as well as homo — or bisexual upl should be discreet and save livg out their passns for the privacy of the riad. In spe of the reprsive ndns, a gay scene has grown Marrakech.

GAY DU MAROC

Clubs and night life for a gay dience. Soon, the word of a gay night life the South-Morocn imperial cy spread. The top addrs is, whout a doubt, Le Diamant noir, which is rather gay than gay-iendly durg the week.

Apart om that, the gay party scene meets at the VIP-Club, Le Pacha, Le Comptoir Darna, or the other bars along the Avenue Mohammed V. Gay-iendly hosts: discreet riads and open hearts. The followg riads are gay-iendly (plete list):.

In a Nutshell: Marrakech for homosexuals.

GAY MARRAKH TRAVEL GUI

Th, homosexuals are not treated differently om heterosexuals.

Some gut ho are labeled “gay-iendly” and are ed to homosexual clients, so there are no irratns when, say, a double bed is requted. The gay night life n be bt experienced one of the clubs mentned above, but is advisable to keep a keen md even there: It is not unlikely that the young man showerg you wh pliments is a prostute, and the police are rather strict their effort to nta prostutn, pecially as is gradually creasg Moroc.

GAY MOROC TRAVEL GUI

Apart om this, Marrakech is as good a holiday statn for gays and lbians as is for heterosexually orientated.

Jamaa el Fna, Marrakech’s ma square, is the cy’s primary gay cisg spot after dk.

MAROC GAY

For those who heard about the se of Ray Cole—a Brish tourist arrted last year Marrakech, Moroc, on spicn of mtg “homosexual acts” and sentenced to four months’ hard time a Morocn jail prr to his early release— is perhaps difficult to image that Moroc was somethg of a gay paradise for whe men of standg the aftermath of World War II.

Somethg of the gay scene moved to Marrakech, but suffice to say, is far removed om Tangier’s heyday and very much nfed to the margs. Gay life tak place the pths of certa hammams (Turkish baths) and the back rows of cemas, if people happen to know the right spots; needls to say, cisg plays an important role.

There are no gay bars, but a mix of gay and straight patrons n be found clubs that ter primarily to Wterners. Seen this light, the se of Ray Cole n be said to be another part of the story of the wherg away of gay life Moroc, or at the very least, the end of turng of a bld eye to . But what is more signifint about Cole’s se is that monstrat the te realy for gay men Moroc, namely, that while the laws on homosexualy are enforced nsistently, there is evintly a double standard employed their applitn.