Gay-iendly: Marrakech for homosexuals » Travelgui Marrakech

Contents:

• DOZENS OF GAY MEN ARE OUTED MOROC AS PHOTOS ARE SPREAD ONLE
• GAY MOROC
• GAY-IENDLY: MARRAKECH FOR HOMOSEXUALS
• WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE GAY … MOROC?
• TIPS FOR GAY AND LBIAN TRAVELERS MOROC

DOZENS OF GAY MEN ARE OUTED MOROC AS PHOTOS ARE SPREAD ONLE

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe ia was to show the hypocrisy of Morocn society by showg how many gay men are livg quietly straight society. It backfired S/Agence France-Prse — Getty ImagPARIS — At least 50 to 100 gay men were outed Moroc over the last two weeks, rights activists say, after the men were intified on lotn-based meetg apps while shelterg at home amid a ronavis at least three s, men were kicked out of their ho, L. ”In Moroc, a North Ain kgdom where homosexualy and sex outsi marriage are crim, gay people are pafully acctomed to the feelgs of peril and rejectn, and many keep their sexual inti unr, their ver has been blown a way that would be crimal most Wtern societi, rights advot say.

”What mak this episo particularly paful, gay lears say, is that was igned by someone who had also been sgled April 13, a Morocn transgenr Instagram personaly based Istanbul, Naoufal Mosa or Sofia Talouni, was sulted about her sexual orientatn.

In a rage, she released a profany-laced vio enuragg women to download the lotn-based meetg apps, like Grdr and Pla Romeo, which are ually ed by gay subsequent vios, she said her aim was to reveal the hypocrisy of Morocn society by showg her attackers how many gay men were livg their vicy, perhaps even their own people followed Ms. Mosa’s lead and created fake acunts on the apps to gather photos of gay men, which they then posted on private and public Facebook pag, settg off the homophobic attacks igned a firtorm of cricism, both of Ms. Mosa pelled him to acknowledge that he was gay, threateng to post revealg photos showg him wh another gay man.

GAY MOROC

That’s when she got angry and suggted downloadg gay meetg apps, which led to the outburst of anti-gay vlence. “My datg life Moroc was somehow OK as long as my partner and I were beg super discreet and ut, ” said one gay man who asked to be intified only by his ials, N.

Abllah Taia, a proment gay thor and one of few to publicly clare his sexual orientatn Moroc, says that the state keeps people a gray area, makg them vulnerable to abe and discrimatn and forcg many to hidg.

”Moroc’s Interr Mistry did not rpond to a requt for outg episo is seen by many as stroyg a agile balance that the untry’s unrground gay culture has built laborly over the years, ma even worse a time of uncertaty and enomic hardship. But they do have some support at Bezad, the print of the Pan-Ain Organizatn for the Fight Agast AIDS, said that while Moroc’s laws were unlikely to change, s health mistry enurag associatns like hers to help vulnerable populatns, cludg gay people. Gay MorocMoroc is a culturally diverse, Mlim-majory untry North Ai.

GAY-IENDLY: MARRAKECH FOR HOMOSEXUALS

It was a mag for gay people when homosexualy was outlawed Europe and Ameri - as rears of Joe Orton will know!

It's still a big draw for gay travelers.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE GAY … MOROC?

Public displays of affectn aren't remend - whether you're gay or straight. 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.

TIPS FOR GAY AND LBIAN TRAVELERS MOROC

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

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.