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

Contents:

• MOROC USED TO BE A HAVEN FOR GAY ARTISTS. IT’S A B MORE COMPLITED NOW
• TIPS FOR GAY AND LBIAN TRAVELERS MOROC
• WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE GAY … MOROC?
• GAY-IENDLY: MARRAKECH FOR HOMOSEXUALS
• TRAVEL SAFETY REPORT: 20 WORST PLAC FOR GAY TRAVELERS IN 2021
• GAY MARRAKH TRAVEL GUI
• GAY MOROC TRAVEL GUI
• 10 BT GAY-FRIENDLY HOTELS IN MOROC

MOROC USED TO BE A HAVEN FOR GAY ARTISTS. IT’S A B MORE COMPLITED NOW

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. LGBTQIA+ travellers are those who intify as lbian, gay, bisexual or transgenr (a more clive LGBT ialism), pl queer or qutng, tersex or asexual dividuals, as well as those who intify beyond the monly ed sexualy and genr exprsns.

Homosexualy is illegal and punishable by prison time and f unr article 489 of the Penal Co. The book is a seri of semi-tobgraphil vigt, which clu sci-fi elements and scriptns of gay sex.

TIPS FOR GAY AND LBIAN TRAVELERS MOROC

Moroc was no stranger to gay and bisexual men the mid-20th century, cludg famoly out wrers Tman Capote, Tennsee Williams, and Gore Vidal.

Morn art and lerature clus queer figur such as lbian wrer Fatima Zahra Amzkar and gay wrer and filmmaker Abllah Taïa, whose award-wng novels Salvatn Army and My Moroc, among others, scribe his youth as a gay man nontg Moroc’s homophobia. The Jard Majorelle–Yv Sat Lrent Mansn, a fn of two mms, opened to the public 2017—one about Berber history and another dited to the gay signer’s work, both hoed the former rince of Lrent and his partner Pierre Bergé.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE GAY … MOROC?

Homosexualy the Islamic state—even same-sex kissg—remas illegal and punishable by f and up to three years prison. In 2020, dozens of gay men were outed a untry-wi Grdr leak, leadg to an uptick bullyg, stigmatizatn, arrts, vlence, and blackmailg. I traveled to Moroc twice the past year as an out cis-genr whe gay man.

I met other gay men livg there, some closeted, others who were out and felt safe enough to live their liv thentilly. Grdr still works Moroc, but only wh a VPN (as many untri where homosexualy is illegal). “The Islamic world has a discreet approach to sexualy, ” says gay Morocn rint Hassan, whose name was changed to protect his inty.

Tips for Gay and Lbian Travelers Moroc. Homosexualy is nsired relatively mon, though rarely acknowledged, amongst Morocn men. Platonic affectn between Morocn mal -- such as holdg hands, which is a sign of iendship and rpect -- is eely shown, and some of the Berber trib (the Atlas Chlh, for example) are known as particularly tolerant toward homosexual behavr.

GAY-IENDLY: MARRAKECH FOR HOMOSEXUALS

For both gays and lbians, discretn is advised. Tangier -- the world's first gay rort -- is still nsired somewhat gay-iendly. Marrakech certaly has a mi gay scene, thanks largely to the number of gay French upl now ridg there.

TRAVEL SAFETY REPORT: 20 WORST PLAC FOR GAY TRAVELERS IN 2021

The Internatnal Gay and Lbian Travel Associatn (IGLTA; tel. 800/448-8550 or 954/776-2626;) is the tra associatn for the gay and lbian travel dtry, and offers an onle directory of gay- and lbian-iendly travel bs and tour operators.

Gay Journey () is a U. -based onle travel rource of statns that ter to the gay liftyle, cludg Moroc.

Beyond the Mask () has gay-based rmatn and news articl on each Ain untry, cludg Moroc.

GAY MARRAKH TRAVEL GUI

GlobalGayz () is a gay-owned travel, news, and culture webse foced on l-bi-gay-trans life untri around the world. Their exposé and other stori on gay life Moroc are very tertg and well rearched.

The followg travel guis are available at many bookstor, or you n orr them om any onle bookseller: Spartac Internatnal Gay Gui (Bno Gmünr Verlag;); Odysss: The Internatnal Gay Travel Planner (); and the Damron guis (), wh separate annual books for gay men and lbians.

The great service has rulted several newlywed gay upl remendg the tablishment.

GAY MOROC TRAVEL GUI

Hotel El Muniria, Tangier Budget Hotel, Hotel Hotel El Muniria is attached to the famo Tanger Inn, a popular gay-iendly hangout Tangier. Note: Homosexualy is illegal Moroc.

While there are no openly gay tablishments, some acmodatns, such as those listed above, are more welg to members of the LGBTQ muny. While the gay scene Moroc is very much unrground, and lbians are practilly unheard of the kgdom, do exist.

10 BT GAY-FRIENDLY HOTELS IN MOROC

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