Blog Post 3: A rare sight

By


 This beautiful picture captures the essence of Morocco and its hospitality. Our guide was very eager to show Eric the kitchen where the food was being prepped. He took his hand and guided him all the way to the destination. This type of touch is uncommon for men in the United States or at least in my local community. This simple touch hold great value of friendship, reverence, and love. During our time in Morocco, it became noticeable that the Moroccan people love physical touch. There were several times where pairs of men would be holding hands, have locked elbows, or be holding on by the shoulders. The connection seemed natural and accepted. 

This connection makes me think of gender roles in terms of acceptable behavior of said gender. In the United States men are surrounded by the stereotype of what it means to be masculine, which I believe persist everywhere to some degree. However, it was interesting to see the difference of masculinity between the States and Morocco. If men were as free to accept and give friendly touches like this in America they would be mocked and called gay. This insinuates that being apart of the LGBTQ+ community carries a negative connotation. Does this thought cross the minds of the Moroccan people? or no, because being LGBTQ+ is criminal?

Homosexual acts are illegal and may put you into prison for up to three years. LGBTQ+ Travel Guide to Morocco. Because this is law, Moroccan authorities continuously block any attempt of an organization that supports and advocates for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Even though there are no official public organizations there are still advocates, allies, and underground movements. OUTRIGHT International. As many have mentioned in their own blog post, how isolating, exhausting, and terrifying it must feel to be forced to hide behind a mask and live in the shadows. 

Comments

  1. Sanaa WrightJune 21, 2025 at 5:28 PM

    This is a very interesting perspective, and something I noticed too! Even when it comes to greetings, men kissing on the cheek, it felt endearing to watch, and at time made me envious when I think about how touch starved we are in western society, how touch is often only reserved for romantic partners and family. It can often leave people feeling isolated, especially when you combine the lack of platonic touch with the prevalence of phones in social gatherings— people texting or scrolling on tik tok while surrounded by friends and people. Touch helps keep us feeling human. It is quite sad how stigmatized LGBTQ+ members are in this country, and I hope that improvements will be made as the country turns to more liberal and inclusive views

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Who Am I?

By
Image
  This video is part of the  TED Talks  series.  TED  (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is a nonprofit devoted to disseminating "ideas worth spreading." I thought the idea of  creating authentic identity through failed imitation  was a great theme to begin the course as well as the blog. My hope is that you will step outside of the  status quo  and use your creative nature to complete the assignments and explore identity in a global context throughout this semester. What are your thoughts about Hetain Patel's presentation?
Read more

Social Mobility in Morocco (Blogger #3: Ability or Social Status)

By
Just as everywhere else in the world, wealth is directly linked to quality of life in Morocco. There also exists great distances between the rich and the poor of Morocco, commonly referred to as a “wealth gap.” In Morocco, the wealth gap is exacerbated by a mix of social, cultural, and legal factors. Socially, there exists a disconnect between rural and urbanized areas. Those in rural regions often lack access to education, healthcare, and other government services, further restricting opportunities for social mobility. Culturally, societal norms and gender roles can limit women’s access to job opportunities. In 2023, labor force participation among Moroccan women over the age of 15 was reported at 19.8%, compared to 68.3% of Moroccan men 15 or older (ILO, 2024). Whether this be from familial expectations to become a homemaker or lack of positions available, the fact remains that only 1 in 5 Moroccan women receive a paycheck, and therefore have financial independence. While strides hav...
Read more