CAES Morocco: Leading Across Differences

In comparing sexual orientation in Morocco and the United States, there is a huge difference in the level of social acceptance and legal recognition of LGBTQ+ people. In the United States, discrimination definitely still exists, but there are legal protections in place including the right to marry, adopt, and live openly. In Morocco, however, homosexuality is criminalized, which can lead to imprisonment. Public expression of queer identity is not only socially ‘incorrect’ but also legally dangerous.      As someone who identifies as LGBTQ+, this was a constant consideration of mine as we traveled through the country. I thought about how difficult it must be to always have to hide such a fundamental part of yourself to stay safe. Not being able to have queer communities or celebrate love openly is something I do not think I could live with. It made me reflect on the privilege of living in a place where, even if full acceptance isn't always present, people at least have the...

    In the comparative study of Morocco to the United States, both countries have apparent differences and underlying issues. A major societal problem within Morocco is the gap in male and female occupations. These differences in the United States could be considered "sexist." However, I have realized that in Moroccan culture, there are more distinct gender roles in the workforce, and this is not necessarily a negative attribute.      I first realized the differences in gender roles between the United States and Morocco on our first tour of Casablanca. Our tour guide began to discuss gender roles and the jobs that women may have. She stated that women can still be "doctors", "lawyers", etc. However, I thought it was interesting that she had the need to even mention this. For lack of a better word, our tour guide seemed to "flex" the fact that women were able to have such prestigious jobs. When our group was at iBerry I was able to see a functioni...

     Throughout our stay in Morocco, each day it was increasingly obvious that gender roles were all under the common assumption in every city. Women have certain jobs and men have certain jobs. You rarely found them doing the same jobs or even the same activities. Women are placed in certain roles that are more confined than men where men are typically running most corporations and still able to sit in cafés throughout the afternoons.     In the United States women can be the breadwinners of the home, can sell things at the market, or even choose to stay home and tend to their children. In Morocco, women have specific jobs at factories, regulations placed by men in the family and their religion.     Although there are strides being made throughout the country, women still are in the minority of most conversations. Only 12.8% of businesses are ran by women, 8% of leadership in large companies are women, and 13.8% of leadership in trade sectors are wome...