Blog 3: Sexual Orientation or Gender Roles

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 Although the United States and Morocco differ greatly in their laws on LGBTQ+ individuals, both countries show that legal status alone does not determine social acceptance. In Morocco, homosexuality is illegal under the Penal Code and can be punished with a maximum of 3 years in jail . This law is strict and several citizens and foreigners have been detained for practicing homosexuality (Human Dignity Trust, 2026). Because of its strict enforcement, homosexual couples are forced into secrecy. Thus, there is little social acceptance of homosexual couples in Morocco.

In contrast, the United States legalized gay marriages in 2015, but sexual orientation has been under legal protected from discrimination by Title VII since 1964 which prevents discrimination in employement. The supreme court further clarified this in 2020 in the Bostock v. Clayton County case (Cole, 2020). Although there is more legal protection in America, homosexual couples are still on the receiving end of discrimination and violence. In America, LGBTQ couples are 9 times more likely than non-LGBTQ couples to be targeted by hate crimes (Meyer & Flores, 2015). Thus, although the legal structures differ between these two countries, there is still a lack of safety for homosexual couples. 

Cole, J. P. (2020, June 17). Supreme Court rules Title VII bars discrimination against gay and transgender employees: Potential implications (CRS Legal Sidebar No. LSB10496). Congressional Research Service. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/LSB10496

Human Dignity Trust. (2026, April). Morocco. https://www.humandignitytrust.org/country-profile/morocco/

Meyer, I. H., & Flores, A. R. (2025, February). Anti-LGBT victimization in the United States: Results from the National Crime Victimization Survey (2022–2023). Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/anti-lgbt-victimization-us/



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