Blog 3: Sexual Orientation or Gender Roles
Blog 3: Sexual Orientation or Gender Roles
During our time in country, one thing that has particularly stood out to me is the complete lack of public displays of affection. These displays, such as a kiss on the cheek, hand holding, hugging, or putting an arm around someone, are so commonplace in the United States that no one gives them a second glance. In Morocco, however, relationships and sexuality appear to be treated much more privately. This observation prompted me to think more deeply about how homosexuality is viewed and expressed within Moroccan society. Since I have not seen any heterosexual PDA, I have certainly not observed any homosexual PDA.
Morocco is a predominantly Muslim country, and cultural and religious values strongly influence public attitudes surrounding sexuality and relationships. According to the Pew Research Center (2020), attitudes toward homosexuality tend to be less accepting in countries where religion plays a major role in daily life and cultural traditions. Supporting this, a 2025 survey discussed by Bladi.net found that nearly 80% of Moroccans surveyed expressed disapproval of homosexuality, showing how traditional beliefs continue to shape public opinion. The chart from Equaldex that I included as Figure 1 below further reinforces how attitudes toward homosexuality in Morocco remain largely unfavorable over time, but only reporting until 2022. The second chart I included displays the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals by peers, reporting lower percentages of equal treatment in all facets. It is difficult to include actual photos that I have taken in country because of the lack of visibility of heterosexual relationships and public displays of affection in general.
One societal issue connected to this identity is the difficulty LGBTQ+ individuals may face when balancing personal identity with cultural expectations. In the United States, sexuality is often openly discussed, debated, and publicly expressed, while Moroccan society appears to place much greater emphasis on privacy. While walking through streets, restaurants, and just looking out the bus window, I noticed that even heterosexual couples rarely showed physical affection publicly. This made me realize that public expression surrounding relationships is viewed differently here overall, but these expectations may create even greater challenges for LGBTQ+ individuals who already face legal and social struggles.
Personally, this experience has challenged me to think more critically about how culture shapes what people consider acceptable. Before coming to Morocco, I never really considered how much openness surrounding sexuality varies across cultures because I was so used to American social norms. It was also somewhat on my mind that LGBTQ+ individuals would face greater barriers here, but I truthfully did not think it was to the extent that my research illustrated. It is genuinely sad to think about people having to deny who they are or live a secret life because of the way that I value identity and self expression. However, I do realize that these differing values are definitely a triggering event for me. Growing up with an LGBTQ+ sibling, I have always believed that we should be accepting of all identities, so visiting a country where I know someone I love would not be able to express themselves to the fullest extent is certainly difficult. However, I am trying to empathize with the culture here and employ the leadership practices we have learned to overcome my frustration. Overall, learning more about homosexuality in Morocco helped me recognize how deeply culture, religion, law, and social expectations can influence the way people express identity and relationships.
Figure 1
Figure 2
References
Bladi.net. (2025, May 24). *Survey reveals Moroccan views on homosexuality, religion, and society.* Bladi.net. https://en.bladi.net/survey-reveals-moroccan-views-homosexuality-religion-and-society%2C114897.html
Equaldex. (n.d.). *Acceptance of homosexuality in Morocco.* Equaldex. https://www.equaldex.com/survey-topic/6/acceptance-of-homosexuality?region=morocco
Pew Research Center. (2020). *The global divide on homosexuality persists.* https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020/06/25/global-divide-on-homosexuality-persists/
Jessica, your perspective on this topic as a sister to someone in the LGBTQ+ community is clear with how respectfully you addressed and empathized with this issue. Recognizing this topic as a triggering event is also a great application of what we've learned! Before reading your post, I hadn't realized just how little public displays of affection I'd seen, but, ironically, my only recollection of this was with two girls outside of our hotel in Rabat. Knowing the climate around the LGBTQ+ community, I was so happy to see a couple living and loving proudly. When looking at your statistics, I was first confused on how the religious groups treatment wasn't lower than the general public before I realized that much of the general public falls into religious groups and ideations. Like you said, I too believe everyone should be able to express themselves to the fullest extent.
ReplyDeleteIn the United States, "a significant 60 percent of Muslim millennials believe that society should accept homosexuality" (Sills, 2024). I believe it is truly the social culture that makes the largest impact on this issue, as we see Muslim opinion and law differing across diverse areas of the world. Like you said, I want to continue to empathize with the culture, but I can only hope that the Moroccan government will reflect more freedoms for their LGBTQ+ community, like same--sex marriage--in the near future.
Jessica, I want to first thank you for being so open and vulnerable in sharing your personal experiences. Posts like yours take courage, and I appreciate the honesty you brought to this topic because it moved the discussion beyond statistics and made it deeply human. As we wrap up our time in Morocco, I felt like I did not really have a chance to get to know you better, and this discussion post gave me some of that. What I learned new from your post was the actual statistics and visual data you shared. Like you, I had assumptions that discrimination and challenges likely existed, but seeing the actual numbers and charts made it even more heartbreaking because statistics have a way of turning assumptions into reality. Growing up in the Philippines, my experience looked a little different. I was surrounded by many homosexual friends, and some of them are still among my very best friends today. We were fortunate that having a gay best friend was often viewed as “cool,” and I was blessed enough to have five (Isko, Ivan, Jerald, Harold, and Jepoy). All gay men, and honestly some of the most fun, loyal, and supportive friends who helped make my high school and college years absolutely unforgettable. Their friendships shaped many of my happiest memories. Your post also made me think about how experiences can vary drastically based on culture and environment. Interestingly, research on LGBTQ+ youth in youth development settings, including 4-H, found that inclusive environments and supportive adults play a significant role in helping youth feel a sense of belonging and safety (Rand & Paceley, 2021). How much do you think a young person's experience is shaped not only by policy or culture, but by simply having adults and communities intentionally create spaces where they feel accepted and valued?
ReplyDeleteReference:
Rand, J. J., Paceley, M. S., Fish, J. N., & Anderson, S. O. (2021). LGBTQ+ inclusion and support: An analysis of challenges and opportunities within 4-H. Journal of youth development: bridging research and practice, 16(4), 26.
Reference:
ReplyDeleteSills, D. (2024, March 6). Navigating LGBTQ+ Identities in Islamic Faith. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/transforming-perspectives/202403/navigating-lgbtq-identities-in-islamic-faith?msockid=32053bfa67ec64ac24f72e6766c16514
I thought your blog was really thoughtful because you connected your personal observations in Morocco with larger cultural and societal differences surrounding sexuality and relationships. I found it especially interesting that you pointed out the lack of PDA overall, not just among LGBTQ+ individuals, because it added an important cultural context instead of making assumptions right away. Your discussion about how religion and culture influence public attitudes helped explain why sexuality may be treated much more privately in Morocco compared to the United States.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciated how honest and personal your reflection was, especially when you talked about having an LGBTQ+ sibling and how that shaped your perspective. It made your blog feel genuine and showed that you were trying to balance empathy for Moroccan culture while also staying true to your own values about identity and self-expression.
Hey Jessica! I agree with your blog, and I thought it was really enlightening to read about the differences in cultural norms and expectations between America and Morocco. I think it goes beyond just expectations, religious beliefs, and unspoken social rules. There are also government regulations that shape how people act in public. For example, homosexuality is illegal under Morocco’s Penal Code, and several individuals have been arrested because of this law. Because of that, many homosexual individuals may feel afraid or hesitant to show affection in public. In contrast, America has more legal protections for homosexual couples, which allows LGBTQ couples to express affection more openly. However, even with those protections, violence and discrimination against LGBTQ individuals are still common because social attitudes have not fully changed. Comparing America and Morocco through these differences creates an interesting picture of culture and identity in both nations.
ReplyDeleteCole, 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/