Morocco – news.lgbti.org

Lesbian Life In Morocco: Lonely and Fearful

“To live happily, live hidden.” This tends to be the slogan of the LGBTI community in Morocco. This is oneof the most liberal Muslim countries, but under the law, committing unnatural acts with the same sex is punishable. The prison terms can range from 6 months to 3 years. Todate, no lesbian has been imprisoned. Algeria and Tunisia have similar bans.

Affection in Public, but No Relationship

Affection between women is common. Girls link arms and stroll hand-in-hand. They even sit and cuddle. However, a lesbian relationship has to be secret or carried out in another country. Some lesbians are fortunate to study abroad. For straight and lesbian women marriage or escape overseas tends to be the most common way to leave the family home. Like in parts of China, the LGBTI community often has ‘arranged’ marriages.

Lonely and Fearful

The internet allows lesbians to reach gay forums world-wide; one of which is LGBT Maroc. Some of the comments and questions are sad such as “How do I become heterosexual?” There is also another internet site/forum called Lesbiennes du Maroc.

Perhaps more significantly, the government unofficially tolerates Kif-Kif, the only organization advocating for LGBT rights in Morocco. Kif-Kif’s main office sits across the border in Madrid, and its visibility is limited to low-profile conferences and Mithly, a new publication, distributed quietly, that features LGBT voices. Established six years ago, Kif-Kif has sought unsuccessfully to become a legal association in Morocco.

To our Moroccan Lesbian Sisters:

Be careful but do find love with another woman.

Paula, 2018, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com

Does Islam Support the Burning of Homosexuals?

I read that a 2015 Moroccan magazine cover asked the question “Should homosexuals be burned?”

Is burning considered as a means of execution in 2015?

Here is the answer from a Question and Answer Islamic site: islamqa.info/en/38622

Below is the question asked on this website.

What is the punishment for homosexuality? Is there any differentiation between the one who does it and the one to whom it is done?.

Here is the answer from the site (not the entire article as it contained scholars meetings over the years on this topic.

The crime of homosexuality is one of the greatest of crimes, the worst of sins and the most abhorrent of deeds, and Allaah punished those who did it in a way that He did not punish other nations. It is indicative of violation of the fitrah, total misguidance, weak intellect and lack of religious commitment, and it is a sign of doom and deprivation of the mercy of Allaah. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound.

Are There Exceptions to Execution? (My question)

Here is the answer from the Site

1 – There is no hadd punishment if the one who has been sodomized is forced into it, such as if the one who did it overpowered him or threatened him with death or beating and the like. End quote.

2 – If the one to whom it was done is a minor and has not reached the age of puberty. There is no hadd punishment in this case, but he should be disciplined and punished in a way that will deter him from committing this crime, as stated above in the quotation from Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah.

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) narrated in al-Mughni (9/62) that there is no difference of opinion among the scholars concerning the fact that the hadd punishment should not be carried out on one who is insane or a boy who has not yet reached the age of puberty.

And Allaah knows best.

End of Article.

My comment:

Unknown-6paula: I cannot see Allaah as a God of such hatred towards his creation. Like so many religions that were founded long ago, there is no room for scientific thought. World-wide bodies of psychologists and psychiatrists are in total agreement that homosexuality is a born orientation.

They state that homosexuality is NOT a disease, mental problem or perversion (as stated in the Quran and the Old Testament). Furthermore, they state that homosexuality CANNOT be reversed and therefore, it is NOT a choice.

Would a God punish people born homosexuality. It is my opinion that He/She would not. It is my opinion, as I read this site that the emphasis is on DEATH and ways of executing and NOT on LOVE. It is on judging people born homosexual. Has it never occurred to these bigots that homosexuality has been in existence since the dawn of civilization? Are they blind to the fact that homosexuality is in EVERY country? My God is a God of love.

Paula, 2015, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com

Moroccan Magazine Cover: Should Gays Be Burned?

A magazine cover which asked “should gay people be burned” has been withdrawn. In view of the United Nations Charter of Rights and Freedoms – NO religion or culture has the right to take away basic human rights and these include sexual orientation. Extreme and hateful religious fanatics are portraying God as a God of wrath – instead of a God of love. These bigots use ancient texts and avoid scientific data. Paula.

A Magazine That Should Face a Law Suit?

The cover of Maroc Hebdo posed the question in response to the Moroccan Ministry of Health’s call for homosexuality to be decriminalised.

It also asked “What about moral and religious values?”

Within the magazine, which has now been withdrawn from sale, there were three articles – one which outline the situation for gay people in Morocco, an interview with pro-gay activist Abdellah Taia, and a piece by staff writer Mustapha Sehimi.

Staff Writer is Ignorant of Scientific Data

Sehimi writes: “Today, more than 70 states forbid homosexuality. In around ten of them, the sentence gay people risk death penalty.

“There is a public moral to preserve… religious values too… There is still a lot to do to strenghten human rights in Morocco so we don’t have to be misled into some dubious fight for such a marginal purpose as decriminalization of homosexuality.”

After the cover was published, many took to social media to point out that the photograph of two men featured on the magazine’s cover was actually taken at a gay-friendly hotel in Cancun.

Others simply took to Facebook to ask questions like: “Are you stupid”, and “Your covers are the worst.”

Others tweeted their distaste at the cover, calling it “criminal”, “irresponsible” and “shameful”.

In a statement Maroc Hebdo said: “Given the particularly strong reactions through social media, Morocco Hebdo decided to withdraw this issue from sale and its sites on the internet.

“It presents at the same time its apologies to all readers who were offended by this theme and it stresses it has no other requirement other than to continue to work for the expansion of a national debate on… the shape of society.”

Paula: What is there to debate? Human rights should trump any religion. The debate, since it will continue, should present the findings of most psychological and psychiatric associations world-wide. They write that homosexuality is not a disease, mental condition or PERVERSION (as stated by right wing religious zealots). They also state that homosexuality CANNOT be changed, therefore, it is NOT a choice.

If religions are to raise the soul towards heaven why do they persecute someone who is born a homosexual. This is NOT God-like. This is not loving God’s creation.

Paula, 2015, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com