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Rabat- Moroccan society is known for its openness to the outside world and its adoption of many trends coming from the West. But when it comes to topics that are considered taboo, the overwhelming majority of Moroccans still hold conservative views.
According to a survey conducted by the TNS Foundation for Morocan magazine Telquel, 83 percent of Moroccans hold negative views regarding homosexuals.
The survey, which interviewed a sample of 1000 Moroccans aged 18 and up, revealed that 83% of Moroccans are against homosexuality, while 11% hold a favorable view of it.
The survey shows that the anit-homosexuality law in force in Morocco reflects the opinion of most Moroccans.
Under Article 489 of the Moroccan penal code, sexual acts between people of the same gender are punishable by between six months and three years in prison.
Last May, on the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia, a group of people called “ASWAT”, a group for sexual minorities, launched a campaign for the defense of gays and lesbians in Morocco.
The group, whose motto is “Love is not a crime”, called for the protection of the rights of same-sex couples in the kingdom. The group started a petition entitled “Say No to homophobia in Morocco” to demand the abolition of Article 489 of the Criminal Code, which criminalizes “licentious acts against nature with an individual of the same sex.”
Edited by Timothy Filla
