Rabat – The United States Embassy in Morocco has taken to social media to celebrate pride month and express support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Every year, during the month of June, the LGBTQ+ community across the world celebrates pride month. The event intends to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ issues and fight for their rights.
The embassy posted a picture of bold colorful letters saying “Happy Pride Month,” with the caption: “Human rights are universal.”
“A person’s ability to exercise their human rights should never be limited based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression,” added the embassy, further explaining what pride month is and the purpose behind celebrating it.
Even though Morocco is a Muslim country where homosexuality is strictly forbidden, activists and organizations have made several attempts to normalize and decriminalize same-sex relations, as well as fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the country.
Read also: Moroccan LGBTQ+ Youth Respond to Homophobia
In January of this year, young Moroccan writer Fatima Zahra Amzkar launched her novel “Lesbian Diaries,” where she tackles the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community in Morocco through the eyes of the leading character “Tytyma.”
After receiving widespread backlash and criticism from Moroccans, the country’s Ministry of Culture announced that they have pulled the novel from Rabat’s International Book Fair 2022. The announcement came one day before the book fair started.
Pride month occurs during June to pay homage to the Stonewall riots, a series of riots by members of the LGBTQ+ community that took place at the end of June 1969 after police raided a gay club in New York City.
The riots ultimately triggered the gay rights movement as we know it today. In 1970, the first Pride parade was organized with the participation of hundreds of people.
The pride month celebrations and events are open to participation by members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as heterosexual people.
LGBTQ is an acronym meaning Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer. The term is sometimes extended to LGBTQIA to include intersex and asexual people.
