26/03/2009 / MOROCCO
Our association is
prohibited by Moroccan law on the grounds of sexual tendencies. So in Morocco we're
specifically working on subjects linked to sexuality - our aim is to increase
public awareness of the subject. Law 489 prevents us from doing more; it condemns homosexuality. It's a dangerous law that was put in place by France. We're
demanding it be revised. The law has no right to interfere with what people get
up to in bed.
Morocco’s gays come out of the shadows
Going against the advice of the authorities, a Moroccan association is organising a conference on homosexuality in Marrakesh.
Moroccan society might be on the move, but the government is finding it hard to follow. In February a French feminist NGO called Ni Putes Ni Soumises (Neither Whores Nor Submissive) was banned from setting up a branch in the country, causing outrage amongst activists. Today, it's a homosexual association that's in trouble. Members of "Kifkif" (which literally means "same same" in both Arabic and in French slang), are attempting to get homosexuality recognised in Moroccan society. The organisation, based in Spain, is planning a conference in Marrakesh on April 15. In response, the minister of the interior has sworn to fight all acts which "aim to undermine our religious and moral values", adding that the authorities and the police will be on watch to repress any "demonstration of an immoral nature".
Kifkif however plans to go ahead with the conference... even if it has to take place behind closed doors.
UPDATE (27 March 09 - 4pm Paris time): The Kifkif website has been hacked. The homepage has been replaced by verses from the Koran, accompanied with a photo of a mass hanging. The message in Arabic: "Do this kind of thing and expect to be castigated by god".
Contributors
"The law has no right to interfere in what people get up to in bed"
Samir Barkachi is a member of the Kifkif association.
Our association is
prohibited by Moroccan law on the grounds of sexual tendencies. So in Morocco we're
specifically working on subjects linked to sexuality - our aim is to increase
public awareness of the subject. Law 489 prevents us from doing more; it condemns homosexuality. It's a dangerous law that was put in place by France. We're
demanding it be revised. The law has no right to interfere with what people get
up to in bed.
We currently have 50 active members of Kifkif in Morocco and 500 abroad. In Morocco, even tolerant people don't like the idea of being involved with a gay association. Our Marrakesh meeting on April 15 aims to change this pejorative attitude towards homosexuality. It's a small meeting but we aim to make ourselves heard. We're going to talk about sex - in Morocco there's no sex education.
The choice of city comes down to accessibility - there's an international airport in Marrakesh. For now the location of the meeting has to be kept secret for security reasons. All I can say is that it will be in a private residence.
It's not Islam that's the problem. Islam is a very tolerant religion. I'm a believer and there are many gay Muslims in Morocco. Even some religious figures are gay. Personally, I ask myself how god, who made me gay, could punish me for what he himself gave me. I didn't choose to be gay."
Kifkif behind the anti-gay marriage riots in 2007
When Moroccans rioted over the video of a gay couple who pretended to get married in December 2007, Kifkif protested the movement.
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Sodomites
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 30/03/2009 - 01:05.I personally prefer the biblical term sodomites, [deleted].
Unregistered user
For your the exact term is
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 15/04/2009 - 11:13.For your the exact term is HOMOPHOBIC http://atheisme.free.fr/Atheism.htm
Unregistered user
Well, the Old Testament says
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 30/03/2009 - 10:03.Well, the Old Testament says that the sin of Sodom was "inhosptality to the angels of the Lord". It never mentions the word homosexual. Ignorant readers of the text have turned their own bigotry into that story (and no intelligent, educated person really believes it actually happened anyway).
The majority of people with AIDS are heteros so what does that say about your Allah? How can anyone in this day and age still believe in a god of such anger, vengeance, hatred, cruelty and pettiness?
Maybe backwardness is your Allah's punishment on all Muslim countries since there is no Muslim country that can come close to the Christian nations - the most advanced in the world along with the Buddhist/Taoist etc. Japan, non-Muslim Korea and the Jewish Israel etc. Your god must like all those others a lot more than Muslims. Just your kind of rationality.
Open your dusty mind, let fresh ideas blow through and throw off the shackles of your old fashioned, out-dated religion which fears the light of question and investigation. Truth never fears questions or investigation, but welcomes it. If something is true it will be even stronger after being tested. So test Islam, unless you fear what you'll come up with.
Now, if homosexuals thought like Muslims they'd be burning mosques and staging angry marches in the streets to protest the bigotry, ignorance and oppression of Islamic countries against them. Ignorance about homosexuality in this day and age is unforgivable. It is known and accepted as a scientific fact - homosexuals are born, not made. So how can you persecute someone for the way they were born (your Allah must have ordained it, no?). It's the same as discriminating against people because of their skin color. And don't forget there are people who think Arabic people are genetically inferior and substandard humans - would that justify them persecuting and oppressing Arabs? I doubt you'd agree, so be fair toward others and make the world a kinder and happier place.
It's one thing to discriminate against people for what they choose to believe and quite another to persecute people for who and what they ARE. But being tolerant of peoples beliefs, however silly we may think they are, is what will make the world a peaceful and better place to live. Bigotry causes so much war and suffering.
Unregistered user
Please stop using religion
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 30/03/2009 - 04:11.Please stop using religion as a basis for your reasons; of course, religion is a beautiful expression of faith, but it is not there to be used to promote hate.
Being gay is as natural as being left-handed, black, short, or tall; something that is out of one's control. Too much hate is promoted because of a single-sided view that neither yields solution nor compromise.
By the way, AIDS affects everyone! It is a dreadful disease and using it as a "punishment" from what-ever one believes in is discriminatory and hateful. What about the children with AIDS? They are innocent. What about people who had blood transfusion? They were unaware. What about the millions of people dying of the AIDS in Africa(and the world)?
Unregistered user
Outrage at ignorance
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 29/03/2009 - 06:09.Words take on new meaning over time. To say that gay means "happy" would imply that language is static; however, language is not static, it is constantly changing and evolving: for example, latin into français, español, italian, etc...etc. Also, to state that homosexuality is against nature is too simple an argument because you lack considerable empirical evidence to support your claim. But I'd like to help out: Homosexual behavior has been documented in 1500 of the estimated 3-30 million extant species of animals on our planet, and it has been well documented in about 500 of the 1500 (Bruce Bagemihl, Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity). And, just because I want to point it out: of the 3-30 million extant species, only one practices an organized approach to spirituality - e.g. Religion - a rather un-natural departure from what is normal, or as you state, "an aberration". . Furthermore, the primary purpose of sex is not as you state, "to beget children", but rather, pleasure. However, occasionally, sexual activity resulting in the exchange of genetic information and the successful fertilization of the female gamete will occasionally result in an offspring. Additionally, 3 percent of an estimated 4,000 mammal species mate for life, and Homo sapiens do not constitute any part of the 3 percent of monogamous species (David P. Barash and Judith Eve Lipton; W. H. Freeman, Myth of Monogamy: Fidelity and Infedility in Animals and People). Lastly, the spread of HIV is not a simple 2 sided issue; I believe that the human tendency of polygamy along with additional factors beyond the continuum of sexuality have lead to the rapid spread of HIV, and factors such as drug use, accidental exposure, lack of honesty, etc...etc. have all contributed to the current HIV/AIDS epidemic, but alas, the biggest factor is perhaps ignorance. On that note: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Use a little next time before you express such an ignorant, malformed and unsubstantiated opinion
Unregistered user
In Response to Barkachi
Submitted by David Nawab (not verified) on Fri, 27/03/2009 - 15:35.I live in the west and the way freedom of expression and religion is interpreted here is much different then the way it is practiced in Morocco.The laws of the land are laws that can be ammended and changed to better suite people of all origins. However, even as we head to 2010 there is a great deal of animosity towards anyone who practices homosexuality. Most people feel its wrong because it doesn't go by the natural order of life and love between men and women and giving birth to a new generation of children.
I am a practicing Muslim and I have friends who are gay. Even during the time of the prophet there was a group who forinacated with the same sex, but the approach to address this was different then the appraoch taken today. There was constant mention of patience or what Islam teaches, sabir, Which literally means patience but doing it to please GOD. In other words every action is for the sake of pleasing GOD and attaining the peace between your spiritual and physical being. Leaving behind this mundane world and its attachments and living a humbled life.
Another approach was education. By talking to men about sex and their role in society, the prophet conveyed this message to teach men to respect women and not to engage in sex like an animal. Moreover to maintian your patience or sabir, and to approach it with the utmost respect. Women and Men have changed within their respected roles in society worldwide. I think we need to understand that education is imperative and so is freedom of expression, but moreover how can we teach the youth to be individuals who uphold the greatest value of morale character and understanding of how he/she can make this world a better place, but by beginning with himself/herself.
Thank you.
Unregistered user
homosexuality in Morocco
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 28/03/2009 - 01:20.Lets be honest, The prophet peace be upon him said, whomever engage in the act of the people of sodom and gomora, kill him. Islam's position about these demonic acts are clear. The west wants muslim countries to change their values so that invading them would be easier.
Unregistered user
The prophet was a pedophil
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 15/04/2009 - 11:15.The prophet was a pedophil because he had sex with a little girl 9 years old called Aicha .
Unregistered user
Homosexualty
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 30/03/2009 - 19:02.The whole point is that but, most of the people don't understand, don't know.
Unregistered user
the truth about homosexuality in any country
Submitted by Coxygru (not verified) on Sat, 28/03/2009 - 17:09.Let's be honest. You just advocated murder, genocide, even.
Let's be more honest still: the Koran and the Bible actually do advocate stoning for a number of sexual "sins" including adultery.
Let's be even more honest: these religious texts demonizing the most natural aspects of human sexuality were cultural codes of ancient societies that were ignorant of human sexuality. They were composed hundreds and thousands of years ago. Therefore, homosexual acts and people existed back and before then, they still exist today, and will always exit - because it's NATURAL.
Let's be brutally honest: you blindly accept two very stupid pieces of propaganda. As a result, you sound like you ignore basic human nature, international politics, and psychology.
But to get back to the first point, THINK before you advocate murder and genocide, or be ready for people to call you a murderer and/or an idiot.
Homosexuals are never going to go away – even if you stone a few hundred thousand of us. So you'll just have to learn tolerance. You'll also have to learn to respect us as fellow humans of the same worth as you.
We homosexuals will no longer be treated as inferiors or sinners. Demonizing us must end!
We are your brothers, sisters, children, fathers, mothers, cousins, neighbors, and for thousands generations we have served you in your temples, mosques, and churches. We are not going away because we very simple cannot. We exist in all societies, all strata, all nations, all times.
We demand the same rights and joys and responsibilities as you enjoy as citizens. We will overcome the oppression that people like you wish to inflict on your very own children because of blind acceptance of values grounded in ignorance.
Unregistered user
BRAVO! I'm with you! Never
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 30/03/2009 - 04:35.BRAVO!
I'm with you! Never let a chance slip by to confront this type of intolerance!
Unregistered user
Homosexuality in Morocco
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 29/03/2009 - 00:34.For the last two decades Morocco has experienced some of its greatest moral setbacks. There is a clear foreign element fueling a trend of contradictions and blind following of western values.
Morocco remained a muslim country for nearly 14 centuries. despite the challenges, its Islamic identity stood strong. This is a miracle considering its geographic proximity to southern Europe. Even more miraculous, is that an increasing number of youth, realized that embracing western values is no longer an option.
It is an extraordinary moment in history, where muslims are faced with yet another wave of western ideological attacks.
Unregistered user
please do your research
Submitted by kifkif (not verified) on Thu, 26/03/2009 - 23:42.kifkif in moroccan is literally likelike and is used to say that two things are alike.
Unregistered user
Agree. Kif Kif means same
Submitted by me (not verified) on Sat, 28/03/2009 - 16:37.Agree. Kif Kif means same same not love love !!! Also, the gay wedding situation was meant to be provocative, and contrary to what the video is saying. If it was truly a peaceful private ceremony, they shouldn't have taken it to the streets and get get people scratching their heads...What do you expect? Even here in the U.S, a gay couple would think twice before advertising their private lifestyle in certain places.
Unregistered user
Gay people should think twice???
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 29/03/2009 - 06:36."Even here in the U.S, a gay couple would think twice before advertising their private lifestyle in certain places."
If my "private lifestyle" is a gloss for being gay, then thinking twice about advertising my "private lifestyle" in certain places implies that I would have something to be ashamed of. There is no shame in being gay - not in LA, New York, Washington DC, Laredo TX, Minneapolis, Laramie, Small town Maine nor on Main Street USA.
I'm gay everyday - where ever I may be, and I have been all over the world. I may be the recipient of an occasional sneer or word, but violence?
Lack of respect for personal freedom is the issue. Let the rioters have their say, but in words only, not in violent action against another person, nor their property.
Unregistered user
kifkif
Submitted by mary (not verified) on Sun, 29/03/2009 - 06:10.if there is gay in our country they have to keep it for them self not in front ogf everybody we are muslim and we have to respect our relgion [deleted]
Unregistered user
LA, New York, Washington DC,
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 29/03/2009 - 14:35.LA, New York, Washington DC, Laredo TX, Minneapolis, Laramie, Small town Maine nor on Main Street USA.
this is ksar kbir a conservative and verry small city of a population of 20 000 people, and it's not casablanca or marrakech.
imagine doing a weding on the street in the most conservative city in utah.
that ll be interessting to see.
im glade we don't have guns in morocco.
Unregistered user
this video's real message
Submitted by Gaydar (not verified) on Sun, 29/03/2009 - 14:32.Rest assure there *are* gays in your country. Even in your family. Maybe you...
This video looks fake to me. My radar (or "gaydar," if you prefer) doesn't detect more than 1 real gay person. Everything seems so staged. It's as if the real message is the end message, "Gays are all cross-dressing perverts who deserve mob-attacks and beatings." That is such a ridiculous stereotype.
When a group of people feel scared or uncertain, witch hunts provide comfort, oddly enough. That's what this video and your comment seem to express: fear and uncertainty.
Relax, it's just human nature, and you're just fine. You'll be just fine... Even with gay people *ALL* around you. Yikes! (Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.)
Unregistered user
kifkif
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 29/03/2009 - 14:19.Islam does not allow morale decadence. [deleted] all they have to do is join their masters in the west. There they will feel right at home, to marry, to enjoy full marital status, and even adapt children. In Morocco, they can rest assured that our constitution is the Koran and the prophets teachings. We will never trade Islam for economic assistance or any other foreign illusions such as "human rights".
When Sharia was implemented [deleted] Allah's willing, Justice will be restored with the re-establishment of Islam. So organize as much as you wish, your wild west days are numbered.
Muslims should unite their efforts whether through the media or otherwise to bring an end to this [deleted].
There is no negotiation with the enemies of Allah, Either repent or suffer the consequences.
Unregistered user
I bet you're a 17 year old who's afraid he might be homosexual
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 30/03/2009 - 04:33."...all they have to do is join their masters in the west."
I welcome them.
"...and even adapt children."
Your level of fear and misunderstanding is comical.
"We will never trade Islam for..."human rights".
I'd like for you to think on what you wrote here. Your level of delusion is probably so great you can't see what's staring you in the face.
"So organize as much as you wish, your wild west days are numbered."
More threats of violence from Muslims. Religion of peace, right?
"There is no negotiation with the enemies of Allah, Either repent or suffer the consequences."
Allah doesn't exist, religion is a fairy tale made in a time of a lack of understanding of the natural world in an effort to consolidate power among those who wish to have power, and is perpetuated by fear, especially in the case of Islam.
Unregistered user
Gays need help
Submitted by Jerry Shaaz (not verified) on Sun, 29/03/2009 - 14:15.[deleted] In the first place i mighty have wanted to know their origins.[deleted]
Unregistered user