Sexuality in North Africa: Pronouns, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and More
If you ever felt confused or overwhelmed by sexuality or gender identity, you’re not alone! Sexuality is a spectrum that could be hard to confine into terms, so it is completely normal for us to feel at times overwhelmed by its complexity! The purpose of this article is to guide you through the process and explain the different terms used in the LGBTQ+ community.
What do we mean by LGBTQ+?
LGBTQ+ is derived from LGBTQQIAAPPO2S and stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Ally, Asexual, Pansexual, Polyamory, Omnisexual, and Two-Spirit. That’s a heck of a lot of words, but we will go through each of these so you can better understand what they mean.
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Here is a list of the definitions of terms most commonly used by LGBTQ+ individuals:
Straight
This term represents people who are conventionally attracted to the other gender/sex. The majority of humans identify as straight. Straight is also used to signify people who are not part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Lesbian
The first letter in the acronym LGBTQ+, L, represents Lesbian and is used when a woman-identifying individual is attracted to other women. If this sounds like you, then this term could apply to you.
Gay
Perhaps the most used word by people in and outside the LGBTQ+ community. It was originally used to represent male homosexuals, but is now used on anyone who is attracted to the same gender. If you’re a male person attracted to other males, this term could define you.
Bisexual
This term merges the two words Gay and Straight together; it is when an individual is attracted both to men and women. If you find yourself similarly attracted to women as you are to men, this term could represent you.
Transgender
This term refers to people whose gender doesn’t align with their sex assigned at birth. It is a gender identity where one goes beyond the traditionally conceived gender through their gender and birth. If this sounds like you, you may resonate with this term. Learn more about gender & transsexuality here.
Questioning
This term refers to people who are not quite sure of what they are attracted to yet. Questioning doesn’t necessarily mean that the person is queer, but is taking time to figure out their sexuality, and we should all respect them and support them during that process.
Intersex
Intersex signifies people who are born with biological attributes of both male and female individuals. These attributes come in various forms ranging from chromosomal to genital. If you resonate most with this term, you may be intersex.
Ally
This term refers to individuals who aren’t part of the LGBTQ+ community but are supportive of individuals who are. An ally is synonymous with straight. Everyone who isn’t queer should be an ally!
Asexual
Asexual individuals are those who aren’t sexually attracted to any gender. Asexuality can come in a variety of forms and is the umbrella term for people who don’t get sexually aroused. If this sounds like you, this term may resonate with you.
Pansexual
A relatively new term, pansexual refers to individuals who are attracted to anyone, beyond the gender or sexual constraints. Individuals who are pansexual aren’t attracted to a person by their gender, but the person as a whole.
Polyamory
This term refers to people who have more than one partner or are open to having multiple individuals as their partners. Polyamorous individuals aren’t exclusively attached to one person or feel they need to be. Polyamory concretizes when all parties are involved.
Omnisexual
Interchangeably used with the term “pansexual”, omnisexual individuals are also attracted to individuals beyond the confines of their gender or sexuality, however, this comes with a twist. While pansexual people like the person for just who they are without noticing their gender, omnisexual individuals recognize the gender of their partner.
Two-sprit
Originating from Native American culture, two-spirit people are neither men nor women, but are considered a “third gender”. They include male, female, and sometimes ever intersex individuals who occupy the role of both men and women in their communities.
Remember, sexuality is a complex phenomenon, and you may not find yourself particularly represented through either of these words, and that’s okay! While these labels were created to help us better understand our human nature, many people feel represented by them. Regardless of whether or not individuals around you use these terms, it is important to respect their sexual identity and affiliations.
What are the differences between the terms sex, gender, pronouns, and sexuality?
Many straight, and at times people in the LGBTQ+ community, confuse the terms sex, gender, and sexuality.
Sex is what we are assigned to at birth. It is not to be confused with “having sex”, or sexual intercourse. Our sex could be male, female, or intersex, and is generally linked to our reproductive organs and genitalia. Sex is purely biological, and is not influenced by social perception or societal norms.
Gender, on the other hand, is the direct result of societal norms. In Morocco, there is the term “Rajl”, or “راجل” to praise a male who is strong, responsible, and sensible. Similarly, the term “Mra”, or “امرا” exists to designate a female who is characterized by strength and resilience. Regardless of the country of origin, gender is a social construct; it is a formulation of what is deemed masculine or feminine. In Morocco, gender is confined to either man or woman, but for other cultures, there could be more than that, such as a third gender for Native Americans. Gender has no connection with what an individual is attracted to, but rather what they resonate most within their social setting.
As for pronouns, they are an extension of gender. They are used to refer to people’s gender affiliation and are directly linked to it. For cis individuals, these pronouns are likely the traditional he/him or she/her pronouns, while for transgender individuals other non-traditional pronouns may be used like they/them, xe/xem, it, etc.
Sexuality is what we refer to as our sexual attraction. As explained above, sexuality can be concretized into various terms that are used to make our sexual attractions a little easier to understand and explain to others. While sexuality can be complex, it is completely normal not to feel represented by either of the terms. If this sounds like you, remember to take your time and be gentle to yourself.
Identifying as LGBTQ+ in the North African region
North Africa is a hotspot for homophobic and transphobic rhetoric. Many people attribute homosexuality as an import from the West. Still, often, these anti-gay sentiments originate from Colonial-era sodomy laws that prohibited homosexuality and other forms of sexual activity deemed immoral, including anal and/or oral intercourse. These sodomy laws are of no Muslim nature and were made to uphold Christian nature and the conceived moral values at the time. Before colonialism, there is documentation that showcases how society shallowly accepted the LGBTQ+ community.
In the case of Morocco, this example is epitomized in articles 489 and 490 of the Family Code (مدونة الأسرة) that prohibit extramarital and “lewd and unnatural acts”, notably between two people of the same sex. On top of these laws, many individuals in Morocco experience harassment and physical abuse. Unfortunately, these individuals aren’t only unprotected from these attacks but are also exploited by the local police.
While the origins of homophobia in North Africa are mainly of colonial origin, the contemporary context and geopolitical landscape of North Africa are of critical importance to understanding the causes of modern-day homophobia in the region. Research shows that homophobia is negatively associated with the level of education. Currently, Morocco ranks 148th out of 218 nations in total in the Insider Monkey Global Education Index for 2024, which helps explain the low tolerance for the LGBTQ+ community. However, as Saudi Arabia enjoys 16th place in the same ranking, education alone cannot precisely pinpoint the exact causes for homophobic rhetoric in the region. What’s more is the differences in political landscapes between Morocco and Saudi Arabia, a country much more politically restrictive.
Is homosexuality a choice?
Homosexuality is about finding people of the same sex attractive. This could be sexual, romantic, or both sexual and romantic. As we cannot dictate our attractions to others even if we want to, sexuality is NOT a choice. Choosing who we are attracted to comes from deep within, and is a topic that still puzzles researchers today.
Unfortunately, it is because of this simple fact that many people who aren’t queer find it hard to empathize with people in the LGBTQ+ community, which leads to confusion and misunderstandings.
Many people are in the process of figuring out their sexuality. While often sexuality comes as painfully obvious to many, others don’t discover they are queer until later in life, when they find themselves attracted to someone they didn’t anticipate. Remember to give yourself and your body time to understand this complex relationship. In North Africa, this process could be lonely, but there are always resources abroad that one can use.
Did the West invent being queer?
With democracies all around the world, notably Europe and North America, becoming more tolerant toward queer individuals, many people in North Africa associate homosexuality with Western countries. This is not the case. With homosexuality having been documented all around the world for centuries, homosexuality is not the product of Western ideology but is a phenomenon that has accompanied the human race probably since our conception.
While current polls and surveys suggest different numbers and percentages of the LGBTQ+ population in different countries, these numbers do not necessarily reflect the number of queer people prevalent in those areas. In fact, these numbers are tightly linked to the level of tolerance for the queer community. This is why numbers are lower in countries that have rampant homophobic rhetoric, as opposed to others that don’t. In understanding these polls, it is imperative to look at them as “percentages of queer-identifying individuals,” rather than “percentages of queer individuals.”
In the Philippines and the United States, for instance, the percentage of individuals identifying as queer stood at 11% between April 2023 and March 2024, according to Statista Consumer Insights. Thailand follows suit, with 10% of individuals in the country identifying as LGBTQ+. On the other end, South Korea and Romania are some countries with the least queer-identifying individuals. This shouldn’t come as surprising as these countries both exhibit intolerance toward the LGBTQ+ community.
Religion isn’t the (sole) reason why homophobia exists in North Africa
Religion surely plays a role in how people perceive the LGBTQ+ community, but not in the way you think. Religion is used to justify inherent prejudice toward queer people, often due to a lack of knowledge of who they are or what they do. While Islam is largely prevalent in North Africa, many individuals both inside and outside of this region mistakenly attribute the lack of tolerance of the LGBTQ+ in this region to simply religion. As explained throughout this article, this is most likely not the case.
It is well documented that Muslim countries in the past have shown shallow acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals, despite the presence of Islam.
Moroccan Queer Organizations
There exists a handful of organizations that fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Morocco. These organizations include:
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