I can only feel sympathy and solidarity with Ray Cole and his partner Report, 17 October. It must have been a horrific and frightening experience. But as an openly gay man who has travelled more than 20 times to Morocco in the last decade often with my partner , it seems useful to make some things clear to other lesbian and gay travellers. However, the law is not imposed frequently. Most ordinary people are not hostile if you respect local customs discretion, not pursuing underage boys etc.
In addition, extreme Islamism is very rare in Morocco. This means that officials, including police, can act for personal motives β of power, money or religion β without much regard for legal niceties. I have mostly found warm and open acceptance from ordinary Moroccan people as a gay man. Indeed, sometimes I have been pleasantly surprised: such as when the Moroccan-owned riad where we stay upgraded us to the best suite of rooms for free, on hearing that we had just had a civil partnership.
So, I think the best advice is to be streetwise: bear in mind you are in a Muslim country where homosexuality is, at least in theory, illegal. Get to know the local people and their views some places are much more religious than others. In most cases, I believe that you will have a friendly and relaxed experience. Marrakesh, Morocco. Photograph: Alamy. This article is more than 10 years old. Reuse this content. More on this story.
Ray Cole: my time in a Moroccan jail for being gay was 'hell on earth' - video. Most viewed.
