As ever, just because a country has laws against homosexuality, it doesn't mean they are routinely enforced. *
The shocking case of Ray Cole and Jamal Wald Nass was an exception, not the rule.
* This is a widespread canard in both the gay and straight media.
Both from just yesterday; The Spread Of Gay Rights, The Economist - which implies you get stoned to death for being gay in some countries cause they haven't embraced neo-liberal globalisation.
And When In Rome, Think Of Gay People In Iran, Libby Purves, The Times.
No serious observer believes men get arrested, never mind executed, in Iran, just for being gay.
If this were true they must have the most incompetent police force since the Keystone Cops.
Posts
There were plenty of gay men who got away with it when homosexuality was illegal in this country. That doesn't mean that any of them were ever free of the fear of the law.
ReplyDeleteWriting about showing respect and being discrete has an undercurrent of it somehow being your fault if you are arrested, whereas you just have to be unlucky enough to encounter one homophobic or corrupt official. Turkey is a beautiful country where the people are friendly and homosexuality is legal. Go there.
I agree, with the above comments, I have travelled frequently in Morocco since the 1990's and have rarely encountered problems, but I do respect the people and country and customs...interest from local men is understood, if you are a single traveller..but it doesn't mean you have to respond to it ,, flirting is good and being appreciated as you get older is fine too,[ im not ancient ] as in England one becomes invisible with age ..to give some examples : A moroccan man recently told me, if you pick someone up in the street..on a dark night..you could meet with trouble anywhere in the world...and in a country of have and have nots......... though in contrast staying at same hotel over a few years in tangier. the hotel owners would ask "Why had I not found a husband yet ? and would ask semi seriously they would help me find one.... if I didnt make more effort.....
ReplyDelete