Logo for canvasopedia.org
Logo TactisForChange
Dilemma Actions MapCase StudiesMethodsIndexAbout UsContact Us

Jun 1, 2015-2015

Morocco

In Gay We Trust in Morocco Naked Protest against Anti-LGBTQ+

Share

ACTIVISTS/ACT.GROUPS/DESCRIPTION OF THE GROUP

FEMEN

TARGET

Moroccan Government

WIDELY HELD BELIEF

LGBTQ+ rights should be protected.

CASE NARRATIVE

Issue and Opponent: In Morocco, homosexuality is condemned by Article 489 of the penal code which criminalizes “licentious acts against nature with an individual of the same sex.” Being lesbian or gay in Morocco means risking 6 months to 3 years of imprisonment. The conviction on May 22, 2015, of three homosexuals to 3 years in jail, was an example of a long series of cases where Morocco imprisons people for their homosexuality. Dilemma Action: In June 2015, two female FEMEN activists, posing topless with the slogan “‘IN GAY WE TRUST'” on their chests, kissed publicly in front of Hassan Tower in Rabat, where the tomb of King Mohammed V is located, protesting the anti-LGBTQ+ policies of the Moroccan government. Images shared on social media showed them embracing each other with their tops off in front of the Hassan Tower, a landmark minaret in the Moroccan capital. Outcome: Although security was not present at the time of the protest, the women, aged 25 and 30, were arrested by Moroccan authorities as they tried to return to France. The women were convicted on obscenity charges and sentenced to four months in prison, but their sentences were suspended on appeal. Both women were expelled and banned from the country because of provocative acts.

PRIMARY STRUGGLE/GOAL

Accountability / Corruption
Civil Rights and Equality

DA TACTICS USED

Protest disrobings

CASE NARRATIVE WRITER

SUCCESS METRICS

6 / 12

(EREP) Dilemma action got replicated by other movements

(MSYMP) Media coverage was sympathetic to the activists

(OR) Opponent response

(PS) Dilemma action built sympathy with the public

(REFR) Dilemma action reframed the narrative of the opponent

(SA) Dilemma action appealed to a broad segment of the public

PART OF A LARGER CAMPAIGN

0 / 3

RESOURCES

Project documentation

Dilemma Actions Coding Guidebook

Case study documentation

Dilemma_Actions_Analysis_Dataset

CC BY 4.0 Deed, Attribution 4.0 International

SOURCES

Femen. 2015. “In Gay We Trust in Morocco,” Retrieved July 23, 2023. (https://femen.org/in-gay-we-trust-in-morocco/).


Al Arabiya. 2015. “Two topless Femen protesters arrested in Morocco,” Retrieved July 23, 2023. (https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2015/06/02/Two-topless-femen-protesters-arrested-in-Morocco-).

Garner, Glenn. 2015. “Topless Pro-Gay Protesters Arrested in Morocco,” Out. Retrieved July 23, 2023. (https://www.out.com/news-opinion/2015/6/02/topless-pro-gay-protesters-arrested-morocco).

Related cases

Jun 14, 2010-2010

Russia

Russia Penis Graffitti

Issue and Opposition: The KGB earned its notoriety as the Soviet Union’s secret service agency during the Cold War because of its oppressive techniques against the dis...

Accountability / Corruption
Pro-Democracy
NONVIOLENT PROTEST A...

/

Paint as protest
Share

Read more

Dec 16, 2015-2015

Russia

Issue and Opposition: Residents of Barnaul in Siberia were tired of the incompetence and corrupt practices of the local politicians. They realized that the pattern of ...

Accountability / Corruption
Group Representation...

/

Mock elections

Apr 12, 2018-2018

India

Issue and Opposition: The Kaveri Water issue between the Indian states of Tamil Nadu (erstwhile the Madras Presidency) and Karnataka (erstwhile the Kingdom of Mysuru) ...

Accountability / Corruption
NONVIOLENT PROTEST A...

/

Displays of flags an...

Subscribe to our newsletters to get full access to all materials on our website.

Logo for canvasopedia.org
Logo TactisForChange
Dilemma Actions MapCase StudiesMethodsIndexAbout UsContact Us

© 2026 Tactics4 Change. All rights reserved. Read our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.