'No skirts allowed': Moroccan women fear for their rights after being banned from traveling due to skirt length on Blind Date show
Armani and the video's creators could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison on charges including “obscene acts and nudity'' and “inciting prostitution to minors.''
On social media, several Moroccan women launched the hashtag “miniskirts for everyone.” [Getty]
A young Moroccan woman has been banned from traveling after appearing on a blind date show wearing a short skirt. Many Moroccan women say they fear radioactive fallout.
“A regressive patriarchal and misogynistic ideology still thrives under the kingdom's sun,” noted Moroccan feminist Betty Rakgar commented in response to the incident.
The story began earlier this month when Moroccan YouTube channel Kawaliss released a 40-minute video titled “Blind Date by Clothes,” the first episode of a planned YouTube series inspired by the popular American show of the same name. It started when it was published.
While the concept of the video was certainly controversial to some Moroccans, the protagonist's wardrobe choices, namely her short skirt, were widely called a “scandal” by most viewers.
In response to the backlash, Armani, the star of the video, apologized on his TikTok account for the content of the video and his attire, saying, “I grew up in the Netherlands, not in Moroccan society, where short skirts are the norm.”
Despite the apology, the influencer, who boasts 500,000 followers, was banned from leaving the country on April 19 pending an ongoing police investigation “regarding the content of the video.”Armani did not respond new arabis seeking comment prior to publication.
Moroccan lawyer Hayat Mutawakkil said Armani and the video's creators could face up to 10 years in prison on charges including “obscene acts and nudity” and “inciting prostitution to minors.” That's what it means.
On social media, several Moroccan women posted faceless photos of themselves in short skirts or dresses with the hashtag “miniskirts for everyone.”
“Miniskirt and I have arrived safely in Marrakech. Please do not disturb us at the border,” a Moroccan user named Karam posted on X, mocking the travel ban on Armani.
Moroccan outlaws from the feminist movement supported the movement, stressing that “wearing short skirts is not a crime.”
The movement and many local NGOs advocate reforms to criminal and family laws, which are often criticized as patriarchal and outdated.
Morocco's penal code vaguely criminalizes “obscene acts” in public places and punishes sexual relations outside of marriage.
Meanwhile, Moroccan family law still allows for child marriage and unequal inheritance between men and women, and gives fathers full guardianship rights in the event of divorce.
Despite plans to introduce new, more progressive family rules this year, the recent skirt debacle has dampened hopes for a significant departure from the North African kingdom's current conservative norms.
