Ever since I was a little girl, I knew there was difference between the world in my own mind and the world outside.
I would sit at home watching foreign shows and movies, read about topics that made think and experienced a world way beyond my reach. Then, I would get up and experience another world, a world where I would get harassed as soon as walked down the street, a world where men are much more free than women, a world where I was afraid all the time.
This is me, I won't show you the picture of the men who harass women like me, mainly because they look very normal:
It's not about religion, it's about education.
Religion isn't what's making women feel small and attacked, it is these men and women's education. Who's to blame? If you are born in a family where catcalling and sexual harassment are not as offensive as, say, skipping a prayer, then is it really your fault that you don't think twice about your actions?
Yes, absolutely!
How is it that some parts of Morocco are safe for women and others make us feel like sluts for wearing jeans and not wearing a scarf?
It's not JUST education, it's also social norms.
Many things in Morocco are considered taboo and offensive when many worse things are considered "okay". Example: A women smoking a cigarette is a "no no" and a man drinking alcohol and having pre-marital sex is considered... hmm... Okay. while the first is neither illegal or forbidden by religion, the second fits these two boxes! OUTRAGEOUS!
If we are condemning in the name of religion and law, then why the double standards?
This doesn't sound like religion, but rather some form of suppressive male dominated cult state.
Religion is something different and unique for each individual.
True. Most people link this type of behavior with Islam when it's much deeper than that and starts from a very young age where a good example and influence is nowhere to be found!
As Hitchens once said; religion poisons everything
Cg
I live in Morocco and am a man! What I can tell you is that Morocco suffers from a deep issue of culture! I am not making an excuse for men who treat women this way (which is a very accurate description @macritique) but rather showing that our population suffers from mental health issues.
Growing up multi-cultured, I have to guess that the reason for such disgusting behavior is rooted in a deep insecurity of the Moroccan man having no clue who he really is