'Banned over a skirt': Moroccan women fear for their rights after travel ban for skirt length in blind dating show

A young Moroccan woman was banned from travelling due to her appearance on a blind dating show wearing a short skirt. Many Moroccan women say they are terrified of the fallout.

"Under the Kingdom's sun, retrograde patriarchal and misogynistic ideologies still thrive," commented Betty Lachgar, a renowned Moroccan feminist, in response to the incident.

The story began earlier this month when the Moroccan YouTube channel Kawaliss released a 40-minute video titled "Blind Dating By Outfit," the first episode of a planned YouTube series inspired by a popular American show of the same name.

The video's concept was certainly controversial for some Moroccans, yet the protagonist's wardrobe choice, namely her short skirt, was widely dubbed "scandalous" by most viewers.

In response to the backlash, Armani, the video's protagonist, apologised on her personal TikTok account for the video's content and attire, stating that she "did not grow up in Moroccan society, but in the Netherlands, where short skirts are normal."

Despite the apology, the influencer, who boasts half a million followers, was banned from leaving the country on April 19 pending an ongoing police investigation "into the content of the video." Armani did not respond to The New Arab's request for comment by the time of publication.

According to Moroccan lawyer Hayat Moutawakil, Armani and the video's creators could face up to ten years in jail for charges including "indecency and nudity" and "incitement of minors to prostitution."

On social media, several Moroccan women launched the hashtag "all in miniskirts," posting faceless pictures of themselves wearing short skirts and dresses.

"My miniskirt and I have landed safely in Marrakech. Please don't block us at the borders," posted a Moroccan user on X named Karam, mocking the travel ban against Armani.

Ma mini jupe est moi avons bien atterris à Marrakech. Svp ne nous bloquez pas aux frontières. pic.twitter.com/p8L1FTm3Wu

— Karam (@petitkaramel) April 19, 2024

The feminist movement Moroccan outlaws supported the campaign, emphasising that "wearing a short skirt is not a crime."

This movement and numerous local NGOs advocate for changes to the penal and family codes—two laws often criticised as patriarchal and outdated.

Morocco's penal code vaguely criminalises public acts of "indecency" and punishes sexual relationships outside of wedlock.

Meanwhile, Morocco's family code still permits child marriage and unequal inheritance between genders and grants complete guardianship to fathers in divorce cases.

Despite plans to introduce a new, more progressive family code this year, the recent skirt debacle has dampened hopes of any significant departures from the North African kingdom's current conservative norms.