Watered-Down Feminism: An Examination of Gender and Revolutionary Ideals in Morocco

Abstract

In the evolution of the February 20th Movement in Morocco, the group’s organizers developed a framework for gender parity that now pervades the Movement’s network. Gender parity is a new concept in Moroccan political activism. This chapter will underline the significance of gender parity in Moroccan political activism and outline how the February 20th Movement has institutionalized gender parity, signaling the importance of feminist ideals in shaping the political thinking of young Moroccan activists. As the February 20th Movement evolved, however, gender parity became accepted and submerged as the Movement migrated toward elevating broader human rights over gender equality alone. In turn, this more generalized approach occurred as the Movement was divorced from al-Adl wal-Ihsan and women’s rights NGOs. This trajectory can be compared to the evolution of American second- and third-wave feminism in the 1990s. The Movement’s position in a country in which culturally conservative forces dominate and its loss of momentum since the highpoint of Morocco’s “Arab Spring” can lead to questions about the significance of the Movement’s institutionalization of gender parity. However, I believe the social texture of the movement harbors developments that will play important roles in Morocco’s near future.