elska magazine #35 - CASABLANCA morocco

This edition was made in Casablanca, the largest city of Morocco. It's our second time in Africa, and our first in the Arab world. This is a destination unlike any we've tackled before, a place where conditions for LGBTQ persons can range from oppressive to downright dangerous. This is in spite of a lingering reputation for Morocco as a sort of hedonistic gay paradise, a reality that our experience has shown to be false, and one that perhaps never existed to begin with. The men we met spoke of a much different kind of reality; similarly the Elska produced here is a very different kind of Elska.

Instead of the typical portrait-led format of other Elska issues, here story takes the lead. Whilst in Casablanca we met around a dozen ordinary local men who love men. We hung out, we talked, we got to know each other, and then the conversations and moments we shared together are shared with you here. We also photographed some but not all of them, respecting their preferences, and we share the images we have with you as well.

It is worth noting that the print version of this issue is vastly richer than the corresponding e-version, which has been highly censored. Due to the risks associated with being outed in Morocco, we felt that it was best to keep many of the images only in the print form, and to limit the print issue to a relatively low quantity, considering that an e-version is much more easy to spread. We ask that any of you who order a copy of this book respect the position of these men who courageously took part in the issue by not reproducing and spreading this content in any way.

‘Elska Casablanca’ features eleven chapters, dedicated to the following local participants: Fouad H, Oussama B, Mohamad T, Redouane M, Indra H, Hamza I, Younes H, Alex S, Anas A, Nizar B, Fayçal B, and Youssef T

Details and Specs:

‘Elska Casablanca’ is 164 pages. The print version is 170mm x 240mm (approx 6.7 x 9.4 in), full colour, sewn-bound, offset-printed, and on 130gsm (90lb) internal matte paper and 280gsm (110lb) textured coated coverage paper with flaps. One random Elska Collectors' Postcard is inserted inside.