Morocco's Transgender Dancer Courts Acceptance

By PAUL SCHEMM, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle: World
Mon, 12/22/2014 - 1:21am

CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — It was a slow night on the red carpet at the opening of the Marrakech film festival for the photographers and everyone was complaining over the lack of celebrities. Darling of the jet set and a fixture for any society party or hotel opening, Noor's statuesque six feet frame was clothed in a spangled, off-the-shoulder ballgown slit up the side to reveal her long legs. Cross-dressing is also often found in the entertainment world and in Turkey one of the most famous singers of classical music was also once a man. "Gender non-conformity is entertaining and confusing as long as it's safely confined to a stage or TV screen, not something you meet on the street," warned Scott Long, a rights activist with long experience in the Middle East. When Noor arrived for her interview with The Associated Press, she glided into the lobby of the Sofitel in Casablanca dressed in a form-fitting black jacket and pants with heeled boots that set her well above everyone else in the room. Noor admits that as she breaks taboos, wows audiences and endures obstinate government officials, the struggle is hard and she yearns for that final official acceptance. [...] her words quickened and her eyes flashed in annoyance as she described her humiliation when bureaucrats — or police officers — comment on the disjuncture between what is written on her ID and her appearance.

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Topics:  morocco ap     it   marrakech   darling   cross-dressing   turkey   gender   tv   scott long   middle   east   when noor   the associated press   sofitel   casablanca   casablanca   noor   id   acceptance   opening   set   

 

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