The French language, gender, and the discursive construction of sexuality in Morocco

Abstract

Abstract This study looks at the evolution of the discourse of sexuality in the Moroccan women’s magazine Femmes Du Maroc [Women of Morocco] from 1997 to 2014 (Femmes du Maroc 1997–2014), specifically how sexuality is discursively constructed by Moroccans and how this discourse has changed over time. The results show that sexual topics have become more visible on the covers of the magazine and that women’s sexual language has shifted from a timid, euphemistic discourse around the medical aspects of sex to a more assertive expression of women’s sexuality emphasizing playfulness and pleasure.