Between Morocco and the mainland: The lesbian, gay and bisexual communities of Spanish Ceuta

This article presents a first comprehensive empirical account of the resident LGBTQ+ communities of Spanish Ceuta. The starting premise of the article is the interstitial character of Ceuta, which is evident not only in the city’s geographic disconnection from mainland Spain and its land border with, and cultural connections to, Morocco, but also in the economic, cultural and religious diversity that mark its society and position it at the intersection of North Africa and Europe and the Global South and North more broadly. This article focuses on the extent to which the interstitial character of the enclave of Ceuta affects the local life experiences of its resident LGBTQ+ communities. It explores aspects of LGBTQ+ life, such as perceptions of anonymity, safety and well-being in the city, including experiences of homophobia, practices of, and attitudes towards, public displays of affection as well as out-migratory intentions.