Cuba holds anti-homophobia parade

[ВАЛТЕР]

Some good news from Cuba. Again showing that it is lightyears ahead of most of the world when it comes to some things.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2013/05/201351120633947245.html



Cuba government holds anti-homophobia parade
La Rampa was danced through the streets of Havana in a march against homophobia led by the president's daughter


Hundreds of people danced the conga through the streets of Havana to the beats of drums and trumpets in a government-sponsored march against homophobia.
The dance on Saturday was led by President Raul Castro's daughter, Mariela, who is the head of the National Sexual Education Center and a leading campaigner for gay rights in the country.


People danced La Rampa through the crowded city, chanting "Homophobia no! Socialism yes!" as they made their way through Havana for more than an hour.
Cuba has previously persecuted homosexuals, particularly during the 1960s when being gay was outlawed and homosexuals were interned in work camps.
Mariela Castro said she is optimistic that the communist nation will eventually legalise gay marriage.
"What is most complicated is the time it takes to overcome prejudices," she said.
"We must change consciousness."
Castro's National Center of Sexual Education has campaigned to turn around Cuban attitudes about gays over the past seven years.
"I came to dance and to protest against homophobia," said Farah Mariah, who claims to be the first person in Cuba to undergo a sex change and now calls herself the "Diva of the Transvestites."

[Fourth Internationalist]

Yay! :D

[InSovietRussia]

Always good to see another country protesting homophobia, especially a socialist one such as Cuba. If a socialist society were to succeed I definetely believe that tolerance of everyone must be universal.

[Sudsy]

Cuba was actually fairly homophobic in the 60`s, but unlike the US they are willing to keep up with the times and now these types of approaches to homophobia demonstrate their strong progressive attitude. Good for Cuba!

[Red Nightmare]

This is pretty amazing given the historic homophobia of Cuba and the Castro regime itself back in the 1960s. I am glad to hear that things are starting to change for the better. Hopefully the rest of the world can learn from this as well.

[sixdollarchampagne]

An anti-homophobia parade, set up by the Cuban government? I thought I read that the parade came about because of an initiative by Castro's daughter (was it?). Anyway, that's rich, coming from the government that set up special punishment units in the Cuban army, the UMAP ("military units to assist production") for gay Cuban draftees, which hardly makes Cuba "decades ahead of the rest of the world." Alan Young was the author, I believe, who wrote an entire book, Gays under the Cuban Revolution, about government homophobia under Castro, but I guess one parade makes up for all that, magically, somehow.

[blake 3:17]

Alan Young was the author, I believe, who wrote an entire book, Gays under the Cuban Revolution, about government homophobia under Castro, but I guess one parade makes up for all that, magically, somehow.

There has been very very ugly state repression of queer sexuality -- mostly of gay men -- under the Cuban revolution. What is remarkable, and what is remarkable about the whole of the Cuban revolution, is that it has been able to correct itself, often after great amounts of time have passed. The one that I was amazed by the abolition of the death penalty, I believe in 2008, though they hadn't executed anyone for five years previous to that.

Mariel Castro has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ rights in Cuba and since 2008, sex reassignment surgery has been available free of charge in Cuba. Aside from Canada, is there anywhere else in the Americas that this is the case?

[Sidagma]

since 2008, sex reassignment surgery has been available free of charge in Cuba. Aside from Canada, is there anywhere else in the Americas that this is the case?

Argentina's parliament unanimously approved a law that declared sex reassignment surgery a legal right just a couple weeks ago. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/gender-identity-law-argentina_n_1505093.html)

[melvin]

Mariela Castro said she is optimistic that the communist nation will eventually legalise gay marriage.it's funny when people talk about how cuba is apparently so insanely far ahead of the rest of the world in anti-homophobia when cuba has not legalized gay marriage.

[blake 3:17]

it's funny when people talk about how cuba is apparently so insanely far ahead of the rest of the world in anti-homophobia when cuba has not legalized gay marriage.

I don't think anyone here has claimed that Cuba is particularly advanced in combating homophobia. It is making improvements.

As I've said before, it's the one social revolution of the 20th century to continue to improve and correct itself.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

it's funny when people talk about how cuba is apparently so insanely far ahead of the rest of the world in anti-homophobia when cuba has not legalized gay marriage.

You have to think of where it has come from, though. It was in a revolutionary period only a few decades ago and, as has been said, a product of the revolution itself was intense and shameful homophobia - officially pushed. It is something that the tide seems to have turned in Cuba, though the homophobia (and indeed the racism against blacks, I believe) from decades gone by is something that is a blot on the Cuban copybook forever.

[sixdollarchampagne]

Someone pointed out that
since 2008, sex reassignment surgery has been available free of charge in Cuba. Aside from Canada, is there anywhere else in the Americas that this is the case?
My response is that it is hardly surprising that a government with a long history of official homophobia is eager to castrate some men. With "advances" like that, gay men hardly need enemies.

[Craig_J]

Someone pointed out that
My response is that it is hardly surprising that a government with a long history of official homophobia is eager to castrate some men. With "advances" like that, gay men hardly need enemies.

Bizarley Iran pays for half of the fee's towards gender correctment surgery but that's because they're not exactly keen on homosexuals...

[sixdollarchampagne]

Bizarley Iran pays for half of the fee's towards gender correctment surgery but that's because they're not exactly keen on homosexuals...

Judging from deeds, not rhetoric, the Cuban regime is "not exactly keen on" gay men, either.

I don't know how one would find out, but it would be interesting for someone to compare the manifestations of official homophobia in Iran and its western hemisphere homologue, for gay men, at least, Cuba, to try to determine which top-down regime has been more homophobic.

I would think the amount of government hatred of gay men in both countries would probably be pretty close. The comparison of the two ardently homophobic regimes would make for a very interesting book, I would imagine.

[RedAnarchist]

Someone pointed out that
My response is that it is hardly surprising that a government with a long history of official homophobia is eager to castrate some men. With "advances" like that, gay men hardly need enemies.

SRS is a bit more complex than just castrating a transwoman or manipulating the clitoris of a transman.

[Dropdead]

This is great news! Hopefully more and more people stop being homophobic.

[Tim Cornelis]

I don't understand how one march of a few hundred people is supposed to signify much, in Turkey, for instance, much larger LGBT rallies have been held unharassed. It's pretty apparent that people hold Cuba, bastion of social-democracy, to a much lower standard than other countries -- bias clouding judgment, "oh look at the great Cuba, it allowed a demonstration of a few hundred for LGBT rights, so progressive!"
Before 2008 holding LGBT rallies wasn't even allowed. Just a few years ago, "In 2004, the soap opera El jardín de los helechos (Garden of Ferns) included a lesbian couple as part of its plot.[7] That same year, however, the BBC reported that "Cuban police have once again launched a campaign against homosexuals, specifically directed at travestis (transvestites) whom they are arresting if they are dressed in women's clothing."[42]"

Yes, it is progressing, but it's not even as far as Brazil or Mexico.


Cuba was actually fairly homophobic in the 60`s, but unlike the US they are willing to keep up with the times and now these types of approaches to homophobia demonstrate their strong progressive attitude. Good for Cuba!

"Fairly homophobic" is like saying South Africa or the US was "fairly racist." It was incredibly homophobic. 14 US states recognise same-sex marriage, the same can't be said for Cuba. Slightly over half the US population thinks society should accept homosexuality. I doubt this is the case for Cuba.

[ToldYouSo]

It's not much but it shows that they are moving forward. At least there doing something. Don't know how you could fault them on that.

[Luís Henrique]

Aside from Canada, is there anywhere else in the Americas that this is the case?

Brazil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changing_legal_gender_assignment_in_Brazil), for instance.

It is a good thing that the Cuban government is becoming less and less prejudiced against homosexuals and transexuals. That hardly makes Cuba unique in the world, though, and they seem to be more of trailing a world tendency than leading it.

Luís Henrique

[Ermo Kruus]

About fucking time, now what about some state-approved parades against the racism that is flourishing in Cuba? To say Cuba is light-years ahead any other country when it comes to LGBT rights, is just blantatly wrong considering gay people still don't have the right to marry, adopt nor serve openly in the military. The Cuban acheivements in this department are still lagging far behind most Western countries. The "machismo" culture is still very prevalent in Cuba, largely because of the state-approved homophobia and persecution of LGBT people promoted by the government for many years.

[Kalinin's Facial Hair]

About fucking time, now what about some state-approved parades against the racism that is flourishing in Cuba? .

How is it flourishing exactly?

Genuine question.

[melvin]

I don't think anyone here has claimed that Cuba is particularly advanced in combating homophobia. It is making improvements.

As I've said before, it's the one social revolution of the 20th century to continue to improve and correct itself."Some good news from Cuba. Again showing that it is lightyears ahead of most of the world when it comes to some things." is the first sentence of this thread.

[Anglo-Saxon Philistine]

Judging from deeds, not rhetoric, the Cuban regime is "not exactly keen on" gay men, either.

I don't know how one would find out, but it would be interesting for someone to compare the manifestations of official homophobia in Iran and its western hemisphere homologue, for gay men, at least, Cuba, to try to determine which top-down regime has been more homophobic.

I would think the amount of government hatred of gay men in both countries would probably be pretty close. The comparison of the two ardently homophobic regimes would make for a very interesting book, I would imagine.

You can't seriously be comparing a state where same-sex relationships are legal, and were punished with imprisonment at most, to a regime where they are punishable by death. Cuba has a horrifying history of homophobia, certainly. I am not at all convinced that Castro's recent comments about the issue are not simply an old bureaucrat trying to sound radical and appealing to the new generation. That said, Cuba is making an effort to correct their line. If democracy was more fully developed in Cuba, this would be easier, of course, but even as it is, this is a progressive development, and we shouldn't be afraid to point this out.


"Some good news from Cuba. Again showing that it is lightyears ahead of most of the world when it comes to some things." is the first sentence of this thread.

Sadly enough, that is still true, even though Cuba is far from progressive and tolerant. It's just that the rest of the world tends to be even worse.

[REV3R]

it's funny when people talk about how cuba is apparently so insanely far ahead of the rest of the world in anti-homophobia when cuba has not legalized gay marriage.
Well most of the world wouldn't be tolerable, so yeah they are far ahead of the world.

[REV3R]

About fucking time, now what about some state-approved parades against the racism that is flourishing in Cuba? To say Cuba is light-years ahead any other country when it comes to LGBT rights, is just blantatly wrong considering gay people still don't have the right to marry, adopt nor serve openly in the military. The Cuban acheivements in this department are still lagging far behind most Western countries. The "machismo" culture is still very prevalent in Cuba, largely because of the state-approved homophobia and persecution of LGBT people promoted by the government for many years.
racism? what are you talking about? Thats probably the best place to live if your black in the Americas...

[sixdollarchampagne]

SRS is a bit more complex than just castrating a transwoman or manipulating the clitoris of a transman.

Oh. I've actually seen part of the "procedure," for neutering a man by cutting off his genitals. They showed a little bit of it on film, on South Park, when Mr. Garrison (was it?) became Mrs. Garrison. From what I saw, that ghastly surgery entailed the shedding of a lot of blood. Horrific!

[UnderTheSun]

Oh. I've actually seen part of the "procedure," for neutering a man by cutting off his genitals. They showed a little bit of it on film, on South Park, when Mr. Garrison (was it?) became Mrs. Garrison. From what I saw, that ghastly surgery entailed the shedding of a lot of blood. Horrific!
Well, a lot of surgery isn't pretty to look at, but many people are very happy with the results and many psychologists recommend the surgery in cases of gender dysphoria.

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

Oh. I've actually seen part of the "procedure," for neutering a man by cutting off his genitals. They showed a little bit of it on film, on South Park, when Mr. Garrison (was it?) became Mrs. Garrison. From what I saw, that ghastly surgery entailed the shedding of a lot of blood. Horrific!

Jesus fuck, what? Is your entire understanding of transpeople from a shitty American cartoon? It's not "neutering" a "man", given that the procedure is taking place on a (trans)woman and its purpose isn't sterilizing an animal. You seriously need to go and spend some quality time in a Trans101 workshop, or a library, or something before you ever open your mouth on this topic in public again, because what you just said is some transphobic garbage.

[Lokomotive293]

This is not "just one parade", as some of you are saying. It is part of a long-term government program to combat homophobia. What is so special about Cuba here, and so progressive, is not that it has less a problem with homophobia than, say the US, it is that that problem is recognized by the government, and that the government, together with the Cuban people, is making a serious effort at resolving the problem. Also take a look at the work of the Cuban National Center for Sex Education, CENESEX. Only socialism makes this possible (and neccessary, it's about time...). Yes, Cuba has made many mistakes in the past and it is not perfect now, but what is so amazing about them is that they are honest about those mistakes, and make a serious effort at correcting them.