Referendum in Cuba on gay marriage: ‘The Government wants to clean up that historical homophobia’

First modification: 09/23/2022 – 13:07

To replace the text in force since 1975, the new Family Code that Cubans are called to validate introduces homosexual marriage and adoption, as well as the possibility of recognizing several fathers and mothers, and non-profit surrogacy, here called “solidarity gestation”.

Towards more rights

If approved, it would be one of the most innovative pieces of legislation in the world, says Nelson Gandulla, general director of the Cuban Foundation for LGBTI Rights: “Before, an LGBTI person, not having that right to marry, was left helpless. But now with this Code, there are all those laws that cover the right that people can even receive sexual education in schools, that parents can speak freely…”, he comments.

But, Gandulla clarifies, it has to go hand in hand with other rights: “The right to education of trans people who still have difficulty accessing higher education must be guaranteed, and legislation that can protect LGBTI people when they suffer any discriminatory act. So it is a battle won, but many rights would be lacking to say that Cuba is advanced in LGBTI matters.”

“Historical debt”

According to Gandulla, there is political recovery with this referendum organized by the power, and in which there has been no real campaign for the NO.

“There is a historical debt for all the records it has of discrimination and official homophobia. The Cuban government has wanted to clean up that historical homophobia that has occurred for 60 years, the speeches against the LGBTI community that were cited by Fidel Castro from the very beginning of the Revolution. Later, as in the 1990s, we have the forerunners of this fight for same-sex marriage, Wendy Iriepa and Ignacio Estrada, who are now in exile in the United States, and who were the first to send signatures and collect petitions to the Assembly National Government of Popular Power so that same-sex marriage could be included in the Family Code and in Cuban legislation,” he stresses.

Likewise, the general director of the Cuban Foundation for LGBTI Rights considers that this will of the Government is “of great interest due to other economic, social and political processes that are taking place: they also do it to mask a little the situation that is at the moment living Cuba, and they amuse themselves a bit with the Family Code”.