This Saturday, in Havana, activists for sexual diversity and community promoters led a colorful conga parade in support of LGBTIQ+ rights, as part of the Cuban Days against Homophobia and Transphobia, which will continue until May 18th.
The crowd, which gathered just meters from the Malecón, marched carrying banners with slogans such as “Socialism yes, Transphobia no” and “Cuba is love,” while drums and trumpets resounded in a parade of hope and struggle. The event was led by the director of the National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX), Mariela Castro Espín, who highlighted the advances and the challenges that remain on the path to equality for all Cubans, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“The Revolution has fostered a profound cultural transformation in our people,” affirmed Castro Espín, who also informed that in the coming weeks the National Assembly of People’s Power will discuss in July a novel draft of the Civil Registry Law. This will allow people for the first time to freely decide, according to their self-perception, the sex in their identity, without requiring a court order or a gender reassignment surgery.
This advancement complements the recent Family Code approved in 2022, which marked an important step by legalizing same-sex marriages, adoptions by homosexual couples, and surrogacy, adapting the legal framework to the 2019 Constitution. However, according to Castro Espín and transgender activists, obstacles still persist, such as the lack of recognition of non-binary identities, and the suspension of genital reassignment surgeries due to economic problems.
“Some laws need to be updated so that what the Constitution established is fully reflected in reality,” added the leader, who underscored the continuity of the cultural change process driven by the Cuban Revolution.
The march and the activities of these days reflect Cuba’s commitment to the defense of human rights, in an international scenario that still faces challenges against discrimination and violence towards LGBTIQ+ people. The struggle continues, but the advances are evidence of the process of moving towards a more just and respectful society.
