Cuba’s Gay Politics Mired In Past
[Cuban soldiers are the picture of the New Man's so-called perfect.]
Inspired, selfless and, most importantly, obedient, the “new man” lives the revolution. He’s the picture of ideological uniformity. Needless to say, sexual deviants posed a serious risk to social and political cohesion, as Cuba’s 1971 Education Congress declared, “The social pathological character of homosexual deviations was recognized It was resolved that all manifestations of homosexual deviations are to be firmly rejected and prevented from spreading”. The government had to maintain unity at all costs, and, in addition to the internment camps, they for years launched repeated raids on queer Cubans, including arrests, assaults, massive deportations in the 1980s and quarantining HIV-infected nationals.
Violent and repressive history aside, the Cuban government has made some relatively modest moves in the decades since the revolution, including striking down sodomy laws in 1979. (Although, like so many of the island’s other legal movements, however, this one fell short: public displays of homosexuality – and effeminacy – could still garner prison time). CENESEX’s 1989 founding brought trans rights to the national stage and the government soon began backing sex-change operations. Then, in 1992, 21-years after the decriminalization of sodomy, the government normalized age of consent laws, a symbolic equalization of gay and straight sex. Two years later Castro would describe homosexuality as “natural,” and this summer the government supported the International Day Against Homophobia.
Perhaps one of the most culturally influential moments came in 2006, when Cuba’s state-run television began airing The Dark Side of the Moon, a soap opera about a married man who began dabbling in gay sex. Though a bonafide hit – or is it “spectacle”? – the Cuban public has been slow to accept their same-sex loving comrades, and many queer Cubans still find themselves the target of repressive abuse.
[First daughter Mariela Castro provides a public face for the gay rights fight.]
According to a 2007 U.S. State Department report on human rights in Cuba, “Societal discrimination against homosexuals persisted, as police occasionally conducted sweeps in areas where homosexuals congregated, particularly along sections of Havana’s waterfront.” The United States may not be the most unbiased source, yes, but the gays are hardly high on the Department’s list of concerns.
Boris Dittrich, a former Netherlands MP and current Human Rights Watch LGBT Advocacy director, also confirmed arrest rumors:
We have heard that there are some gay rights activists who have been detained. It’s very complicated to get the facts straight, to get to know they have been detained just simply because they are homosexual, or because they were charged with other offenses. It’s difficult to discern.
A bigger understatement we have not heard.
CENESEX’s Guerra denies the “gay detainee” allegations, saying, “There is not any reason to arrest a man for being gay. It is not considered a crime in our penal code.” That may be – perhaps the government doesn’t arrest men for “being gay,” but that doesn’t seem to stop police from detaining activists for other reasons, a clever way of cracking down on potential adversaries while also maintaining a relatively progressive facade. The government’s recent “acceptance,” some say, amounts to nothing more than political manipulation. And they’re right.
Find out what we mean in tomorrow’s conclusion – same gay channel, same gay time!
I think the accusation that a government allows more freedom because it wants to “survive” is a bit of a misnomer. Since survival is what every government – democratic or otherwise – aspires to. No incumbent in America goes into an election campaign with “please replace me.” So, why wouldn’t it be the same with authoritarian regimes?
I think Raul Castro realizes that the revolution is pretty much dead. Even Cuba’s closest “communist” allies are becoming ever more capitalist in orientation. Look at what’s happening in China, Vietnam, and the tri-partite alliance (ANC, SACP, COSATU) in South Africa.
To maintain his grip on power, Raul has to espouse more liberal policies than Fidel did. Because that’s what smart politicians do. As long as gays and lesbians in Cuba are getting something useful out of it, what exactly is the point of expressing disdain at the sinister motivations behind it? Other than to do the bidding of the U.S. State Department, that is. And toady upto the right-wing Cuban American vote in Miami.
Sorry folks, but Cuba’s so-called growing acceptance of gays is nothing more than PR spin. America is grappling with gay rights, so Cuba can embarrass us by looking so forward-thinking and downright European. Mariela Castro called for civil unions–is anything being done on that, or is it just empty rhetoric, from the DAUGHTER of the president. Imagine if Jenna Bush was in charge of the Department of Health–would we think she’d do anything but what the president and his cronies dictated?
If gays are being treated better in Cuba, Im thrilled. But i dont really see any evidence of it, except some government approved sound bites.
How can gays be free in a country where no one is free? As awful as George Bush is, he’ll be gone in five months. Fidel Castro ruled Cuba for 50 years, before turning the reins over to his brother.
Excellent article.
Unfortunately, when the revolution officially fails, traditionalism in all it’s ugly (and now, repressed) forms will exploit the highly defective assumptions of queerness- that we’re a bunch of transgendered pedophiles working for the devil, peddling drugs, and spreading disease. You can count on the Catholic church to push that to the extreme, much like the Orthodox church has in Russia and the former Soviet satellites.
We should be sending queer missionaries to educate now, but I don’t see that happening. We’re far too busy braying about gay marriage, Madonna’s brother, and Project Runway.
@John: Very insightful points.
On the contrary, Darth Paul, I think gays will have large part in potential political collapse. That’s explained in the conclusion, which will be posted tomorrow.
x
AB
If you’re counting on the exile community forget it! Just take a look at those in Miami they are not as vicious as say the Apes down in Jamaica but they still hate Gay people. Their favorite word used to demean or insinuate something as lowly or trash is MARICON which roughly equates to being an effeminate man. They might hate Castro and the commies but they embrace alot of the views (including homophobia) that form part of that ideology.
My Goodness Churchill-Y
Another hateful statement quote
unquote
And your hypocritical ass said this on the Elisabeth blog
Well idiot we find you just as repulsive!
Girl, Why don’t you take your hate to a Black person face to face. For Real For Real talk is so cheap even through a computer, This Bitch needs her ass whooped seriously
I am amazed that the usual suspects are not our in force on here extolling the virtues of the wonderful workers’ paradise : CUBA. Fucking homophobic shithole, like Jamaica.
And Mr C, is a gay man not allowed to express his disgust for homophobic cunts in places like jamaica? The words the apes on jamaica use to describe us and our lovers makes the word “ape” seem mild in comparison. I would suggest you take a wee troll to Youtube and do a search for anti gay ragga music or Beenyman etc etc, and then you’ll see what the apes in jamaica and indeed the fucking blacks all over the world say about us.
And, what a silly damned thing to say about churchill Y having to go face to face with some neanderthal and confront its homophobia. Yeah, right!!! I personally experience enough homophobia from the blacks here in london, thanks. No need for that extra special face to face intimacy. I prefer to use my brains and fight them back that way, using the police and law where I can, organising campaigns against them – cos that confuses ‘em.
TALLSKIN,Is your Mother a neanderthal?
Personally you and him can kiss my ass.
It’s very strange I don’t ever here any Blacks that come to Queerty to talk about the Blacks who have been KILLED by Whites due to Homophobia and there have been many if you haven’t bothered to research.
OK queen so take the racist trash and you defending him somewhere else.
Because you’re IGNORANT, RACIST and a BRITISH TROLL.
And yeah I said that!
And if you ever visit the states let me know I’ll say it GLADLY in person NO FEAR HERE.
You’re just a hateful fag who just want to use Blacks as your whipping doll when HOMOPHOBIA is shared by all races.
But I guess you’re too ignorant to see that also?
You need to use your brains and realize that HOMOPHOBIA comes from all races even your WHITE BRITS!
But I guess you’re too ignorant to know that also?
One view is that there is a nexus between capitalism/free markets and democracy/freedoms/tolerance. In the US, 92% of the Fortune 500 companies have gay/lesbian nondiscrimination policies in effect. They haven’t adopted these policies out of the goodness of their hearts but because it is good business. Companies are competing with each other for the best talent, and a company that does not have a nondiscrimination policy will be at a disadvantage in recruiting.
The notion is that liberal democracy beats state controlled governments. This is a fundamental tenent of the US. For example, yesterday there was a discussion on Queerty on whether PFOX should be allowed to have materials in public libraries. Of course they should. The liberal democratic principals that give them a voice are the same liberal democratic principals that give gay and lesbian people a place in society. It is normally the right wing that tries to block the free expression of ideas by censorship and book banning.
Cuba since the revolution certainly has not been a liberal democracy. Their one party government and persecution of dissidents shows that. What is sad is that US policies have played into their hands. The US has kept the Castro government in power for over 50 years by maintaining it’s blockade of trade with them and as such they have never had to compete. Democracy/capitalism is a better system than one party rule/communism.
It has been suggested that Elian Gonzalez cost Al Gore the election. Virtually everyone who was not Cuban or extreme right wing in the US (and the world) was shocked about a child being kidnapped from it’s father and being held in Miami. But not the Cuban community who hate Castro with a fervor. So when the Clinton administration cooperated in the child’s return to his father the Cuban community responded by withholding their support of Al Gore who went on to lose Florida by a slim margin. So we continue our counterproductive economic blockade of Cuba, the failed Castro regime stays in power, and the Cuban community can continue to had Castro.
I fail to see the significance of examining the origins of Communist Cuban homophobia since they are about as ordinary as that of any society set on the ideal of reproducing new members. Likewise, there is no comparison with the ugly opressiveness of the U.S. supported Batista (capitalist) government. It was another disgrace in our history in So. and Central America of displacing democracyies and free societies with brutal Corporatist Dictatorships., which murdered and tortured unselectively. Certaintly gay people were among the first of those decimated.
I think that the significance of the high level of freedom of education , healthcare and new freedoms for gay people need to be considered in relation to their treatment in the American supported Batista regime, with the communist takover as a step in the improvement of their condition. It’s interesting that Allan Ginsberg was welcome in Cuba as was Jean Genet , famous gay writers. Ginberg remarked that Che was ” cute”.
Lets see the issue in it’s entire perspective.
Churchill-y and Tallskin are the same British blogger! One lives in Mass and the other pretends to still be in his council flat back in Mary-old England! It’s so Whatever Happened to Baby Church!
I also want to point out some other reasons that Al Gore had the election stolen in 2000:
Jews were tricked into voting for Pat Buchanan with faulty alignment of voting stock cards (was it Palm Beach?)
Fox president, Roger Ailes (the original “Karl Rove”) called it for “Bush” after every other network called it for “Gore” and the media fell into place like a House of Cards (with de-regulation business before congress!)
Florida Secretary-Of-State Katherine Harris (who had an affair with Bush before Condi did) reigned over the tabulations of counting the Chads with the help of (former) General Shwartzkopf and the maurading Schiavo-loving Republican thugs!
The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) selected George W Bush as King (by not allowing the count of every Florida vote.) Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg “Disagreed” with the ruling but not “Respectfully.”
I think the Miami Cuban community love the kick-back bribery from the Republican Party more than they hate Castro (but younger generations are changing that slowly.)
The only victim in the Elian Gonzalez kidnapping was Attorney General Janet Reno who cried with anguish unlike AG’s John Ashcroft who lost a campaign to a dead guy or Alberto Gonzales who drafted the torture memo for Abu Ghraib.
When in Havana, order the Chocolate and Strawberry ice-cream and you’ll have a Gay Meeting in Cuba!
Your baby Church is here Mr. “Let’s pray her next child has Down’s Syndrome!” Seitan.
“Churchill-y and Tallskin are the same British blogger! One lives in Mass and the other pretends to still be in his council flat back in Mary-old England!”
Is this your knew attempt at silencing us non-self loathers and commies like you and Perdue?
And also hun, I know it must be one of your wet dreams to think that I’m in MA but as I have told you a many times I reside and vote on one of those battle ground states that your ilk now wishes would secede from the union. You know the ones populated by hillbillies, like you and your comrades love to call people like me. But who am I to stop you from your deranged dreaming go ahead, on the 4th I’ll be thinking of you when I cast my vote in my home state. I must admit though I do find British guys sexxy (*giggles*) as you can see from my screename in a huge fan. I mean their accents just scream hot sex to me! Would love to be intimate with one someday. I need a cold shower now.
Tallskin you’re my English knight in shining armour in cyberspace(kisses). You know this creep that goes by the name of Mr c never finds anything wrong with the homophobic behavior of blacks and if you had any doubts now you shouldn’t. Any self respecting Gay man would never defend the murderous homophobic Jamaicans. But since they’re black people like the above mentioned life form are more than happy to do so. Race trumps Sexual orientation when it comes to them as does those in our community who hold communist views like Bill Perdue. They’ll decry homophobia in capitalist Western societies but when confronted with the much worst and oppressive reality that Gay people face in Cuba, Russia, China and other communist influenced Nations you won’t hear a peep from them.
There goes this faggot ass idiot Churchill-Y lying on me.
You said:
You’ll never find a post where I have ever said that or condone anyone with this type of behavior. Okay Queen save the lying for your Mother she had you not I
I’ve always said HOMOPHOBIA is wrong no matter who says it. But you have the KKK Sheet up your ass so bad. Your dumb ass to stupid to remember anything decent what people say.
Question for you: Why you never had nothing to say about when 3 whites were responsible for the death of Michael Sandy a Black Gay Man.
Oh I forgot you’re racist so that was okay with you. You’re a poor excuse for a Non-descriptive bastard from KKGay Funny Farm
DUMB ASS MAN UP OR SHUT THE FUCK UP!
Why does the article seemingly accept Castro’s explanation that the camps in Cuba were anything other than concentration camps? And to anyone who wants to try to negate the brutality of Cuban homphobia by comparing the Batista regime, do a bit of reading in cultural histories: Batista’s Cuba was a corrupt regime, but its gay scene flourished – even thought the motives were largely financial: that is, the same bar payoffs to police for non-interference that were the mark of US cities that had gay scenes.
Castro’s Cuba was a neo-Stalinist regime of the first order. its liberalization has little to do with reform, and everything to do with the bankrupt state’s inability to persecute. As in other failed totalitarian states, Cuba is nothing but a vicious dog with its teeth knocked out.
Batista was a murderous right wing totalitarian dictator! Cuba was never by any means a”neo-Stalinist” state.Generally people have been haoppy with what they have: heath care, education: better than the U.S. The only unhappy people generally have been the capitalist vampires who Batista did the work of. This is just common right wing propaganda. The country has been far supperior in all ways.