Cuba's been going through a bit of a political puberty as of late. Last February, after 49-years in power, long-time leader Fidel Castro stepped aside and handed the presidency to his brother, Raul. Though still all in the family, many see Raul's ascension as a positive move for the island, a sign that the communist government could evolve.

A little over a month later, Mariela Castro, the president's daughter and leader of the government-backed Center for Sexual Diversity (CENESEX), took a progressive step when she called on the government to rewrite the 70s-era Family Code and pave the way for civil unions.

The “revolutionary redefinition” of family, says CENESEX spokesperson Alberto Roque Guerra, goes straight to epicenter of Cuba’s gay problem: “Family is the core of society. Homophobia and transphobia are first seen within the family. The fight against homophobia awareness is focused on the family as the main goal.” However true that may be, Guerra's declaration purposefully ignores decades of state-sanctioned homophobia. What’s more, CENESEX's push for equality eschews the true goal: assimilation.

The government’s modest progress – as well as its dubious explanations – has as much with political survival and public relations as it does with cultural evolution. Sifting through the various truths, one finds a debate shaded by political ideology, Cold War-inspired misconception and not a small amount of spin.

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Communism may have fallen in Russia, but Idaho state Rep. Curtis Bowers seems to think it got the last laugh here in the United States.

His piece in Wednesday's Idaho Press-Tribune begins with a recollection of a 1992 Communist Party USA meeting Bowers attended, which apparently gave him a good look into the left's proverbial "agenda":

They had a three part agenda. They would use their manpower, influence and funds to back anything that would destroy our families, businesses and culture.
…
At the time they laid out this strategy, I wasn't overly impressed. It seemed very unrealistic and certainly not something to worry about in my lifetime. Yet as I sit in my office, recall their plan and consider where America is today, I am shocked.

Our first woman presidential candidate talks about how degrading it is to be a stay-at-home mom. Businesses are closing down or moving daily to other countries because environmental regulations are too excessive to make a profit. And legislation is being considered in Washington, D.C. that makes it a crime to discuss in public any opposition to the homosexual lifestyle. As the old advertisement said, "You've come a long way, baby!"

Apparently not all of us…

Cuba may become the first Caribbean nation to recognize gay civil rights. Of course, such fag freedoms will only come about if the communist nation's Parliament reforms the Family Code, a big 'if' to say the least. Caribbean 360 reports:

Drawn up by the non-governmental Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) with support from CENESEX, the draft reform of the Family Code has been presented to the Political Bureau, the highest body of the ruling Communist Party…

The proposal would give homosexual couples the same civil and inheritance rights as heterosexual couples. However, it does not mention gay marriage, because a change of that magnitude would require a lengthy process of reforming the constitution, which was last amended in 1992.

While certainly gay marriage's ideal, activists assert Cuba's not ready for such a cultural shift.

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