In Luis Andres Henao’s article for the Associated Press titled “LGBTQ-inclusive church in Cuba welcomes all in a country that once sent gay people to labor camps”, he discusses changes in Cuba’s social, political and religious spheres concerning anti-queerness. As the title states, Cuba’s relationship with its queer community is historically violent. Labeled “anti-sociales” in the journal article “Gender policing, homosexuality and the new patriarchy of the Cuban Revolution” by Lillian Guerra. Qqueer people, under Fidel Castro’s regime during the 1960s and onward, were not just degenerates but fundamental to the undermining of the principles of the Cuban revolution itself (Guerra, 268). Many reasons fueled the sentiment that queer people were the antithesis to the Cuban state, reasons include them being perceived as a harbingers of sin, associated with illicit activities such as prostitution and a burden on the country’s overall need for manual labor. The Cuban state during this time relied on fear of the government paired with the watchful eye of the fellow citizen to identify and imprison people suspected of being “anti-sociales”. Men were not only expected to be straight but proof of their masculinity was required of them to protect themselves. According to Guerra, “young men strove to ‘immunize’ themselves from suspicion by complying with volunteer labour demands and cutting cane” (Guerra, 286). Women were expected to provide the manual labor at home as well as that of the fields all while simultaneously actively trying to be attractive for men. Social and civic expectations made for hostile behaviors and environments in which Cuban men and women had to comply with the crushing responsibilities as well as fear their neighbor for any accusations of undermining the system.
In the article by Luis Andres Henao, he discusses how Cuba has made attempts to remove barriers for queer people to live their lives. Anti-gay discrimination protections and updates to the “family law”, passed with 67% approval, now allows same-sex couples to marry and adopt children (Henao). The island nation’s history with queerness as mentioned above, paired with the presence and opinions of large religious groups such as Catholics and Evangelicals shows how much has changed in 75 years since Fidel Castro rose to power. Regardless of religious opinion, the Pope, head of the Catholic Church, has tried to be more inclusive of queer relationships and their place in society by allowing priests to bless their unions. Furthermore, queer spaces such as the Metropolitan Community Church make space for their queer patrons and have their own queer Reverend. Once imprisoned and ousted from society, queer people in Cuba are increasingly visible and accepted.
Works Cited
- Guerra, Lillian. “Gender Policing, Homosexuality and the New Patriarchy of the Cuban Revolution, 1965–70.” Social History, vol. 35, no. 3, 2010, pp. 268–89. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27866661. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.
- Henao, L. A. (2024b, April 1). LGBTQ-inclusive church in Cuba welcomes all in a country that once sent gay people to labor camps. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/cuba-lgbtq-gay-rights-catholic-evangelical-29e45106d382890865870ff3534236ce