Cuba begins to discuss homosexual rights this week. According to a BBC note, the National Assembly of Cuba has begun to judge a bill presented by CENESEX – National Center for Sexual Education – which guarantees rights to gays in the country.
The project studied proposes three basic rights. The legal recognition of homosexual couples, the possibility of transsexuals being able to change their name on documents and the resumption of sex change operations – to date, only one transsexual has managed to change sex in the country and around 30 are awaiting approval of the law.
"What we propose facilitates the legal recognition of unions between homosexuals," said Mariela Castro, daughter of former president Fidel Castro and director of CENESEX. "We are not talking about marriage because there is still resistance," she declared.
The PL analyzed also foresees changes to the Family Code, which includes the recognition of greater rights for children, women, the elderly, the disabled and "guarantees the rights of people according to their sexual orientation and gender identity".
Abel Prieto, Minister of Culture, believes that it would be possible to approve marriage, but the President of Parliament, Ricardo Alarcón, stated that it is necessary to take into account all Christian religions "which consider marriage as a sacrament" when approving the project .
