In September, Cuba is set for a vote on a referendum that seeks to rewrite almost half of the nation’s family code. This change would include allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt children.
While Cuba is a single-party country, the referendum has still met some local opposition. Pro-LGBTQ+ activists claim that this debate is rooted in machismo and catholic conservatism.
In a 2010 interview with Mexican publication La Jornada, Fidel assumed responsibility for the great injustices the LGBTQ+ community has faced on the island. Mariela Castro, daughter of Raúl and niece of Fidel Castro has been deemed one of the strongest supporters of LGBTQ+ rights within the Cuban elite. Having led the Cuban National Center for Sexual Education which has championed legislation that supports LGBTQ+ issues, such as the 2008 law that allows for state funding for gender reaffirming surgeries.
If the referendum passes, Cuba would become the first communist country in history to allow same-sex marriages. Slovenia and Switzerland were the most recent countries to legalize same-sex marriages while the future of marriage equality in the United States is uncertain as Supreme Court justices have indicated that Obergefell migh be the next case to be dismantled.