Mariela Castro Espín embodies LGBT rights in Cuba. © Elblogdemarielacastro

(Blogmensgo, January 31, 2012) The Cuban Parliament should consider in 2012 a bill to legalize civil unions between same sex couples. This would be a PACS and not a fully-fledged gay marriage. Mariela Castro Espín, director of the National Centre for Sex Education (Cenesex) and daughter of President Raul Castro, said in a lengthy interview that the review of this text requires a green light first at the conference of the Communist Party of Cuba scheduled January 28, 2012.

The legalization of homosexual civil unions would be in the more general framework of a parliamentary debate to renovate the Family Code and to promote non-discrimination absolute citizens, regardless of the reason for this discrimination. On this “policy of non-discrimination” that must first be decided by the Communist Party, and in particular discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

One of the outstanding issues concerning the recognition by a specialized committee of the Ministry of Public Health, the change of identity of transgender people without surgery. Mariela Castro said that in some cases the operation is not desired by the transgender person or not possible for health reasons.

Of a total of 175 applications, only 15 sex reassignment operations were conducted in Cuba. The first took place in 1988 and then following from 2007, says the director of Cenesex. The operation is done after two years of observation and hormone treatment. Surgical fees are then paid by the community.

Note that the convention center in Havana just hosted from 23 to 26 January 2012, the sixth edition of the Cuban Congress on Education, counseling and sex therapy. The event will be chaired by Mariela Castro Espín.

Philca & Matt / MensGo

(Via 20 Minutes)

This article has been translated from our French blog.  To view the original, please click here!