The country of Cuba is considering a new draft of its constitution. And here’s an interesting turn: there’s a part of the new charter that would open the door for LGBTQ marriage equality.
The National Assembly of Cuba gave the go-ahead, in a unanimous legislative vote, for a gay-friendly constitution. The proposed constitution does not directly address gay adoption, although that may be established via further laws.
The newly proposed constitution would define matrimony as “the consensual union of two people, regardless of gender.”
If affirmed, the new Cuban constitution would make the island nation the latest country in the area of Latin America to enshrine gay marriage in the statute book.
The proposed constitution, dubbed the “Magna Carta,” also supports the establishment of private property in the socialist country.Not everyone is on board, of course. The campaign for marriage equality was opposed by evangelical organizations on the island.
However, the possibility of legal gay marriage has been met with plaudits from the LGBTQ citizens of Cuba.
According to The Guardian, “The pro-gay marriage campaign was led by Mariela Castro, the director of the National Centre for for Sex Education (CENESEX), a lawmaker, and daughter of former President Raúl Castro. CENESEX organised the ‘Conga against Homophobia and Transphobia’ in March, in which thousands of revellers danced among gay pride flags and Fidel Castro banners.”
“This ‘officialista’ campaign was accompanied by a small group of around 100 LGBT activists who lobbied on social media, ran queer cinema screenings, and staged public performance art.”
Same-sex marriage is currently legal in the countries of Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina, and remains a criminal act in seven other Caribbean-area countries.
The proposed Cuban constitution will be subject to public referendum later this year.