First focusing on transgender rights, Mariela broke ground by helping pass legislation to

allow gender reassignment surgery to be covered under the basic government health care
system. The next year she took on the issues of gay men, followed by those of the bisexual
population, and most recently she focused her efforts on HIV services for all, as well as on
Cuba's lesbians. After talking to many of Mariela's activists and volunteers, I can't help but
think that what's potentially around the corner could be monumental for Cuba.
It was enlightening to know that Cuba offers complete medical care and even extra
nourishment to those living with HIV. Miguel and I discussed treatments in the U.S. and
what we are taught about HIV here, and he was pleasantly surprised to hear that what I told
him was precisely what he knew about the disease that he and I are both living with.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/orthodox-calendar-priestsgay_n_4214872.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
http://www.coha.org/from-persecution-to-acceptance-history-of-lgbt-in-cuba/
1977 the Cuban National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX) was founded by the Cuban Womens Federation,
which encouraged a more enlightened outlook on homosexuality and started to undermine traditional sexual
prejudices and taboos.
. In 1979 the Cuban government finally removed homosexual acts among consenting adults from the Penal Code as
a criminal offense.
Havanas rhetoric regarding homosexuality has grown more tolerant as well. Ral Castro has publicly declared his
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support for LGBT rights. Fidel also has changed his tone dramatically since the 1960s. Although he once vulgarly
referred to homosexuals as agents of imperialism, and praised the Cuban countryside for supposedly being free of
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homosexuality, his recent declarations express a much more tolerant sentiment. In the last few years, Fidel has
come to support LGBT rights, claiming he was distracted by other problems in the earlier period of the Revolution.
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Additionally, he now claims that the persecution of homosexuals in earlier years was a great injustice. Considering
that even Fidel has changed his outlook, it is unlikely the Cuban government will shift back anytime soon to a less
progressive position
the government remains inconsistent with all of its promises
willingness to consider more progressive customs, which is another promising sign.

Taking into consideration that Christianity is the major religion in Cuba, Cuba cannot adopt
an LGBTIQ History course in schools since it will displease a major part of the population. It
has recently started to be more modernized so Cuba can be open to ideas such as,
extracurricular, other communities of students which can be active but not provocative
example the protest led by Mariela Castro, - for the promotion of homosexuality and
combating of homophobia. MUST KEEP MODERATE POSITION!