The draft of a new family code for Cuba released Wednesday proposes allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt and giving children greater participation in decisions that affect them. The proposals are expected to become law by next year if approved by parliament.
Under current Cuban law, only marriages between men and women are recognized. This is not just a concern for gay couples wanting to obtain marriage equality. Unmarried adults of the opposite sex are also not officially recognized or protected legally.
Evangelical groups rejected a proposal from the Constitutional Court that would change the term “marriage as a union of a man and woman” to “marriage as a union between “two people … with absolutely equal rights and obligations.” As usual, the Evangelicals balk that claiming the changed meaning of marriage would attack their religious beliefs.
However, this does not seem very credible, considering there are currently 29 countries where same-sex marriage is legal: without experiencing any problems. It’s almost like the detractors are looking for a scapegoat to blame for their bland or mediocre hetero marriage — so yup, blame it on the gays.
A new draft of the family code in Cuba has recently been presented to the National Assembly. This proposal “protects all expressions of family diversity” and permits same-sex marriage, among other changes.
Justice Minister Óscar Silveira Martínez created the draft, proposing that these changes bring about “a profound transformation about our concept of what a family is.”
“We consider this version to be consistent with the constitutional text and develop and update the various legal-family institutions in correspondence with the humanistic nature of our social process.”
The draft, which has more than 480 articles, was drawn up by 30 experts and will be posted on the Justice Ministry’s website to collect opinions. It will then go to lawmakers — likely in December — then to a popular referendum, possibly next year.
Legal experts say that Cuba’s current family code dates from 1975 and has been overtaken by newly emerging family structures and social changes. The Justice Minister himself said that this is an attempt to be in line with human rights legislation. However, the new plan to redefine marriage, gender roles, and the nuclear family has many citizens fearing their way of life.
I hope legalized marriage between same-sex couples does pass in Cuba and with flying colors! When it does, here’s a straightforward rule for those who oppose it: Whether you’re in Cuba or Clever…If you don’t like gay marriage, then don’t get gay-married. It’s a very simple solution.
I hope gay marriage will be legalized there.
I think marriage equality activists in Cuba have more to worry about from the Communist Party than they do Evangelicals or Catholics. Has everyone forgotten that under Communism homosexual relations are officially seen as a product of bourgeouis decadence? Anything that is not productive to the State (such as recreational/non-reproductive sex) is counter-revolutionary and needs to be suppressed. Something tells me that if these reforms don’t go through, then the gay press will blame Christians instead of the hardline Communists that truly dominate Cuban politics. And they will do this while wearing a rainbow T-shirt with Che Guevara’s picture emblazened on it pumping their fists in the air! (Sigh) I really wish we had actual journalists in the gay press instead of activists masquerading as journalists.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply.