Mariela Castro junto a algunas muchachas trans en la exposición Fátima XXXXXY, del fotógrafo Paolo Titolo, en Fábrica de Arte Cubano
The recent publication in the Official Gazette, Act 116 of the Labour Code, has raised strong criticism associated with the no inclusion of gender identity as one of the reasons against discrimination. These critics, as it was stated in the First Conference of the Communist Party of Cuba, highlight a growing sensitivity in Cuban society regarding the related-issues with the rights and the fight against any kind of discrimination, including gender identity. This situation requires the full attention of our society, and warns about the need to strength the work of the citizens and their representatives to achieve these goals.
From my point of view, it means that this is part of the creative tensions of any revolutionary process. Revolutionizing is not to face the newness by a hit; it is to analyze contradictions, overcome hegemonic social imaginaries that have stigmatized for centuries many people suffering the consequences from social exclusion, it is to work for social structures, including concrete actions, to realize the political will expressed in the Cuban Communist Party documents, and it is working to review the mechanisms on which we build ourselves as historical subjects, from where we produce and reproduce what emancipates and alienates us. Revolutionizing is a brave and generous act that allows us to recognize the contradictions to strengthen our critical awareness in favor of revolutionary social transformation.
I still keep in mind that discrimination based on gender identity remains pending in our legislation, so I applaud the revolutionary critical journalism that has been doing its best contributions. The permanent and committed self-criticism must lead us to keep fighting for what we believe is just enough and necessary for building an emancipated society.
As a committed citizen with this historical project and from my professional and institutional responsibility, I take charge of transmitting more and more clearly the reflections that help our people to discuss about these issues, to keep moving forward in our hopes to conquer all justice.