(ONE)
How would you describe your homeland to someone who has never been there?
Cuba is a hot, bohemian, snob, eclectic, rich history and culture country that is often underestimated or beloved by socialist tourist paradise. The country is changing, and while the government would direct society in one direction, it would go in the opposite direction.
Cuba stands for joy, music, cocktails, sex, dancing, sweat, knowledge, but most importantly, with happy people. In our blood, we are friendly and cheerful despite all the crises we had to go through. There is always a time for a cup of coffee, an excuse for partying, but at the same time we work hard - even if not the most accurate.
Our sense of humor is the ship that has helped us through so many difficulties. In Cuba, people love, hug and kiss each other, show their emotions. Perhaps the weather may have to do with this.
The future is a big question mark. Cuba is a guest, more and more open, and not cheap. A country where the homeless can read, but sometimes it does not feel like it is in the 21st century, and it is normal if you are not online. Shyness is an unknown concept: people are staring at, asking for unwanted questions. Rum, cocktails, cigars, and the constant music, and dance, is what's going on everywhere.
Man in Cuba is learning patience. Not only the arrivals here, but also the locals. One of our most common sayings is to "calm down and work together."
Cuba, less known to tourists, lives modestly, almost poorly. Gray and green. The poorest Cubans are those who share their last breadcrumbs and even smile even in the toughest times because they believe "hope is the last thing we can lose."
Cuba is bittersweet, interesting, beautiful and deliciously complex. Something else.
(2)
What is the opinion of the Cubans about the LGBTQ community?
Social public opinion has had a major impact on tourism.
Since the Soviet Union collapsed in the early nineties and US sanctions have been tightened, forced prostitution has increasingly proliferated with the onset of a severe crisis. The government, of course, tried to stop it, but it was an impossible business. It was the sexturism that opened many eyes. Hot men, who had been rejected and despised earlier, suddenly became the main keepers of their families for their income. With the flourishing of prostitution, the number of people who have been bisexual has also increased.
Foreign films and sequences that carry the message of acceptance and tolerance have also shaped our thinking. Despite all its contradictions, mainly due to the fact that it is run by a member of the Castro family, the National Center for Sexual Education (El Centro Nacional de Educación Sexual - CENESEX) has done a great deal for LGBTQ rights and overcoming homophobia. The Cuban film industry is also taking part in the same way, although media, especially Cuban television, still lacks a gay presenter or protagonist whose presence would help the community to accept.
Gay men and gay couples who adapt to heteronormatic expectations are more easily accepted and respected. Feminine gays and trans women are more attached to nightlife, but that does not mean that a trans woman who dresses nicely and does not make a makeup will not be accepted in the world of work or in an educational institution or kindergarten - of course there is a chance to lift his head on transphobia.
The media is practically silent about it, the laughing objects of gay characters in television programs - free from sexuality, and if kisses clash between two of the same sex, it is just for the viewer to have fun with it. As a person dealing with communication and writing, I believe that a warm hero would help. Most recently, when gay men appeared on television, it was one of the country's most popular soap operas, where one gay guy ruined a "happy, heterosexual marriage" and infected the husband with HIV. Another was a lesbian woman who came out of the prison freshly. Where are the depictions of those who save lives, help families, live normally and happily in the same way as anyone else?
However, the sight of gay people on the street in everyday life is accepted. Seeing hands-walking couples who even kiss each other without any atrocity, but most of them try to get into the crowd, of course.
This little anecdote might help you better understand how most people think of the LGBTQ community. A few days ago, a taxi driver, with whom I regularly traveled, said: "I have no problem with the gays, but I do not agree to get married. That much transvestite on the street at night is not normal. ”So does the acceptance of gays in Cuba:“ I have nothing to do with them, but… ”
n what spirit did you grow up? Was it difficult to accept and accept yourself by others?
I grew up as a bisexual. It was a decision that I knew was false, but society believed it was difficult to be warm and dangerous because of rejection and sexual infections. So I tried to suppress the gay boy, but as I understand it, I became more and more attracted, even if I forced myself to get to know the girls. It was terribly tiring. It was part of this hiding that I wanted to prove my own masculinity that I was not afraid to surround myself with gay friends. One day, then, I ran to my older and openly warm friend whose words were etched into my memories forever: “You must be sure you really want it. In this country, no matter how good you are in your work, you will always be warm. If you become a doctor, they will not say that you are a good doctor, but that you are warm, but a good doctor. ”
He helped a lot when I found love. I became confident who I dared to stand before and argue with my own righteousness.
When I came to my mother, her first request - which I found terribly funny - was not to dress in women's clothes. Transphobia is very much present in Cuba, even within the warm community. There is a kind of hierarchy in which the transvestites are at the bottom. Their situation is even worse if they are black and poor. Sounds cruel, but racism and elitism mixed with transphobia are a very existing thing.
Although I have never suffered from any of them, I worked in bars and restaurants, walk the streets and see how people live. During the short time I worked at the National Center for Sexual Education, I also experienced a lot, but I also learned, so now I have the right reason to argue with someone. I believe that you can change the image of the LGBTQ community with determination.
My friends were at the age of 19, my first couple at the age of 20. Most of my friends are still heterosexuals today because I believe in the power of integration. I am a proud, openly gay man, but I do not consider myself a classical activist, nor a warm-up - or, as we call here, a warm Congo. But I think I do it in a discreet way for the community. I talk to people, listen to their opinions, fix them, use their language.
(3)
What do you think the next steps for the Cuban LGBTQ community are?
Our community has recently been particularly angry about what is happening recently. Despite the occasional homophobia, the general acceptance of gays has improved a lot, but the government has withdrawn many of its promises. For example, it was promised that same-sex marriage would be included in the new constitution. There is propaganda everywhere to vote for it, and then this part of the text has been removed from the draft text, saying that the Methodist Church insists on a "traditional family" and it would be wrong for the government to accept same-sex marriage, that the majority of citizens are not yet ready for it.
I don't think this is the case. The most popular Cuban films of recent years have been about transvestites and trans people (Viva and Vestido de novia), and one of the most popular films of all time is about the friendship of a gay and a heterosexual guy from 1992 (Fresa y chocolate). In the warm Congo, year after year it can be seen that the masses of heterosexuals stand for equal rights. Of course there will always be people who do not like it, but why not initiate dialogue and strive for peaceful coexistence?
Mariela Castro, Director of CENESEX, did this for the rights of the gays, but the matter is too much politicized when it comes to people. I don't know how much the world knows about how homophobic the Cuban revolution was from the sixties to the nineties. But it seems that every time a member of the Castro family stands up to defend our rights, it is a good opportunity to clean the judgment of the revolution in this direction.
On May 11th, there was an unauthorized pride parade that received a great deal of response in the international press. What is the reason why they had to be organized illegally?
Yes, there was indeed an alternative procession in downtown Havana. It was the reaction of the people that CENESEX, at the request of the Ministry of Health, withdrew the annual gay congress, referring to the political situation. Our politicians fear - or at least say - that an escalating embargo against the Venezuelan government would have counter-revolutionized the original event and used it to propagate their own goals and messages.
Despite all this, the LGBTQ community decided to go for peace. However, a lot of police officers have fled the streets and arrests have been started, as it is forbidden to organize such an event without official permission. Then he was drowned in chaos and violence, which is not surprising because our community is fed up with repression. It is no coincidence that several international media reported the procession as a Cuban Stonewall rebellion.
Unfortunately, I couldn't go to the event because I was accompanied by a tourist group and my employer was very strict, but I was ashamed of the barbaric behavior of the authorities. A friend of mine wrote an SMS in the evening before me so I wouldn't go out anyway, because there will be a parade in the downtown, where there are many tourists who will see how cruel the police treat people. But not only his publicity, but his retribution will be tougher for him. So, thinking back and seeing the entries on Facebook, I feel like a coward for not going, but I just had to work.
Since then, everything is moving in the usual order, but this process has definitely drawn a line in the history of our community. The retaliation was tough, but the state power is proud of it, which only highlights how homophobic it really is. They prove that they "successfully" defended the revolution.
It is set as a counter-revolutionary event on all existing communication channels and in the public media, but it is a joke, as they cannot prove that enemies of socialism have been organized. The truth is that the parade of our parade was an elementary demand for self-expression and the equal demands of our peaceful demands without even a politician falling into his nose. And all this was so long as the police did not exhaust it all into violence.
(4)
Let's run a little more cheerful waters. You mentioned that there are many tourists in the downtown of Havana. What are the places you would definitely recommend to warm guests?
There are some hot bars in the city, but for some business reasons, most other nightclubs also hold a so-called hot day. You have to know that the parties are starting out late after 11 pm. In some places, there is a drag queen show around midnight, which can take up to an hour and then the music and dance start.
If I had to pick up some places, one of them is definitely the Las Vegas bar, one of the few hot bars that are open every day of the week with popular drag shows. It is important to note that they are not allowed in a t-shirt or short-sleeved shirt. Regular vendors are also available to lend to long-sleeved shirts and t-shirts for unprepared visitors. Not exactly the coolest bar, there are a lot of male prostitutes, but if you let go of yourself and grasp enough humor, it can be a very good party.
On Saturday evening, after 11 pm, the National Theater will host El Divino parties. There is also a show here and a much larger dance floor, and the more expensive the entry, the more local people keep it. In fact, there is almost no difference between the two already mentioned places.
Then there are other places like the XY bar or El Mixto, which are also open every day. The King Bar gay friendly, La Esencia on Monday nights, Pazilla Wednesday will hold themed hot parties in the evenings.
It is worth mentioning Mi Cayito in Havana, which is the local hot beach - sometimes there are some interesting things going on in the bushes.
(5)
How does HIV work with prostitution? What is the current Cuban HIV situation?
In Cuba, if you do not live in a monogamous relationship, your family and friends will regularly warn you: "be careful, the streets are bad." That means that if you are careless and irresponsible, you can catch some sexually transmitted disease very easily. But this, I think, is everywhere in the world.
In my country, HIV is still a huge stigma to this day. Some of my friends, friends who live with HIV, and many of them dare to tell someone they're getting used to, rather than using them to get infected. Some people do not dare to do so because of their relationship, and this also affects their behavior. However, it has to be said that health care is free and that the government is trying to help people living with HIV, in line with its strength. Recently, I read that PreP will soon become available, which is a fantastic thing and we hope that this will reduce the number of newly infected people. Of course, the situation is complicated by the embargo, but we have wonderful doctors we can trust. In this respect, I think we can be exemplary for the whole world.
(6)
Andrés, please close, tell me a little bit about yourself. What do you do with guided tours, how do you spend your everyday life?
I graduated from community communication. I worked for a while at the Information Center and then at CENESEX, and then, as so many infinitely underpaid graduates, I left the public sector behind myself, and first I was a waiter. Then I cooked at an airbnb hotel and now I work as a full-time tour guide. I've been doing it for four years and I love it. But I also write, paint, and try to put my creations into galleries, which is not easy if you are not at an art school. But I'm patient and I believe it happens for every reason. With my written and painted works, I try to share stories, thoughts about my country, my life and the people I meet. And last but not least, there are things you can't say out loud, but the magic of art can do it.
My story is similar. He is also a career loser, and he was also a waiter, otherwise he would not be able to live anything, so the salaries were so bad. And this is perfectly normal in Cuba. That's why there are so many psychologists, engineers, doctors, journalists, historians who work today as taxi drivers, cooks, waiters, or even security guards.
Sometimes I think about trying life in another country, but only in the short term. I would not be able to leave Cuba permanently behind me. Here my friends live, my parents, my mother is my only son. For the sake of money alone, so that I would function as a cash dispenser for the Hungarians, I would not be willing to go.
Of course, we have our social and economic difficulties, but I feel lucky and have a happy life here. I love and love being surrounded by wonderful and supportive people, I have many reasons to smile. As I mentioned earlier, "Hope is the last thing we can lose."
(7)
Daniel Waliduda
