With the aim of raising awareness within Cuban society regarding the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex (LGBTI) community and their experiences within the workplace, the Eighth Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia was launched on May 5 and will run until May 23, providing analysis, exchanges and education on the spaces where discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is most felt.
Federico Graña, national director of Socio-cultural Advocacy of the Uruguayan Ministry of Social Development, stressed the need for nations to continue to work together in order to promote a more inclusive education.
“This is aday ofupdates onwhat we have beendoing in ourregion andbeyond the speechesand presentations, building solidarityis achieved withconcrete politicalpractice: that is wherewe try to focus our workin orderto strengthen the South-Southexchangesand cooperationthat make usincreasingly independent.”
“It's the second time I’m participating in this event, and beyond this, as a Uruguayan I think highly of Cuba. We have to learn a lot from this nation in regard to the health rights of transsexuals, for which we have sought to enhance exchanges and prepare courses and meetings,” he added.
The work developed by Cuba in defense of the rights of LGBTI people, equal conditions for everyone and the strong commitment of the Cuban Workers’Federation (CTC) on the way towards achieving a society that respects diversity, were some of the factors Graña identified as outstanding in the efforts undertaken on the island.
Regarding the workplace, the focus of this year’s activities, he noted that although this is one of the most vulnerable areas, other spheres such as the family or schools also need to be addressed.
“In the case of gender identity and transsexual people, the custom or habit according to the cultural construct at least, is that of rejection or total exclusion from many spaces,” he explained.
“The family is a vulnerable area because often people with a different gender identity to their biological are kicked out of their homes; schools are (vulnerable spaces) for adolescents because although they are not officially expelled, in practice this is a space that enables harassment, verbal and even physical abuse, creating instability; and in the case of workspaces, worldwide, transsexual people find it is very difficult to get any work other than in the sex trade.”
Regarding the latter, Graña explained that often inhabiting a gender identity different to their biological one means these people “are condemned to (work in) the sex trade, as this is not a free choice but rather a circumstance stemming from their economic situation as they are excluded from other spaces.”
According to the Uruguayan, the same thing occurs for gays and lesbians, especially when there is hearsay regarding their sexual orientation or their performance at work is questioned.
“The first thing that comes to mind within society when these people make a mistake are work is that this is due to their sexual orientation. Sometimes this is expressed through verbal insults, other times behind their backs, or in the most extreme cases scenes of physical violence transpire,” he said.
“Such acts serve to restrict the freedom of these people, and although the unions have the responsibility of ensuring the rights of all workers, they must also respect the equal value of sexually diverse people,” he added.
Graña emphasized the role of Mariela Castro, director of the Cuban National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX), in this battle against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in different spheres, with emphasis on the workplace.
Spaces for debate and discussion in different areas are extremely valuable as, “although there is recognition from the legal point of view regarding bad habits, prejudices, or ways of treating each other, if these are not tackled using scientific evidence which clarify that they are wrong it is very difficult to change them in everyday practice.”
