Cuba, Once Oppressive to Sexual Minorities, Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage... National Referendum 'Passed'

Majority of 66.87% Support Same-Sex Marriage in Referendum
Defined as 'Union of Two People' Regardless of Gender
"Historic Change, Human Dignity Recognized Without Exception"

On the 19th (local time), a gay pride festival was held on Paulista Avenue in downtown S?o Paulo, Brazil. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Juri] In Cuba, a Latin American communist country that had been suppressing homosexuality, same-sex marriage has officially become possible. In a referendum on the amendment of the family law allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt, two-thirds of the voters, more than half, voted in favor of same-sex marriage, marking what is being called a 'historic change.'

On the 25th (local time), Alina Balseiro Gutierrez, chairperson of Cuba's Central Election Commission, announced the referendum results on the family law amendment: 66.87% (3,936,790 votes) in favor and 33.13% (1,950,090 votes) against.

Thus, the referendum on the family law amendment passed with a majority of valid votes in favor.

The family law amendment, consisting of more than 400 articles, mainly changes the definition of marriage from the existing "voluntary union of a man and a woman" to a "voluntary union between two persons," regardless of gender.

As a result of the national referendum on the amendment of family law, two-thirds of the majority voted in favor of same-sex marriage. Photo by AP Yonhap News

After the 1959 communist revolution, Cuba suppressed sexual minorities, sending same-sex couples to labor camps, but since the 2000s, it has improved LGBTQ+ rights by allowing sex reassignment surgery and prohibiting workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.

According to the Washington Post (WP), the referendum to amend the family law enacted in 1975 was held nationwide in Cuba on this day.

The referendum process also included a public consultation last September when the draft amendment was released to gather public opinion.

Cuba's state-run media Granma described it as a "historic change for those who were discriminated against, families outside tradition, and couples who could not legalize their love," adding that "the people answered yes to create a country that upholds the full dignity of every human being without exception."

However, religious groups, including the influential Catholic Church in Cuba, have expressed opposition on doctrinal grounds, so some social controversy is expected after the law's amendment.

Religious circles in Cuba argue that "allowing same-sex marriage will change the relationship between parents and children, weakening family bonds."

Currently, about 30 countries have fully legalized or permitted same-sex marriage, mostly Western European countries such as the United States, the Netherlands, and Belgium. In Asia, Taiwan is the only country that has allowed same-sex marriage since 2019.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.