Viva Cuba

While waiting for the roofers to arrive this morning, I read an interesting article about a recently proposed bill in Cuba which would provide free sex change operations and hormonal treatment for transsexuals! Wow. According to Mariela Castro (Fidel's niece), the bill is receiving positive support. Here's the article:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/06/29/cuba.sex.reut/index.html

Anyway, for all those intellectuals who often dismiss/discount communism/socialism/Marxism on the grounds that gender/sexuality are ignored, I would suggest they look to Cuba for an alternative example. Although Castro notes in the article that homophobic attitudes persist, there have been remarkable changes around gender issues over the past several years. For evidence of this, read about the Cuban Women's Federation -- a real model of progress that the US women's movement should examine. It's fascinating to think queers were forced into work camps in the 1960s, but by 1979 the country reversed this position and outlawed the crime of sodomy. Tell that to Texas and all the other stupid states/cities in the US that still have sodomy listed as a criminal act--not to mention sex stores or purchasing dildos. Democracy? What democracy? Oh, today US-style democracy is managing to expedite missiles to Israel while the 9th ward in New Orleans remains untouched almost a year after Katrina hit. Bullshit.

Today Washington upheld their gay marriage ban, joining a long list of other states (including NY) who refuse to acknowledge gay unions. I hope Cuba passes this bill which many believe would make it the most liberal country in Latin America. And, I hope the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela continues to inspire and spread like wildfire . . . Cindy Sheehan (whom Bitch Face Coulter called the Dennis Rodman of the anti-war movement) has visited Chavez twice and has been publicly ridiculed in the US media for her decision to spend time with him. As she said, Chavez can speak unscripted, for hours, about most any topic, while our commander in chief is lucky if he can read the back of a cereal box.