Cuba’s 2022 Families Code is shaping new progressive laws

Following are comments by Maiteé Navarro Giro on July 29 at the ICAP (Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos / Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples) House of Friendship, in Havana, Cuba, with the participation of the Venceremos Brigade and LGBTIQ+ activists from the United States, along with members of the community networks linked to Cenesex (Centro Nacional de Educación Sexual / National Center for Sex Education), among other invited individuals.

This event was the Cuban launch of the book published in the U.S. by Struggle-La Lucha, “Love is the law: Cuba’s queer rights revolution.” Navarro Giro is a legal advisor to Cenesex, which has led the way in advancing LGBTQI+ rights.

Transcribed and translated by Gregory E. Williams

Hello, I am a legal advisor to Cenesex. And also I belong to the Lesbian and Bisexual Network of Cenesex. I wanted to make a brief comment on the question regarding the implementation of the Families Code. 

Our boss has already said to many of you, but by the end of 2024, we registered 2,170 same-sex marriages. Among these marriages, 850 were between women. The rest were between men. 

Two hundred eighty-two unions were made between people of the same sex. And more than 3,188 people signed up to access techniques of assisted reproduction (in vitro fertilization).

And what I believe to be the most important thing about the Families Code is the language that has educated all of our society. It has been used to educate our society.

The Code has also shaped the laws that we are creating currently. These were mentioned briefly before and have gained international recognition. For example, the approval of the law for civil status registration, the law for the Cuban sports system, and the Code of Children, Adolescents, and Youths. 

All of these were viewed with a gender perspective and were revolutionary steps for Cuba. They give queer and trans people access to the rights that we were always hoping for and fighting for. Especially our community and social activism networks. That’s it, thank you.