As Cuba celebrates the 50th year anniversary of the failed U.S. Bay of Pigs invasion, a place at the table for the gays

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of Cubans gathered at Havana's Revolution Square to observe the 50th anniversary of the failed U.S. Bay of Pigs invasion.

The historic event, known in Cuba as the Girón Beach Battle, has always been celebrated with a huge annual military parade and fireworks akin to the 4th of July or Veteran's Day celebrations in the United States.

It's also preceded and followed by huge public rallies dedicated this year to the younger generations by Cuban president Raúl Castro (he expressed concern that those who surrounded him were reaching his age or were older and said he wanted to promote the participation of younger generations in Cuban revolutionary party politics).

His daughter, Mariela Castro, was also there as the director of the National Center for Sexual Education (CENESEX) and led an unofficial LGBT contingent who proudly carried the rainbow flag next to the Cuban flag (that's Mariela Castro at the center in the picture holding the rainbow flag).

On their site, CENESEX posted additional photos and noted that their participation in the historic ceremony comes in advance of the 4th Annual Congress Against Homophobia which will take place in May and feature cultural and educational forums throughout the island including Havana, Camagüey, Ciego de Ávila, Granma, Villa Clara and, yes, Guantanamo.

No word on whether U.S. actor Sean Penn will show up after taking a rain-check last year when he was invited to the Cuban premiere of Gus Van Sant's "Milk" during last year's anti-homophobia events.

Previously:

• Glee in Cuba (Feb. 11, 2011)
• Cuba goes both ways on gay rights (Jan. 11, 2011)
• Sean Penn will go to Cuba to talk about "Milk", just not next week (May 11, 2010)
• Sean Penn receives official invite to Cuba's annual anti-homophobia cultural summit (May 8, 2010)
• Fidel Castro on persecution against gays in Cuba: "If someone is responsible, it is me" (Aug. 31, 2010)
• Mariela Castro on LGBT rights, Barack Obama (Jan. 10, 2010)

Glee in Cuba

Camilo García, who works in the Sexual Diversity arm of the Cuban National Sexual Education Center (CENESEX), took to his blog yesterday to share his surprise that a state-sponsored Cuban television channel was showing weekly episodes from the first season of the U.S. television hit "Glee".  A translated edited version of García's post follows ("'Glee', a lesson in respect towards human diversity", Feb. 9, 2011).

Once again Cuban television surprises us with the broadcast of a series from the United States in which the respect towards diversity, including sexual diversity, is treated openly and through clear messages. We had already noted the airing of "Six Feet Under" a few months ago, but this time the TV series "El Coro" ("Glee") comes to us on a privileged day and time, in which everyone can see it: Saturdays at 5:45pm, on Cubavision...

...what draws our attention is how the series treats the case of Kurt, an extremely effeminate gay, who showcases the most divine of extravagant fashions and even reaches the tone of a soprano when singing.  With his 'bothersome' look (to those who are the most homophobic), he proudly confronts his way of being, and challenges the world with his amply demonstrated talents and virtues, even in the harsh game of football. His father, an apparently dumb mechanic, gives us a masterclass in sensitivity and humanity in defending his son against any discriminatory attempts based on his physical appearance, his mannerisms or his sexual orientation.

For all these lessons that reach the viewer in a fresh and entertaining way and which do so much good when exposed to society, let "Glee" be welcome on the Cuban screens.  Although it's a shame that it has to be a foreign series - and from the United States to top it all off - that brings clear and powerful messages in regards to diversity.  How much longer do we have to wait for these type of messages, but "made in Cuba?"

Cuban television has tackled LGBT issues in the past beginning with a government sponsored series in June of 2006 called "La Cara Oculta de la Luna" ("The Dark Side of the Moon").  The series was produced with the backing of the CENESEX and had an educational HIV prevention angle but a storyline involving the relationship of a gay man with another married bisexual man caught the country's imagination and led to as frank a depiction of man to man love as had been presented on Cuban television up until that time.

CENESEX, under the leadership of its director, Mariela Castro Espín, has also organized an annual cultural celebration in May in observance of the "International Day Against Homophobia" which has brought actors, directors, artists and performers to celebrate LGBT culture.

Last year, in its 3rd year, the event drew some international attention for showcasing Gus Van Sandt's "Milk" and Castro Espín's open invite to American actor Sean Penn to attend the film's showing.  Sean Penn said he was otherwise occupied at the time but promised to show up at a later date.

Castro Espín also happens to be the daughter of Raúl Castro, the current Cuban president.

NOTE: Most of Latin America catch subtitled episodes of "Glee" a few weeks after they air on U.S. television on multi-national cable networks that license the rights to rebroadcast the show outside the country.  A few unlucky viewers catch dubbed versions of "Glee" (instead of the subtitled versions).

I'm not sure if the version being aired in Cuba is a subtitled version or a dubbed version. The clip above is from Mexico's Azteca TV network.

Previously:

• Cuba goes both ways on gay rights (Jan. 22, 2011)
• Fidel Castro on persecution against gays in Cuba: "If someone is responsible. it's me" (Aug. 31, 2010)
• Mariela Castro says Cuba did not shut down first gay pride march (July 8, 2008)