Cuba govt drafts new family code to open ways for gay marriage

Cuba: The Cuban government on Wednesday has published a new family code draft that will open ways to gay marriage if it is approved. 

This decision has been taken in a move that the LGBT rights activists applauded as they continued vigilantly on whether it would be implemented. This new code sets marriage as the – voluntary union of two people without defining gender, instead of the current definition as the – union of a man and woman.

However, the draft still needs to go to a grassroots debate and will then be amended to take into account citizens’ opinions before going to a referendum. 

 LGBT community members have stated that they are frustrated by the pace of change regarding the matter in recent years, whereas a few other Latin American countries have already moved forward with approving gay marriage.

In the region of North America, nations such as – Canada, Costa Rica, the United States, and Mexico practice same-sex marriages. In South America, same-sex marriage is – currently ‘legal’ in – Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Uruguay, in the jurisdictions of French Guiana, the Falkland Islands & South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

While legalising gay/lesbian marriage is still an issue in various nations, where people are not allowed to marry individual of their choice irrespective of gender. 

The Caribbean Nations where same-sex marriage and even same-sex sexual activity is not legal –

• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Dominica
• St Lucia 
• St Kitts and Nevis 
• Jamaica
• Grenada
• Barbados 
• Guyana
• and Antigua and Barbuda. 

While in the Caribbean regions such as – Belize, Anguilla, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago and the British Virgin Islands, same-sex marriage is not legal, but the same sexual activity is permitted.  

This is an issue that demands the attention of the governments. If we look at the LGBT community rights in the Americas, it is legal in 26 out of 35 states.