A New Campaign For Marriage Equality Announced

A New Campaign For Marriage Equality Announced / 14ymedio, Orlando Palma
Posted on November 26, 2015

14ymedio, Orlando Palma, Havana, 25 November 2015 — After forty years
together, Roberto's partner died this year from a respiratory condition,
but he will not collect a penny of the widow's pension because in Cuba
same-sex unions are not legally recognized or protected. Situations like
this are in the sights of several independent organizations that demand
rights for the LGBTI community, and that have just launched a campaign
for marriage equality.

"We also love," is the slogan under which different civil society groups
will demand a legal framework that allows unions between people of the
same sex, and equality of rights between homosexuals and heterosexuals.
The initiative was presented to the press this Tuesday and will go
public on the first of December.

Among the groups involved in the project is Corriente Martiana (Current
[José] Martí), which is working on this project in coordination with the
Cuban Foundation for LGBTI Rights, led by Nelson Gandulla in Cienfuegos
province, and which shares the lead in the new campaign with the
Integration Project of the Gay Community in Cuba led by Navit Fernandez
in Havana.

Other entities not directly related to the LGTBI environment have begun
to get involved in the project after being invited to show solidarity,
such as the Candidates for Change project.

The organizers have developed several initiatives. including the
presentation of a written request to the People's Power delegates during
weekly office hours they have with their constituents. Each of the
activists should ask for a receipt that gives evidence of the request
and that will accompany the collective petition that is finally delivered.

The collective petition will be delivered to the National Center for Sex
Education (CENESEX) and the Cuban Parliament, Moises Leonardo,
spokesperson for the Corriente Martiana, explained to 14ymedio.

"First we will present it in municipal assemblies, then in the provinces
and finally to the National Assembly of People's Power. We will seek the
support of artists and personalities of our culture, as well as a number
of independent civil society organizations that want to join us. The
campaign starts the first of December and will last six months, but even
when that date has passed it will be ongoing."

This campaign seeks to protect a couple's rights, such as inheritance or
insurance payments with respect to accidents at work, as well as
obtaining legal protection for the distribution of property in the case
of a separation.

"The intention is to climb one more step in the defense of human rights
for a sector of the population. Practice tells us that the LGBTI
community is very united in defense of their rights, and that encourages
us a lot," added Leonardo.

Source: A New Campaign For Marriage Equality Announced / 14ymedio,
Orlando Palma | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/a-new-campaign-for-equal-marriage-announced-14ymedio-orlando-palma/