Hollister’s Reviews > Rainbow Solidarity in Defense of Cuba > Status Update

The revolution challenged biological determinism and previous ideologies (patriarchal, etc). However, it continued to be opposed by the US government. Queer men had to do agrarian work to sustain the sugarcane crop, and apparently that led to a social contradiction which was exploited by US propaganda.

Shutting down those industries was not looked upon favorably by the queer community because they lost their community. Therefore, they werepreyed upon by counter-revolutionaries. Gay bars became seen as centers of counter-revolutionary activities. Women had an easier time of it because they participated in the revolution. Formed the Cuban Women's Federation (FMC), won legal equality.

Oooh, the first act of the Cuban Revolution was to dismantle the sex-for-profit industry.

In 1959, many gay Cubans fled Cuba for the US. The propagandized it that they were experiencing homophobic treatment in the new communist Cuba and making communism and Cuba the scapegoat. I think, I'm not entirely sure of these conclusions.

In the 1950s, queer Cubans moved to urban Havana from rural areas seeking jobs. Many found prostitution. Cuba never got a "gay culture", though, due to the "isolation from the mainstream of social life". I hope we learn more about Santeria, a mix of African and Cuban religious beliefs that are anti-imperialist.

The US militarily occupid Cubs for four years, 1898 to 1902, and from 1902 until the 1959 Cuban Revolution, it established dictatorships to exploit Cuba's natural resources, sugar.

The propaganda led to US queer youth confronting queer groups on their support of Cuba. "The truth to begin with is this: Communists did not bring anti-homosexual prejudice to the Americas. The development of class societies and colonialism did."

American "big-business" spun the Cuban Revolution as anti-queer, but in fact it was good for queer people living there. The propaganda machine was alive and well.

I know virtually nothing about the Cuban Revolution.... Probably more accurately: I know nothing about the Cuban Revolution. But I'm eager toread more Feinberg even if I don't understand hir work.