This morning, our delegation made a visit to the Hemingway
Museum – the home and Caribbean influence of the iconic author.
In the afternoon, we completed what was one of the cultural
highlights of this tour. We performed with the gay Cuban chorus, Mano a Mano
for Cenesex (the government organization for sex education in Cuba). First, Cenesex:
Prior to the performance, we had an hour long discussion
with who I understood to be the #2 at Cenesex. During the conversation, there
were one or two admissions of things that need improvement in Cuba (namely
adoption rights for LGBT people and family-based discrimination). Many
questions were asked about HIV/AIDS, discrimination, and gender identity. A
relatively rosy picture was portrayed on the state of LGBT rights in Cuba. I’ll
have more time to process and accurately write more on this topic from home, so
please stay tuned for that in the coming days.
The performance with Mano a Mano was a highlight of the
week. Mano a Mano is a five-member group that looks more like the backstreet
boys than a chorus. We tooks turns singing. The Cuban group, all very young,
attractive and musically talented (if not a bit green), sang with a live band accompaniment. We’ve learned that many
performers in Cuba rely on what tracks and music are available in Cuba to
determine their programming. Fortunately for Mano a Mano, they have a great
production team behind them and are able to sing mostly original works. At the
end of the performance, both groups combined to sing two songs. Sondheim’s “Our
Time” translated into Spanish has become a bit of an anthem for Mano a Mano.
And of course “Make Them Hear You,” sung in Cuba’s native language, takes on
precient meaning when being performed for the heads of the Cuban government’s
de-facto LGBT rights group.
Amazingly, the day didn’t end there. When we returned to the
hotel (again State-run), the lobby was decked out in rainbow flags hung next to
Cuban flags, and there was a stage set up with our banner hung behind it. With
TV celebrities and politicals drinking mojitos, GMCW performed a near hour-long
set for some of Cuba’s elite. It was one of our most energetic performances
thus far, and I don’t think we know yet the impact it will have.
Later at night, GMCW was invited to a house party given by
the director of Mano a Mano. With actors, well-known singers, and members of
the local gay community, it was one of the more authentic and eclectic
experiences of the week. Among many surprises and learning experiences that
occurred, the producer of Mano a Mano (who has 3 Latin Grammy’s by the way),
was shocked to learn that the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington is all volunteer. That
would never happen in Cuba.
I was surprised, and very pleased, to learn that artists are
among the better paid people in Cuba. Jose Marti, the poet-revolutionary whose
status as a national hero means his statue can be found on every block in Cuba,
left a legacy of personal and political expression through art. Cuba, not known
for it’s tolerance of free speech, does not seem to censor music and art nearly
to the extent that it censors other types of political dissidence. I suppose
even the tightly controlled government of Cuba can’t turn its back on the
artistic roots that sparked its founding.
Good to hear that they aren't censored as much. Don't know if you are getting much news from the States, but a new poll out says that a majority of Americans (`muricans) believe the Supreme Court overreached when they made SSM the law of the land.
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