Cubans Divided over Same-sex Marriage
2021-10-24
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1Adiel and Lachi hope to get married one day in Cuba.
2The two men want to dress in black for a ceremony by the seashore.
3But the idea of same-sex marriage troubles religious leaders and their followers.
4Recently, the socialist government published a new proposal for a Family Law and asked for public comment ahead of a vote.
5The debate has since turned into a very public clash over same-sex marriage policy.
6Thirty-one-year-old Adiel González is a student of religion.
7His 51-year-old partner, Lachi González, is an accountant.
8They both work at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Matanzas.
9Adiel said putting his right to marriage to a public vote is painful.
10He said it gives the majority of people who are heterosexual the power to decide over the minority of homosexuals.
11Lachi added, "God has no stepchildren, so we are all daughters and sons of God and what Adiel and I do (is) have a life with love."
12The proposed Family Law will be considered by Parliament after the still unscheduled vote.
13The bill has more than 480 articles.
14It expands grandparents' rights and permits financial agreements before marriage.
15The bill sets punishments for committing violence in a marriage.
16And parents can decide whether a child takes the family's name of the mother or the father.
17However, the biggest issue is over changing the definition of marriage.
18Current law defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
19The new bill would change it to between two people.
20The proposal would also permit homosexuals to adopt children and use surrogate pregnancies without payment.
21Reverend Moises de Prada is a top clergy with the Assemblies of God.
22The group has grown quickly in Cuba and now has more than 2,000 churches and 1 million members.
23He said the family structure, in the word of God, "is that which is agreed between a man and a woman and the resulting children."
24Cuba is officially non-religious after the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro.
25But religious groups, including Catholics, Muslims, Protestants and Afro-Cuban religions, have become more influential over the past 25 years.
26Some campaigned in 2018 and 2019 against an earlier vote which would have rewritten the constitution to permit same-sex marriage.
27Opposition from social conservatives was strong enough that the government at that time backed away.
28However, lawmaker Mariela Castro supported the change.
29She is the daughter of then-President Raul Castro and director of Cuba's Center for Sexual Education.
30Justice Minister Oscar Silveira Martínez told The Associated Press that the new proposal "does not construct social realities; it tries to foresee legal solutions, protect those social realities that exist."
31Assemblies of God leader Julio César Sánchez said such same-sex unions would be "the result of sin."
32He added, "because murder also exists. ... That doesn't mean it's good."
33Cuban citizens also have differing opinions.
34Carola Reyna is a 25-year-old housewife.
35She said she was not against same-sex couples being happy.
36"But it seems to me that (adopting) children, they shouldn't get involved in that," she said.
37Nearby was 68-year-old Alberto Dausá. He told the AP, "There are people who are going to be against same-sex couples joining in matrimony, but I think that's something normal."
38I'm Dan Novak.
1Adiel and Lachi hope to get married one day in Cuba. The two men want to dress in black for a ceremony by the seashore. But the idea of same-sex marriage troubles religious leaders and their followers. 2Recently, the socialist government published a new proposal for a Family Law and asked for public comment ahead of a vote. The debate has since turned into a very public clash over same-sex marriage policy. 3Thirty-one-year-old Adiel González is a student of religion. His 51-year-old partner, Lachi González, is an accountant. They both work at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Matanzas. 4Adiel said putting his right to marriage to a public vote is painful. He said it gives the majority of people who are heterosexual the power to decide over the minority of homosexuals. 5Lachi added, "God has no stepchildren, so we are all daughters and sons of God and what Adiel and I do (is) have a life with love." 6The proposed Family Law will be considered by Parliament after the still unscheduled vote. The bill has more than 480 articles. It expands grandparents' rights and permits financial agreements before marriage. The bill sets punishments for committing violence in a marriage. And parents can decide whether a child takes the family's name of the mother or the father. 7However, the biggest issue is over changing the definition of marriage. Current law defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The new bill would change it to between two people. 8The proposal would also permit homosexuals to adopt children and use surrogate pregnancies without payment. 9Reverend Moises de Prada is a top clergy with the Assemblies of God. The group has grown quickly in Cuba and now has more than 2,000 churches and 1 million members. 10He said the family structure, in the word of God, "is that which is agreed between a man and a woman and the resulting children." 11Cuba is officially non-religious after the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro. But religious groups, including Catholics, Muslims, Protestants and Afro-Cuban religions, have become more influential over the past 25 years. Some campaigned in 2018 and 2019 against an earlier vote which would have rewritten the constitution to permit same-sex marriage. 12Opposition from social conservatives was strong enough that the government at that time backed away. However, lawmaker Mariela Castro supported the change. She is the daughter of then-President Raul Castro and director of Cuba's Center for Sexual Education. 13Justice Minister Oscar Silveira Martínez told The Associated Press that the new proposal "does not construct social realities; it tries to foresee legal solutions, protect those social realities that exist." 14Assemblies of God leader Julio César Sánchez said such same-sex unions would be "the result of sin." He added, "because murder also exists. ... That doesn't mean it's good." 15Cuban citizens also have differing opinions. 16Carola Reyna is a 25-year-old housewife. She said she was not against same-sex couples being happy. "But it seems to me that (adopting) children, they shouldn't get involved in that," she said. 17Nearby was 68-year-old Alberto Dausá. He told the AP, "There are people who are going to be against same-sex couples joining in matrimony, but I think that's something normal." 18I'm Dan Novak. 19Andrea Rodríguez reported this story for The Associated Press. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. 20_______________________________________ 21Words in This Story 22heterosexual - adj. sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex 23homosexual - adj. . sexually attracted to people of the same sex 24stepchild - n. your wife's or husband's child by a past marriage or relationship : a stepson or stepdaughter 25article - n. a separate part of a legal document that deals with a single subject 26adopt - v. to take a child of other parents legally as your own child 27surrogate - n. a person or thing that takes the place or performs the duties of someone or something else 28construct - v. to build or make (something physical, such as a road, bridge, or building) 29foresee - v. to see or become aware of something that has not yet happened 30sin - n. an action that is considered to be wrong according to religious or moral law 31matrimony - n. the state of being married