| On December 27, 2007, a group of North Americans | | | | transgender reassignment surgery. These changes |
| will make history by flying to Havana on the first | | | | are being broadly debated by the population, yet |
| ever Queers to Cuba Tour. They'll spend eight days | | | | North Americans hear very little about this kind of |
| experiencing the island's rich cultural heritage and | | | | popular democracy." |
| meeting representatives of Cuban organizations | | | | The tour is being organized by Cuba Education Tours |
| working for sexual dignity. Activists from CENESEX | | | | of Vancouver, Canada, whose coordinator, Marcel |
| (the National Center for Sexual Education), the Cuban | | | | Hatch, insists, "The image of Cuba as a gulag for |
| organization advancing queer reforms and AIDS | | | | LGBT people is false. It's a myth invented by |
| awareness, will brief tour members on the island | | | | opponents of revolutionary Cuba. As a gay, I feel |
| scene. | | | | safer in Cuba than in Canada or the States. Soon |
| Program highlights include joining the throng | | | | island queers will enjoy greater rights and freedoms |
| celebrating the 49th anniversary of the Cuban | | | | than their counterparts in the USA." |
| Revolution in Old Havana, attending an authentic drag | | | | Ricardo Alarcon, president of Cuba's National |
| show, swimming at the gay beach, learning salsa | | | | Assembly, has said, "We have to abolish any form of |
| dancing from island pros, and sampling the city's | | | | discrimination against those persons. We have to |
| exciting nightlife. Tour participants will explore colonial | | | | redefine the concept of marriage. Socialism should be |
| and modern Havana, sample museums of art and | | | | a society that does not exclude anybody." |
| history, and visit the eco-community at Las Terrazas | | | | Sonja de Vries recalls, "When I visited Cuba last |
| in Pinar de Rio. | | | | December with a group, we met with CENESEX |
| The farewell dinner will be at La Guarida Restaurant | | | | president Mariela Castro Espin and she told us about |
| where the famous 1995 movie "Strawberry and | | | | the concrete work being done with transgender |
| Chocolate" starring Jorge Perugorria and Vladimir Cruz | | | | people, with lesbians, and with families to encourage |
| was filmed. In the movie, a young Communist Party | | | | support of their LGBT kids. Several members of my |
| activist learns the meaning of live and let live from a | | | | group were in tears. To see these efforts being |
| gay artistic director. | | | | carried out in a way that is so respectful and |
| The tour is being conducted by Sonja de Vries, | | | | compassionate is not something most of us have |
| co-founder of San Francisco-based Queers for Cuba, | | | | experienced with institutions, much less government!" |
| the first LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) | | | | The inaugural Queers to Cuba Tour will run from |
| group to be officially invited to Cuba. Ms de Vries | | | | December 27, 2007, to January 3, 2008. Participants |
| studied race and gay issues in Havana from 1993 to | | | | will stay at the Hotel St John's in the heart Havana's |
| 1994, and her groundbreaking documentary "Gay | | | | Vedado entertainment district. The services of a |
| Cuba" remains the last word on the subject. | | | | multilingual Cuban guide and a professional bus |
| "The Queers to Cuba Tour comes at an exciting time | | | | chauffeur will be provided throughout. It's an event |
| for LGBT equality in Cuba," says Sonja de Vries. "The | | | | LGBT people and their friends from Canada, the |
| Cubans are drafting legislation to allow same sex | | | | United States, and beyond will not want to miss. |
| unions, lesbian adoption and insemination, and | | | | |