In general, Cuba has a poor record on gay and lesbian rights, and while the situation has improved somewhat, there are still high levels of homophobia and broad societal rejection of gays and lesbians. For decades following the Revolution, gays and lesbians were closeted and persecuted. The harsh measures they faced included forced labor and prison. The blockbuster movie Fresa y chocolate (Strawberry and Chocolate) certainly brought the issue to the forefront, yet little has changed in the prevailing views of this macho society. There are no openly accepted gay or lesbian establishments in Cuba, and none of the established gay and lesbian tour operators run trips to the island. While travelers are generally not hassled in Cuba and given somewhat further leeway in terms of social mores, same-sex signs of physical affection are rare and frowned upon across the country. Gay and lesbian couples and singles should take the prevailing social climate into account when traveling in Cuba.
The documentary film, Gay Cuba, by Sonja de Vries (Frameline Films; www.frameline.org), is an honest look at the treatment of gays and lesbians in modern Cuba. Despite its promising domain name, the website www.gay-cuba.com is somewhat out of date and light on truly helpful information.
The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) (tel. 800/448-8550 or 954/776-2626; www.iglta.org) is the trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry, and offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-friendly travel businesses; go to their website and click on "Members."
