|
HAVANA – She has her uncle's penchant for speaking her mind. From herfather, she inherited a disciplined tenacity. But Mariela Castro, a married mother of three and member of Cuba'smost powerful family, has paved her own way in making gay rightsher life's cause. And now the 49-year-old daughter of PresidentRaul Castro is about to make a controversial visit to the UnitedStates for a conference on Latin America. "She has put herself at the forefront of the struggle for rightsfor the LGBT community," said Gloria A. Careaga Perez, a professorof psychology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico whowill be on Mariela Castro's panel at the San Francisco gathering ofthe Latin American Studies Association on Thursday. "What she doesis praiseworthy because she is a pioneer, an academic and politicalauthority who stands up for human rights." Requests to interview Castro were not granted ahead of her trip,and four friends and admirers declined to speak on the record, asymptom of Cubans' deep misgivings about openly discussing membersof the Castro family. But while others are shy of giving their name, Castro has not been,particularly when it comes to her signature issue. She has lobbiedfor years for her father's government to legalize same-sexmarriage, something he has not done. Earlier this month, Castrosaid the president privately shares her views on gay rights, anddeclined to push him to go public. While she has no doubt benefited from her surname, Castro says ithas always been important to her to have a separate identity. "I never wanted any part of that, 'the daughter of ...'" she saidseveral years ago at a book launch in Havana. "I despise people whoget on that kind of carriage, and I love myself very much for notdoing so. I never did, and I never will." But no matter how much Castro desires to set her own course,controversy will follow her on her trip to San Francisco preciselybecause of her father and uncle, both reviled by manyCuban-Americans and enemies of Washington for more than half acentury. When word came last week that the State Department had issued anentry visa to Castro — as well as at least 60 other Cubanscholars — Cuban-American politicians were quick to pounce.Florida Sen. Marco Rubio accused her of bringing a campaign ofanti-Americanism to U.S. shores, while New Jersey Sen. RobertMenendez said he was "indignant" over her presence. They and others noted that U.S. rules prohibited Communist Partymembers and other high-ranking Cuban government officials fromentry without special dispensation. While Mariela Castro is notofficially part of the government, her personal ties to Cubanleaders are clearly evident. The State Department has refused to comment on individual visacases. Castro is due to chair a panel on the politics of sexualdiversity in San Francisco and to meet with the local LGBTcommunity. On May 29, she is to participate in a talk at the NewYork Public Library. As head of Cuba's National Center for Sex Education, or Cenesex,since 2000, Castro has acquired a much higher profile than hersiblings and cousins, becoming a leading advocate for gay rights inCuba, Latin America and beyond. Attractive, intelligent and quick to smile, Castro has a flair fordressing elegantly in bright colors. She is commonly seen headingup annual gay pride marches in the capital, flanked bysix-foot-tall transvestites. Outspoken and self-confident, shemeets regularly with visiting dignitaries, including a delegationof U.S. women last year, and travels the world giving talks aboutgay rights. In conversation she looks questioners directly in the eye, is quickto speak and punctuates her words with animated gestures. She isreported to have two children with her husband, a Sicilian-bornphotographer, and a third child from a previous marriage, thougheven those basic details are not easily confirmed in Cuba. And while Castro does not regularly give interviews, she is farfrom reclusive. She is the only member of her famous family to really embraceTwitter; Fidel and Raul's accounts are dry and impersonal,apparently managed by underlings. She's also not afraid to mix itup with critics, as she did last year in a very public Twitter spatwith dissident blogger Yoani Sanchez. Grumbling about "despicable parasites" criticizing her just hoursafter her debut on the social media platform, Castro tweeted: "Wereyou ordered by your employers to respond to me in unison and withthe same predetermined script? Be creative." It was a rare moment of direct confrontation between a Castro andone of the dissidents, who are officially disparaged ascounterrevolutionary sellouts doing the bidding of Washington, andit showed her willingness to depart from the prepared script, evenif in defense of the government. She was born July 27, 1962, to the power couple of the CubanRevolution: Raul Castro and Vilma Espin, also a prominent guerrillawho later was president of the Federation of Cuban Women, a memberof the Communist Party's Central Committee and Fidel's first ladystand-in for years when he had no official partner. Espin died in2007. Mariela, who bears a close resemblance to Espin, cites her mother'sinfluence and has called her work a continuation of Espin's laborto advance women's rights in Cuba and Latin America. "She was very sweet and tender. She passed along her values ineducating us," Castro once said. By contrast, Castro sometimesquarreled with her father, though she has said she was always proudof his accomplishments. It was at college in the late 1970s that Castro had her eyes openedto the gay rights movement, as a student leader who successfullyfought off attempts to have gays expelled for their sexualorientation. That tendency to go against the grain stuck, and four decades laterCastro is still speaking her mind. "It would be very easy for me to repeat what the whole world wantsto hear, not contradicting anybody, being sweeter and moreaccepted. But my work obliges me to present realities that noteveryone wants to face," Castro said at the book launch. "I'm notgoing to stop doing and saying what I believe in. The day I can nolonger do that, I might as well spend my time planting lettuceinstead.". The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Kitchen Aid Grater Manufacturer , Stainless Steel Hand Blender, and more. For more , please visit Stainless Steel Hand Blender today!
Related Articles -
Kitchen Aid Grater Manufacturer, Stainless Steel Hand Blender,
|
