As for homosexuality – the USSR seems to have had a mixed attitude toward it. Lenin abolished the old Czarist law and the blatant homophobic element demanded by the Orthodox Church – but then a few years later a law preventing men sexually abusing boys was passed (the first anti-paedophile law in the world) which appeared to suggest that homosexuality (of any type) was unnatural (although only involving males). Extract from that what you will. I think that sexual attitudes and concepts of gender identity vary considerably from one non-White country to another – so we must be careful not to project a rigid Eurocentrism onto the subject. China is an interesting case in point – where many indigenous attitudes might be surprising to the average Westerner. On the other hand, if I see gays or trans committing outrageous crimes – I think this needs to be highlighted. This is true regardless as to “why” they might be committing said crimes (as some of these crimes are so horrific there can be no justification). Cuba is a mixture of White and non-White (indigenous) cultures and this will iinfluence how they perceive the gay issue.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 