All tagged Cuba

Though he lived and worked as an outspoken, openly gay, Cuban-born man, conceptual artist Félix González-Torres never wanted any singular aspect of his life to box him in or define his craft. He didn’t care for being labeled a “gay artist” or “Latino artist,” despite the fact that much of his work incorporated themes and imagery from these identities. Through his art, González-Torres addressed—albeit abstractly—a variety of urgent political and social issues, particularly when it came to matters regarding discriminatory public policies, censorship of LGBTQ+ artists, and perhaps most importantly, the global impact of the AIDS epidemic.

The life and legacy of Fidel Castro is a hotly debated topic even now years after his death. With a controversial man like that, it is hardly surprising. Loved for his revolutionary policies and how he changed and shaped a country, he is equally hated for his attacks on different groups within Cuba, including the queer community. While many queer people supported his rise to power, some being among the fiercest revolutionaries, Castro responded with violent homophobia. He jailed queer people, and his influence made Cuba an overall more hostile place for queer people. In the story of Reinaldo Arenas, the damage left on a queer person who was able to escape is clear. José Lezama Lima’s story is one of someone who stayed.

Reinaldo Arena

To paraphrase the great Terry Pratchett, it is a curse to live in interesting times. Thus, as the world is once again witnessing a great change, we at Queer History are unable to remove ourselves from current events. It is impossible to ignore the connection between what is occurring now in Cuba and what once occurred. This week, this relationship between past and present is found in two deaths: that of Fidel Castro on November 25th, 2016, and that of Reinaldo Arenas on December 7th, 1990.