La Cara Oculta de la Luna

One reason communistic governments have never warmed my heart is that they’ve been even more homophobic than my own. Cuban television’s The Dark Side of the Moon may be shifting that slightly as a married man becomes the lover of another guy. A surprise given Cuba’s hypermasculine culture.

But it also has sparked a more open debate about homosexuality in a society where macho attitudes persist. And while some Cubans have welcomed the debate, others have been offended, questioning why such subject matter is even discussed on ”revolutionary” state television.

”From now on, these themes will have to be discussed with more frankness,” said Fredy Dominguez, script writer for the telenovela that has sparked discussions among Cubans of all ages and walks of life.

Reactions from some viewers were so intense that the government brought together a panel of experts to discuss the show. One viewer called in, outraged that homosexual relationships were presented ”as if they were natural.”

Cuban soap’s gay story starts dialogue