Cuban National Center for Sex Education

The National Center for Sex Education (Centro Nacional de Educación Sexual, or CENESEX) is a government-funded body in Cuba. The center is best known for advocating tolerance of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender issues on the island. The head of the center is Mariela Castro, daughter of Raúl Castro, the brother of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

The center
CENESEX’s mission is to contribute to “the development of a culture of sexuality that is full, pleasurable and responsible, as well as to promote the full exercise of sexual rights.” The center plays a primary role in education concerning contraception and AIDS.

Promoting changes to Cuban law
The center is pushing for passage of a law that would give transsexuals free Sex reassignment surgery and Hormone replacement therapy in addition to granting them new identification documents with their changed gender. A draft bill was presented to the Cuban parliament in 2005. It is expected to come up for a vote in December 2006. If approved, it is suggested that the bill would make Cuba the most liberal nation in Latin America on gender issues.