Florida Democrats Expected to Support Cuba's Legalizing of Same-Sex Marriage

The Cuban government has recently voted to legalize same-sex marriage in the island nation. This new measure is just one of 400 articles that reform Cuba's long-standing laws. Additional changes include the allowance of same-sex adoption, surrogate pregnancies, and redefining grandparents' rights in regards to grandchildren.

Support comes from Raul Castro's daughter and Fidel's niece Mariela, though the reform has met opposition from the more socially conservative segments of Cuban society, including the Catholic Church that the government has given more leeway in the past quarter-century.

In fact, opposition to the bill has been open, and previous attempts by the Cuban government to legalize same-sex marriage encountered stiff resistance in 2018 and 2019.

"Love is now the law," Dictator Miguel Diaz-Canel said Monday in celebration of its passage.

With the imminent arrival of Hurricane Ian preoccupying Florida politics,  representatives both federal and state,  do not seem to have been able to offer comment on this development. However, we can expect approval from the Florida Democrats who also champion LGBT rights in the US.

In 2020, Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-47) warned constituents that Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage, was in danger of being overturned, saying, "vote like your life depends on it."

"Two Supreme Court justices are calling to overturn marriage equality. Remember that overturning #Obergefell (gay marriage) is in the Republican Party’s official platform too. Everything is on the line. Vote like your life depends on it," she said.

Similarly, Rep. Carlos G. Smith (D-49), who is gay himself, slammed the Florida Family Policy Council during the gubernatorial debates in 2018 for homophobic remarks that "make me sick."

"The FIRST public debate for GOP gubernatorial candidates is with HATE GROUP, @FLPolicyInsider who compare homosexuality to incest + say opposing gay marriage is “worth dying for.” Pandering to these bigots takes FIRST priority for @adamputnam+@RonDeSantisFL. You make me sick," Rep. Smith tweeted.

Finally, after the implementation of Obergefell v. Hodges itself, Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-23) issued a statement expressing joy at the news. "This is a momentous and moving day in Florida history. Today, we proudly turn the page on marriage discrimination and look toward a future that is more loving and closer to our ideals as a state," she had said.