Homoparental families in health policies and legal regulations: the Cuban case

Abstract

Introduction: Since January 1959, the social policies in Cuba, have had a consistent approach with the socialist principles of the Revolution. One of the visible social groups is the family, even when there is no social policy focused directly on their demands as an institution or place for intervention. The existing programs have to do with the needs of certain members of the community, such as children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with disabilities. They also protect and institutionalize a nuclear and heterosexual family model, but models which break with this vision are left out. It is the case of homoparental families. Objectives: The research aims at describing the management given to homoparental families by the social health policies and legal regulations in Cuba. Methodology: It is mainly a qualitative study in which the content analysis was used to obtain the information. Results: The concepts of family and marriage in Cuba protect the union between a man and a woman. Social policies respond to the interests of nuclear and heterosexual families. Homoparental families continue to be on the margins of social programs and policies, which brings about inequalities to these families.