Cuba: Hotel opening announcement for LGBTQIA+ community generates a negative reaction from activists and accusations of pinkwashing
“Does an LGBTIQ+ Hotel in Havana Mean Progress?”, 05 July 2021
...Cubans of all ages, identifying with the LGBTIQ+ community or not, have reacted in many different ways, from accusing the Cuban government of pinkwashing to saying that a hotel like this one also discriminates against its members; while, on the other hand, there are people who see this as a hotel that discriminates against those who don’t belong or identify with the community...LGBTIQ+ activists reacted with reminders of the rights they still don’t have, and the absence of inclusive programs. Kiriam Gutierrez posted a list as a political and legislative agenda: “we don’t want hotels, or clubs, or restaurants, or bars. We want rights, we want same-sex marriage, we want assisted reproduction for same-sex couples, we want protection for trans children, we want laws that penalize homophobia and transphobia, we want a Gender Identity Act, we want a Trans Act”...Controversial complaints from clients have been reported quite a few times, saying that there are “too many homosexuals” in a certain hotel; or for presenting a service with an ad where you see a same-sex couple...Silvia Perez, the Director of Communications and Marketing at Axel Hotels, stated that they practice a heterofriendly philosophy; that is to say, they are “spaces conceived by and for the LGBTIQ+ community, but are open to everyone, where anyone is welcome [and] where freedom and respect are the most important values”...There has been talk of pinkwashing, a concept which, in this case, calls into question political and market strategies that promote people, products, companies etc,. as a LGBTIQ+ supporter in order to project a progressive and modern image...