Castro accepts blame for revolution’s homophobia

Continuing his image rehabilitation campaign, ex-Cuban President Fidel Castro called the rampant homophobia in the initial stages of his revolution a "great injustice."

During an interview with La Jornada, Castro said that while he was not prejudiced against gays, the blame for the homophobic atmosphere lay only with himself. He claims that he was "too busy" with other matters — such as trying to survive U.S. assassination attempts — to deal with the discriminatory policies.

In the same interview, Castro also claimed that he nearly died four years ago, and that he wished to stop what he believed to be an imminent nuclear war between Iran, the United States, and Israel.

Cuban homosexuals were branded as counterrevolutionaries and sent to detention camps for the first decade of Castro’s rule. In 1970, homosexual acts were decriminalized. (Cuba now provides free sex changes.)

It’s a bit late, but Castro deserves plaudits for his words.