The marriage of a transgender woman on
Fidel Castro's birthday has created controversy.
The Saturday wedding of Wendy Iriepa
and gay rights activist Ignacio Estrada has been labeled the
island-nation's first gay wedding in a country where such unions are
illegal, the AFP reported.
Iriepa, 37, transitioned from her
former male identity, Alexis, to become Wendy. Her sex change
operation was performed at the center founded by Mariela Castro, the
daughter of Cuba President Raul Castro.
“It's wonderful,” Iriepa said. “It
will be the first 'gay' wedding in Cuba. I don't want this to be
seen as a political act. Even if it's a gift from Fidel, I'm not
worried about what the government thinks.”
The pair met at the Cenesex center
where Iriepa had her procedure, and they were living together a week
later.
“I always said I was gay,” Estrada,
32, said. “But with Wendy, it's totally different. Today, I don't
know what I am – all I know is that I am in love with a woman.”
“He's gay, but he's a man. He has a
penis and he makes me happy. I had a penis, which I used a lot when
I was selling myself on the streets. Now, if I need to resort to sex
toys for him, I will do it,” Iriepa added.