My Father Wanted to Kill Me for Being Myself: A Trans Cuban Shares Her Story

In recognition of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, a transgender woman from Las Tunas opened up this past Sunday about her experiences with family rejection, fleeing her home, and seeking her true self. Her testimony sheds light on the ongoing struggles faced by many transgender individuals in Cuba.

At 32 years old, Susel recounted to Periódico 26 of Las Tunas how she lived as Yosbel for 22 years, presenting as a young man from the Las Minervas neighborhood in San Antonio, Jobabo.

"My name is Susel. For 22 years, the world knew me as Yosbel, a rural boy. But that was never truly who I was," she expressed.

The hostility began at home, where her father refused to accept her gender identity, resorting to physical intimidation.

"My father would watch me, chase me with a machete, wanting to kill me for being who I am. I had no choice but to escape home to save my life," Susel recounted.

Forced to leave her family behind, Susel also had to pause her education. Although she completed a technical degree in Food Preparation, she did not pursue further studies.

For two years, she endured a difficult period cleaning a park in Jobabo's community services.

Finding a New Beginning

The turning point came when she moved to Guayaban in Amancio, where she found a community of other transgender individuals.

"I got tired of dressing like a man and started living as a woman full-time. It was a rebirth for me," she shared.

Today, Susel has embraced her identity as a woman for a decade. She is employed as a general service assistant and salon secretary at the Guevara Hospital in Las Tunas.

"There, I feel like I'm with family; there's no discrimination, everyone calls me Susel. It's wonderful," she affirmed. She also fondly remembered her time working at the provincial station Radio Victoria.

Susel chose her name because she liked its sound and discovered that it means "peace."

Currently, she is in the legal process of changing her name on official documents while retaining her parents' surnames.

Her relationship with family remains "bittersweet." Her mother accepts her and calls her Susel, but her father does not.

"When visitors come and ask for Susel, my dad jumps in, 'No, it's Yosbel, my son,'" she explained.

Support and Progress in Cuba

Raydel Bejerano Balmaceda, a psychologist with the provincial ITS-HIV-AIDS and hepatitis team in Las Tunas, emphasized that self-acceptance is crucial.

"Self-acceptance is the first step for society to accept and respect you as you are. It relates to self-evaluation, self-esteem, and self-concept," he stated.

Bejerano highlighted available support resources in Las Tunas: a provincial trans coordinator, municipal counseling promoters, the "Tuna ayuda" helpline, and a friendly space behind the Provincial Hygiene Center operating from 4 p.m.

Despite legal strides such as the 2019 Constitution banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and the 2025 law allowing gender marker changes without surgery or court orders, Cuban activists in 2026 point out significant gaps between legal rights and everyday practice. Effective implementation in workplaces, schools, and healthcare remains a major challenge.

Brenda Díaz's case, a transgender woman imprisoned for participating in the July 11 protests in 2021 and held in a men's prison before her release in January 2025, continues to exemplify institutional violence against transgender individuals in Cuba.

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia is observed on May 17, commemorating the World Health Organization's 1990 decision to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.