In a landmark achievement for LGBTQ rights in Cuba, Ely Malik Reyes, a 26-year-old transgender man, made history on June 1 by competing for the first time in the male 60/65-kilogram (132/143-pound) category of sanda. This demanding contact sport blends martial arts like kung fu with kickboxing, and Reyes’s participation marks a significant step towards inclusion in one of Latin America’s most progressive countries regarding LGBTQ rights.
Yet, this milestone didn’t come without its challenges. Reyes has faced numerous obstacles, from the lack of medications to laws that restrict changing one’s gender on official documents, and the “suspicious looks” he sometimes receives from people in the street. “Educating society doesn’t happen in two days,” Reyes said, reflecting on his journey.
Living with his girlfriend in a colorful house on the outskirts of Havana, Reyes supports himself by repairing air conditioners, as his sanda fights are unpaid. He has been on hormone therapy for two years but has no desire for full genital reassignment surgery. His transition, which began over four years ago, has been anything but easy.
Reyes’s journey started at Cuba’s Center for Sexual Education, where he consulted with a psychologist before seeing endocrinologists and undergoing tests to obtain a “tarjetón,” a special card that allows Cubans to purchase medication at pharmacies. This card enabled him to get the hormones needed for his transition. However, as Cuba’s economic crisis deepened, medications became scarce. Reyes had to rely on people who brought testosterone from abroad, a practice that, while not illegal, can be very expensive. “I’m an athlete; I can’t neglect my hormone treatment. … I have to stay on top of it,” he emphasized.
Another significant challenge for Reyes was changing his identity in official documents. Although he legally changed his name last year, his ID card still displays an “F” for female. This is because Cuba’s current law requires full genital reassignment surgery for this change — something Reyes does not want to do. However, there is hope on the horizon. LGBTQ activists in Cuba believe that a new Civil Registry law currently being drafted in the National Assembly could allow people to change their gender on their ID cards or eliminate this requirement altogether.
The proposed changes are part of the broader reforms stemming from Cuba’s 2019 constitution, which paved the way for the 2022 Family Code. This code allowed same-sex couples to marry and adopt, as well as surrogacy pregnancies, among other rights. The measure encountered opposition from evangelical and other conservative groups despite receiving a large majority of votes in the referendum.
Despite his ID still formally identifying him as female, sports authorities accepted Reyes’s male status based on his hormone treatments, medical reports, and self-identification. This acceptance allowed him to compete in the male category of the Cuban Fighters League. “It’s something new; it’s a challenge that I have embraced with much love,” said Reyes’s coach, Frank Cazón Cárdenas, the president of Cuba’s sanda community, who handled the athlete’s registration.
Cazón worked on two fronts to make Reyes’s participation possible: discussing Reyes with the other Sanda male team members and securing approval from the powerful Cuban Sports Institute, which ultimately authorized Reyes to participate in the male category. Cuba’s LGBTQ community celebrated this milestone, noting it as the result of a hard-fought battle. “It was only a matter of time,” said Francisco “Paquito” Rodríguez Cruz, a well-known LGBTQ rights activist in Cuba. “It’s the logical consequence of what has been done in the last 15 or 20 years.”
Reyes stepped onto the cordless platform, delivering powerful punches and spectacular flying kicks against his combatant. Although he lost the fight, he won a major victory that day by becoming the first transgender athlete to officially compete in a Cuban sports league. This achievement is not only a personal victory for Reyes but also a significant milestone for the entire LGBTQ community in Cuba.
“It’s obviously a cultural process of change that is still controversial,” Rodríguez Cruz said. However, the progress made in recent years has laid a solid foundation for future advancements in LGBTQ rights and inclusion in Cuba.
Reyes’s journey is a testament to his resilience and determination. Despite the challenges he has faced, he has remained steadfast in his pursuit of his dreams. His story serves as an inspiration to many within the transgender community and beyond, highlighting the importance of perseverance and the fight for equal rights.
As Cuba continues to progress in its recognition and inclusion of LGBTQ rights, stories like Reyes’s serve as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggles and triumphs faced by transgender individuals. While there is still much work to be done, the achievements of trailblazers like Reyes provide hope and motivation for a more inclusive future.
For Reyes, the journey is far from over. He continues to navigate the complexities of his transition while striving to achieve his goals in Sanda. His story is a poignant reminder of the importance of representation and the impact that one individual can have in the fight for equality and acceptance.
The Bottom Line
Ely Malik Reyes’s groundbreaking participation in the Cuban Fighters League is a historic achievement for the LGBTQ community in Cuba. His journey underscores the ongoing challenges faced by transgender individuals but also highlights the progress that has been made. As Cuba continues to evolve in its recognition of LGBTQ rights, Reyes’s story stands as a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of resilience and determination.
