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Robin Yong

Havana Queen Story

Robin Yong 1 Havana Queen Story
Havana Queen Story

Just a few years ago, Cuba would never have allowed the LGBT-friendly acts to exist in such broad visibility. After Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution, the state persecuted gay men and women for years, sending people to labour camps, forcing the repression of millions by outlawing homosexuality and implementing strict laws which led to widespread harassment of the LGBT community during the 1960s.

Attitudes and acceptance towards LGBT people have evolved in recent years to be more tolerant and drag queens have once again playing to full house acts. These acts are serious businesses and art forms. Most drag queens take about two hours to get ready, and most of that time is spent on makeup. Most drag queens also design their own outfits. A portrait of drag queen Salma before her show in the evening.

Drag queen Salma poseert op het bed in een kamer in Havana, Cuba.

In schril contrast met de jaren daarvoor, werd homoseksualiteit in de periode na de revolutie van Fidel Castro in 1959 in Cuba verboden, op straffe van opsluiting in werkkampen. De staat onderdrukte miljoenen mensen met homofobe wetten die leidden tot grootschalige intimidatie van de LHBTQIA+-gemeenschap.

photographer website
robin_yong2003@hotmail.com

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Sinds de jaren negentig zijn de discriminerende wetten stapsgewijs afgeschaft en is de positie van LHBTQIA+-minderheden steeds verder verbeterd. Tegenwoordig is hun cultuur breed zichtbaar en wordt onder andere gevierd met drag-shows die volle zalen trekken.

Na het referendum van 2022 over de Cubaanse gezinswet is het huwelijk opengesteld voor paren van hetzelfde geslacht en mogen zij adopteren. Cuba heeft nu één van de meest progressieve familiewetten in Latijns-Amerika. In 113 andere landen in de wereld zijn LHBTQIA+-personen nog steeds wettelijk onbeschermd. In 70 van die landen is homoseksualiteit strafbaar en in 11 daarvan staat de doodstraf erop. Zie de kaart hieronder om te zien hoe de wetten per land geregeld zijn omtrent seksuele geaardheid. Of klik op deze link.

Over de fotograaf

Robin Yong is een meermaals bekroonde reisfotograaf. Hij reist graag naar exotische bestemmingen om bevriend te raken met de lokale bevolking en om deze te fotograferen. Hij is vooral bekend om zijn werk over de Omo Vallei stammen in Ethiopië, de Venetiaanse gemaskerde modellen in Venetië, de Bokator boksers van Cambodja en de Maikos van Kyoto. Hij noemt deze werken zijn Reisportretten, zijn Art of Travel Medicine.

Voor de meeste van zijn werken maakt hij geen gebruik van flitsers, reflectoren of kunstlicht en vertrouwt hij uitsluitend op het natuurlijke licht. De foto’s zijn vaak dramatisch, kleurrijk en extreem mooi. Voor Robin moet elke foto eruit zien als een filmposter.

ILGA World map sexual orientation
ILGA World map sexual orientation

About the Series

Drag queen Salma poses on the bed in a room in Havana, Cuba.

In stark contrast with the years prior, the period following Fidel Castro’s revolution in 1959, homosexuality was prohibited in Cuba under penalty of imprisonment in forced labor camps. The state oppressed millions with homophobic laws that led to widespread harassment of the LGBTQIA+ community. 

Since the 1990s, discriminatory legislations have been abolished step-by-step, and the position of LGBTQIA+ minorities have become increasingly present. Nowadays, their culture is now broadly visible and celebrated, with drag shows pulling in audiences and performing to full houses. 

After the 2022 referendum on Cuba’s Family Law, marriage was opened to same-sex couples and they are allowed to adopt. Cuba now has one of the most progressive family laws in Latin America. In 113 other countries around the world, LGBTQIA+ persons are still legally unprotected. In 70 of those countries, homosexuality is criminalized, with 11 of them carrying the death penalty. See the map below to see how laws regulate sexual orientation by country. Or click on this link.

About the photographer

Robin Yong is a multi-award winning Travel Photographer. He enjoys traveling to exotic destinations to befriend and photograph the locals. He is best known for his work on the Omo Valley tribes in Ethiopia, the Venetian Masked models in Venice, the Bokator boxers of Cambodia and the Maikos of Kyoto. He calls these works his Travel Portraits, his Art of Travel Medicine.

For most of his works, he does not use flash, reflectors or artificial lighting, depending solely on natural lighting alone. The photos are often dramatic, colourful and extremely beautiful. For Robin, every photo must look like a movie poster.

Robin Yong Portrait picture
Robin Yong

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