Lisandra Fariñas - Semlac Network / Photo: Hivos/Latin America.- For a trans person, whether living in Honduras, Vietnam, the Netherlands, or anywhere else in the world, the daily challenges are different, but their realities are marked by struggles that know no borders: the recognition of their identity and their human dignity.

This is evidenced by the documentary M/F/X , screened on September 29 at the headquarters of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Havana, as part of Modo Naranja, an initiative that connects the Netherlands and Cuba through bilateral collaboration projects that include activities, workshops and exchanges dedicated to promoting, among other topics, respect for human rights and diversity.

The film, directed by Koen Suidgeest, follows Shantal, a trans woman in Honduras; Minh, a trans man in Vietnam; and Roos, a non-binary person in the Netherlands, to show that discrimination, exclusion, and violence permeate very different social and economic contexts.

Shantal recalls the attacks she suffered on the street, the mockery, and the murder of a friend in broad daylight: "Someone who is only a joke... you can't get a decent job or an education," reflects this woman who, despite everything, managed to become a journalist and carve out a space for herself in her country's media.

Minh describes the fear she has felt for 25 years, the need to purchase hormones on the black market, and the lack of medical and psychological services to support trans people in their transition process.

Roos, who dreams of seeing an “X” in her passport instead of the M or F that do not represent her identity, warns that even in a society considered advanced, the rate of violence among trans people is two to seven times higher than the average and even speaks of those “privileges” that can determine how much more violence you can suffer: “being a white trans person is not the same as being a black trans person,” she maintains.

Despite the rawness of the testimonies, M/F/X also leaves room for hope. Shantal's strength; Minh's determination, as she found a supportive community to continue her transition; and Roos's dreams are reminders that resilience and the pursuit of happiness can open doors even in adverse environments.

Before the screening, the Dutch ambassador to Cuba, Matthijs Wolters, recalled that his country was the first to legalize same-sex marriage and emphasized that human rights, including gender diversity, "require ongoing dialogue, because we are still far from a world free of discrimination."

The documentary, he said, "showcases three distinct societies and invites us to discuss legal frameworks, family and community acceptance, and the paths that remain."

Identities and rights: a necessary dialogue

Following the documentary, the audience participated in a broad and diverse discussion moderated by Ana Mirabal Patterson of the Félix Varela Center. The activist opened the discussion by reminding everyone that "human rights are inalienable, but behind every violation are power relations that determine who has or does not have the right to health, education, and expression."

Doctor and activist Alberto Roque celebrated Cuba's legislative progress—the Constitution, the Family Code, and the National Program for the Advancement of Women—but warned about the gap between the law and its application and implementation: "In health and education, binary views and institutional resistance still persist; we have a very advanced script, but the staging doesn't always match it."

He warned that "nothing that has been achieved in Cuba, or in any other country, is guaranteed, since no right in the world is guaranteed for life" and gave as an example that, even in a country with notable advances in human rights like the Netherlands, there are no absolute certainties in the face of global setbacks in LGBTIQ + rights , he emphasized.

"We need to listen to the true experiences of trans people in order to propose policies and be truly useful allies," Roque said.

For Larian Arias, a queer rights activist, policies must be accompanied by a cultural shift that allows people to fully experience their identity. “In any country, there's always something that limits your happiness if you're a queer person,” she stated. She lamented that, although Cuba has several laws that protect rights for trans people, many are “dead letters.”

"Even today, in 2025, three years after the approval of the directive allowing name changes, you go to the civil registry and they tell you they don't do that procedure there," the activist explained.

Arias urged us to think about the struggle from a collective perspective. "There can't be niches of freedom; freedom must be for all people," she said, urging us not to focus solely on the pain.

"Let's also talk about the joy of being who we are, because our existence is not only suffering," he noted.

Miguel Abreu, director of Ludi Teatro and the Ateneo de La Habana, affirmed that cultural spaces still need to work on respecting diversity and accepting all people on an equal footing.

Trans activist Merle Ramírez emphasized that legal advances are not always reflected in the reality of communities, especially outside of Havana. He emphasized the situation of trans people in rural areas and marginalized neighborhoods, where the lack of privileges exacerbates their vulnerability.

She emphasized that Black transgender people are the most exposed to violence and neglect, and affirmed that true change must come from the community, with programs and workshops that directly reach those most in need.

Writer Julio Cesar Gonzalez Pagés shared the findings of the research that led to his book, " Pingüeros en La Habana," and noted that in Cuba, trans people live in an "environment of violence, micro-violence... perpetrated by men, clients, and even the police, even in central public spaces; although their reality remains largely invisible to society."

She called for a greater presence of trans people in the media and criticized the fact that they are often represented by specialists or executives, which silences their own voices. "What can we do to reverse this?" she questioned, calling for the visibility of a community that continues to be treated as a "disposable minority" in many spaces.

For filmmaker Yasmani Castro Caballero, it is crucial to look toward rural realities, a call echoed by Mirabal, who emphasized the urgency of supporting children with diverse identities. This protection, they agreed, must extend specifically to non-urban environments, where the vulnerability and invisibility of trans people are often greater.

The exchange concluded with a consensus: M/F/X not only narrates the struggles of Shantal, Minh, and Roos, but also questions each context so that trans rights become a tangible reality.

"The challenge," Mirabal summarized, "is for laws, policies, and discourse to become practices of everyday respect. Otherwise, we will continue to talk about rights in the abstract, while people's lives remain at risk."

Some photos of event(can't post all of em due to being rate limited at this moment for image uploads):

• Following the documentary, the audience participated in a broad and diverse discussion moderated by Ana Mirabal Patterson of the Félix Varela Center. Photo: SEMlac Cuba

• For Larian Arias, a queer rights activist, policies must be accompanied by a cultural shift that allows for identity to be fully lived. Photo: SEMlac Cuba

• Trans activist Merle Ramírez drew attention to the situation of trans people in rural areas and marginalized neighborhoods, where the lack of privilege exacerbates their vulnerability. Photo: SEMlac Cuba

• Writer Julio César Gonzalez Pagés called for a greater presence of transgender people in the media. Photo: SEMlac Cuba