Although the Cuban sex trade has been well documented, a new film, Luchando, shows how modern Cuban people are to each other for intimacy and economic gain.
Today we’re talking to documentary filmmaker Noelle Stout and Alphonso Morgan, the producer of the film “Luchando” which follows the struggle of four sex workers in Cuba.
The term “Luchando” means “the constant or continuing struggle” and has been appropriated by the sex workers from the propaganda of the Communist Revolution to describe their constant struggle to make it and be part of society.
Join us as we take a look how the modern gay rights movement in Cuba is interwoven with the rise in sex workers and why this communist country just may grant same-sex marriage rights before the United States in order to demonstrate their commitment to human rights.
We also discuss the state of the HIV/AIDS quarantine camps and their effectiveness and the dangers of documenting such a controversial subject as prostitution in a communist country where journalism is illegal.
Then we’re also talking to writers Chris Martin and Darren Flaxstone of the gritty new British film, Shank which tells the story of sexy 18 year Cal who struggles to come to terms with being gay while being part of a violent gang – a violent sexy gang!
Plus, they’re all taking your questions, through facebook. So stick around for tricks and thugs.
Featured Music:
Ariel Aparicio – All These Brilliant Things: iTunes | Amazon | CD Baby | Site
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6 Comments
Comments
Two great shows rolled into one. I’m looking forward to seeing both of these movies, social issues AND geography!
Today’s show was excellent! The information about Cuba, Mariella Castro and sex workers was fascinating and made me want to visit. The Englishmen made me horny. I can’t wait until they cum to Chicago and I can see SHANK!
Great shows in Miami guys…but I’m kind of sad you didn’t make it to Ft. Lauderdale/Wilton Manors..or even really talk about it. I know your trip was to Miami…but Ft. Lauderdale/Wilton Manors is so close by…and is actually quite the gay scene now. South Beach has fallen a bit from it’s gay mecca days. Ft. Lauderdale actually has 2 gay pride festivals (one in June and one in February)…and has a huge Halloween gay party. Wilton Manors is quite the gay town now too with bars, restaurants and shopping all in walking distance. Not to mention the beaches here too (Sabasitan Rd and Ocean).
I was hoping you would do a meet-up at a bar in Miami or Ft. Laud.
Did I miss it?
We are staying in Miami Beach and all the activities we have attended have been in South Beach. We missed the FTL part of the festival.
This was very last minute press junket and we are the the guests of the Miami GLFF. We didn’t have a whole lot of time to plan it with them.
We’ll be seeing Little Ashes tomorrow if you want to see us and then there is an after party.
you guys had some great guests! those sound like they would be really entertaining movies..I really wanna see the second one hehe….
and one thing…about that Rainbow Flag, it is the Incan flag because I’ve seen it in Peru too so I guess any country where the Incans used to live will have that flag somewhere…
Great show guys! If only you made it to the listeners here in Cincinnati, but we don’t even have LOGO. Sucks to be us (no pun intended).
Loved all the Miami shows, but this one was simply awesome. Great guests and great topics. Can’t wait to see the movies.
This show was fantastic! It was really great to learn about the cuban sex workers and the nuances of the relationships. Pretty revelational to hear a real picture of Cuba. Absolutely fascinating stuff.
Re: scallys’ there’s one peculiar habit they have aside from dressing alike, I think its a jail thing, but they stand around with their hands down their track pants holding their junk. Fortunately they were more scared of me than I was of them so they never bothered me but they’re pretty menacing.
The best show you made in Miami! I definitely want to watch both movies. Tom Bott is looking so hot.
(The link to the movie shank is not working)
I really enjoyed listening to your conversation with Noelle Stout and Alphonso Morgan. I found many of their observations about gay life and sex work in Havana to coincide with my experiences there in 1998, which I wrote about in an article titled “De un pájaro las dos alas”, published in the journal GLQ and reprinted in the anthology “Our Caribbean” edited by Thomas Glave. (It was strange for me to sense that my experience ten years ago is similar to what is happening still today, which is to say, that public gay life, at least at the every-day level, is still so dominated by the sex trade.) I also had a chance to see their film, “Luchando”. It is a very powerful documentary. Their work does much to deromanticize perceptions of gay sex in Cuba. I would encourage them to find a distributor and continue to show it in festivals.