I think I would consider it more… disappointing, than alarming, insofar as socialist nations should obviously be less hostile to LGBT people. But cultural revolution doesn’t happen overnight, and the socialist parties in charge, nay the LGBT comrades and allies in said parties, are leading the way to bringing further social equality in China, DPRK, Vietnam, Cuba, and Laos. We are privy to the fact that Vietnam will have a similar referendum to Cuba’s in the near future, and China is progressively getting better on the issue. Due to deliberate obfuscation, we don’t know exactly what moves are being made in Laos and the DPRK, if any. But these nations’ cultural histories are also vastly different from our own, and their relationship to such forms of oppression will have to be tackled from a distinctly native perspective.

There’s some evidence that a factor in the USSR’s downfall was geriatocracy and growing political disillusionment of the youth. I’ve seen similar accusations levied against Cuba in the modern age, yet I believe we are seeing the opposite. Much of the socialist youth world-round know what’s at stake and are more passionate than ever to preserve the socialist dream. As more forward-thinking, younger politicians who have grown up learning advanced Marxist theory and practice in the classroom and out find themselves further integrated into ruling communist parties, we will certainly see more progressive changes like the family code. The socialist world is getting there, we must have faith in the people.