Cuba: An Affront To LGBT Freedom Of Speech

Equality Forum, a national and international LGBT civil rights organization, calls on the U.S. State Department to allow Mariela Castro, a Cuban LGBT civil rights activist, to visit Philadelphia for Equality Forum 2013.  The State Department issued a visa to Ms. Castro to visit New York for U.N. meetings, but did not authorize Ms. Castro to travel to Philadelphia to participate in Equality Forum 2013 with Cuba as the Featured Nation.
“Over the past 11 years, Equality Forum has invited leaders of the featured nation to attend. For those who needed a visa, all past visas have been approved,” stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum.  “It is shocking that our State Department would deny Ms. Castro travel to a civil rights summit – especially one held in the birthplace of our democracy that enshrines freedoms of speech and assembly.”
The daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro, Mariela is married and the mother of three children. She is the head of CENESEX, a Havana-based organization which campaigns for effective AIDS prevention as well as recognition and acceptance of LGBT human rights.  She has published 13 scholarly articles and nine books.  She is a vocal leader in fighting homophobia in Cuba and advocating for same-sex marriage...

From a statement issued by Equality Forum. 

O America - land of the free!
Once more the US State Department causes irony to die laughing.
This is so daft, even by their usual standards, I wouldn't be surprised if the ban is quietly overturned.

PS Here's something I wrote on how some American gay media covered Mariela Castro's visit to the US last year - with reports, but of course, centred around the "outrage" of right-wing Cuban-American loopy groups.
Dare I check today's coverage?

Update: Yup, the decision was overturned April 30th.