A Cuban soap opera has been causing a stir on the streets of Havana and beyond, causing a controversy for its taboo take on homosexuality.

The television show, called The Dark Side of the Moon, follows the life of a married man that 'discovers himself' through a sexual relationship with a friend, and who is rejected by his parents once he is exposed.

Many Cuban viewers believe the soap is too racy to watch, with some even deeming it offensive.

"I don't watch it. My wife does, but I don't like it because of the rude things they say," one says, according to the BBC.

Another says: "I cannot get used to it, because what we were taught when we were young was morally different."

Lead actor Rafael Lahera, who plays Yaser, says bringing the subject of homosexuality to Cuban TV is an important first step, although playing the leading role has not been without problems.

"People think I'm gay," he says. And, he adds, he has been turned down for acting jobs because employers do not want a role to be played by a homosexual.

According to the BBC, such discrimination is not unusual in Cuba, where in the 1960s and 70s homosexuals were sent to labor farms.