The Bratz in Cuba

Regina Cano

In Cuba the Bratz have grown in popularity. With the airs of clueless teens and the bodies of adult women, they sport oversized sunglasses and earrings, wear thin gold chains and costume jewelry, and prance around in their miniskirts or shorts complete with their accessorized fake-leather handbags.

Many female adolescents and “almost-women” pay close attention to the appearances of these four teenaged friends on TV.

Flashing beautiful smiles —with their heads full of butterflies, and above all their childish attitudes— the Bratz are now being emulated by Cuban youth as models for facing life.  Even the well-known American-style pajama parties for young women up to 22 years of age continue to be in vogue.

The Bratz are girls of physical intelligence.  They are preparing for diverse professions though they solve many of their problems with giddy screams and drama queen pretenses.  It seems they hope to join the list of women who are little more than dolls in their future families and who strive to augment the upper middle class.

What are the aspirations of future Cuban Bratz?  Like other influences that arrive on our shores, maybe they’ll be hybrids – a hoard of emo-bratz?   Maybe yes, maybe no.

Yet I have to wonder what will happen in the lives of the non-materialistic and selfless young women in this country, along with the rest of the pastiche that the Cuba population will become within 10 or 15 years.  A big black hole?

Maybe yes, maybe no.