Cuban Women Are Fabulous
—One of our professors at Casa de las Americas spoke with us about feminism in Cuba after watching the classic Cuban film Lucia (1968) in class. One thing that he said in particular stuck with me; that Cuban women have value in Cuban society, but they don’t have any power in their relationships with men.
Almost half the Cuba’s workforce is female, and many women hold very demanding jobs. According to the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, an organization supporting Cuba based out of Britain, women today comprise 44 percent of the workforce, as compared to 17 percent in 1956. They also make up 61 percent of lawyers, 87 percent of administrative jobs and 35 percent of the parliament, as well as 62 percent of university students.
Despite the fact that nearly half the workforce is female when they get home most are expected to do the majority if not all of the cooking, cleaning and childcare.
I recently spoke with a Cuban friend about machismo in Cuban society. I told him that in the United States, at my house and most of my friend’s houses, the father takes responsibility for a good deal of the cooking, cleaning or childcare, and sometimes all three.
I joked that when I get married, if my husband tells me to cook and I don’t want to, I will tell him to call for a pizza. He found this hysterical, but I was only half-kidding. At his house his mother does everything for him, his father and his brother.
He said he wondered if he would marry someone like his mother, or someone like me. He said probably his mother, because it would be easier. Although he laughed when he said this, I’m pretty sure he was only half-kidding too.
I tried to explain that it isn’t that American women don’t want to do nice things for their spouses, but that we don’t like there to be an expectation that we are going to do everything, especially if it becomes so routine that our hard work is no longer appreciated.
Women have taken huge strides in Cuba, and I have been told that in many ways they are envied by other women in Latin America. The rations, free education and job opportunities have made it possible for women to be more independent from men, and leave men if they are being mistreated without fearing that they will not be able to survive on their own.
Yet there is still a culture where if a woman is told to do something by her husband, she will generally do it without question, not seeing any other option.
It seems to me that the only thing holding Cuban women back is Cuban men’s machista attitude. Cooking or cleaning does not emasculate a man; it just shows his desire to make his wife’s life a little easier. And if men truly respected their wives and thought of them as equals they would not expect them to do more work just because they are female.
My friend told me that Cuban women are strong because they have to do so much, but I think they would be strong either way. They should not have to harden themselves in order to deal with being in relationships of unequal power.
Women are better on every level. Lol of course we are expected to do everything because we do it better. I take it as a compliment. I work full time, cook, clean and etc because I can. It is irritating to be expected to do something by some one else but if you expect it from yourself it’s different.
Hey there! I’m Cuban. I lived in Cuba till I was 13. I have a Cuban father and a Cuban mother, plus my entire family is Cuban. I have seen proof of what you are saying. Cuban men are very machistas. All Cuban women I know do EVERYTHING in their homes. Men think they deserve to be treated like kings just because they are men. Finding a guy that actually helps you out is very unlikely, for this attitude is seen as unmanly in Cuban society.
Im Cuban American, I was raised traditional Cuban. I have no clue where your information came from but I was always brought up to the understanding that Cuban men always learn to take care of the home equally as a woman. My mother didnt cook very much my father cooked, his Cuban friends aswell as male family members. As far as I know Cuban women are raised to get what they want and are tough but we tend to be very feminine. This is often mistaken for weakness but personally I think that the strongest woman is the one who doesnt compromise her femininity. In the U.S. I often see women who dress more manly or “have a mouth like a sailor” but let men walk all over them. I can say there are exceptions so certainly some Cuban women may fall into a more submissive role but I dont think that it is fair to generalize; I would hate to be thought of the way that you are discribing us. Hopefully you will all get to meet different types of Cuban people as they may provide a fresh perspective.
I enjoyed this article. I am of cuban descent and I am now 18 years old. I have found that I really like men that are slightly controlling and still very protective of their women. It’s like a reminder to me that he cares. Call me crazy, but Its just something I look for in men. Im not sure why either.. haha
I do agree about the need for the man to at least help out with things. I am too stubburn for a man to not help me out 🙂 I hope i get to marry a Cubano and continue my families traditions. Cubans have so many stereotypes that really aren’t true because of their given living state. If i were stuck in Cuba and a gringo came to visit, I too would probably try to persuade him to get me and my family out of there. Yes, I know that sounds really bad, but it is what i would do. Family means everything to cubans and I guess that is just part of my culture?
-Jenn
I enjoyed your article. I have been trying to find information on Cuban culture between men and women and I keep coming up empty handed. Do you have any suggestions on articles, books etc. Perhaps your article summed it up best and I don’t need to read any more but am interested none the less. What we see in the resorts can not be the reality of this beautiful country. What is considered an every day way of life for men, women and children? Thank you.