Signs of Seduction and Change Sprout on Cuban Bodies

The economic crisis in Cuba forced us to find substitutes for almost everything, including cosmetics. In the nineties, shoe polish was used to make the eyelashes stand out, dish soap became shampoo and vinegar a softener. A very humble friend was relieved when she discovered she could rub a handkerchief on the whitewashed walls and use it to powder her face. A laxative was left to sit for the mineral oil to separate, which was used as a sun tan lotion.

In a mute complicity men and women arranged to undress with the light off so they wouldn't show the holes and mendings in their underwear, which would be washed at night and left to dry behind the fridge to wear the next day. The most humiliating was going back to our grandmother's custom of washing out pads on the days you were menstruating and staying home -- sitting in the bathroom -- when the cycle of the moon came.

Beginning in the fall of 1993 those who wanted to look good had the opportunity to acquire new products and even to choose among various brands, but they had to carry the money of the "enemy" in their wallets. So at the price of many sacrifices, the women of this Island didn't let themselves be defeated in their desire to look more beautiful. With their painted lips and their tight-fitting clothes, they laughed at those who -- at moments of great extremism -- defined the human goal to preen as "frivolous capitalism." Dying your hair blue, getting a tattoo or attaching a ring to your navel is no longer seen as an ideological debility. Signs have begun to sprout on bodies, of seduction and change.

Yoani's blog, Generation Y, can be read here in English translation.

Follow Yoani Sanchez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/yoanisanchez

Comments

[negotiatethis]

Thanks Yoani for the daily risk you take to tell the truth to power in Cuba. http://talkingcuba.wordpress.com/

[sandokan1]

The United States government’s embargo has had little effect on the Cuban economy, since it only represents 6% of Cuba’s commerce with the rest of the world. The embargo only affects the American companies and their subsidiaries. The rest of the countries, a 180 since the last count in 2007, and companies are free to conduct business with Cuba and are doing so, as confirmed by imports surpassing $10.00 billions during 2007. In reality there is not such embargo since in the year 2000 the United States Congress lifted the prohibition of the sale of agricultural products and medicines to Cuba, thereby allowing Castro’s regime to buy everything it needs.

From December 2001 up to December 2007, the Castro’s regime had signed contracts for more than $2 billions with American companies for the purchases of their products. The U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, based on analysis of official figures of the Castro’s regime, has estimated the import of U.S. agricultural products in $437 millions during 2007. Cuba’s National Statistics Office www.one.cuu) placed the United States as Cuba’s fifth business partner at $582 million in 2007.

The following excellent article makes solid points against lifting the embargo without meaningful changes in Cuba. The author lays out good reasons why lifting the embargo will benefit the Cuban dictatorship, no the Cuban people:

Lift the Cuba Embargo?
By Humberto (Bert) Corzo
http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y.....9_O_3.html

[LMPE]

Some of those sound attractive.

While I was studying in Moscow this past spring, one of the professors told us of a trip that she took to Cuba. She described Cuban women as overtly sexual in their sartorial style.

[Snowball]

Seems like it's more the result of the US economic embargo than anything else. Why are you not writing about the harm that does to the Cuban people?

[SigmundF]

Among Cuba’s commercial partners USA lies in place #5.
In 2007 USA sold to Cuba goods for $582 000 000
In 2006 sold goods for $484 000 000
In 2008 sold goods for $680 000 000
USA supplies Cuba almost all food the island needs, including…­…………..suga­r !!!!!!!! (Cuba was before Castro the larger sugar producer in the world)
In the years of the soviet subside to Cuba (1963-1989), the dictatorship received from Russia $360 000 000 000 cash and all needed, oil, weapons, wood, machinery, trucks. iron, paper and spear parts.
Only the received cash were equivalent to 100 Plan Marshall ………….. remember people……… with only one Plan Marchall Europe rose from devastation to welfare after WWII………… so
The embargo doesn't exist.....­. it is a myth !!!!!

[pinkibus]

Can't accept a ring in the navel as a sign of progress. In fact, progress in Cuba was a good roof which didn't leak, education and medical care. If the Americans had not boycotted any trade with Cuba, the Cubans would be much better off. Thanks to the neo-cons more and more Americans are living in tents, can't afford to see a doctor and can't afford prescribed medications. They wouldn't mind having a refrigerator to hang their underwear behind. Too bad they can't go to Cuba.

[SigmundF]

Lifting today’s nominal embargo is a good idea that almost all Cuban agree with, any way the embargo doesn’t exist…. it’s proven enough….. but some people and the dictatorship continues to talk about the embargo to create the impression in the public opinion that it exist…. It is the old tactic that says: “Lies repeated a lot of times become true”.
The only effective embargo that to day affects the Cuban people is the internal embargo that the dictatorship maintains on the Cubans. This embargo that hind the Cuban people to use its ability, intelligence and laboriousness to create richness in the same way Cubans in others countries creates richness.
Cubans doesn’t need external help, it has been proven through the scattered opportunities the dictatorship relaxed the hard regulation over the private initiative. Each time it happened the people self solved all their problems without the government involving. The farmers produced all food the people needed; the markets were full with vegetables, meat, eggs, milk, etc. Small industries proliferated everywhere and the vendors found theirs stands full of all kind articles long time ago vanished from the market.
But dictatorship is afraid of richness, even if this richness is account in thousands and not in millions. Because richness means independence and insubordination and leftist dictatorships needs for surviving the peoples dependence and subordination.
So, why you don’t try to convince Castro to lift his own and hard embargo on the Cuban people?