Cuban history can be described as a long journey of
struggles to achieve the much desired independence and finally let the country
be of Cubans. From colonial times, to years of imperialism to the blooming post
revolution period, the fight has been a continuous joint effort of all people
united, sacrificing for the cause and deep rooted nationalism and sense of
justice. But along with these liberation
wars, the struggle of women for their individual freedom and rights
never ceased to push through, especially in a culture where machismo and
conservativism dictated only men could fight the wars, work outside the home
and participate in political decisions. Always viewed as slaves to the home and
children, denied of having a paying job or the freedom to express their ideas,
Cuban women have raised their voice against these oppressions and took
on major roles in the war and postwar reconstructions proving they are a
decisive and indispensable part of the
revolutionary process and progress of the country. They have demonstrated
unwavering ideals and strong will to make the nation a place of social,
economical and political equality, were children can grow without the stigmas
of gender oppression and violence.
In the colonial era established and ruled by the Spanish
government under the crown, women were all viewed as objects that belonged to
the house, abnegated to their children and considered a possession that
belonged to their husband. The prejudice
and conservativism of the time dictated that a woman must be married and have
children or else they wouldn’t have much life expectancy, since they weren't
allowed to own a house and money (Waters). Unable to find a job or hold
economical power, families constantly would find wealthy suitors to marry their
daughters. In the movie Lucia (1968) of Cuban film director Humberto
Solas, we perceive these concerns through the first Lucia who lives in 1895,
and feels the pressure of society's norms and rules of what a proper woman
should be. It was also a time when the revolutionary movement had started to
set in motion the last of the Cuban Revolutionary Wars(Sierra). With the
concern of never finding a husband, she falls in love with a Spanish man who
later betrays her. But in the last scenes we see her stand for herself and show
a great amount of courage as she ends his life. This segment of the film allows
us to feel the struggle of women to be considered worthy in a world where men
rule.
During this decisive time in the history of Cuba, despite
these obstacles imposed to women, many brave and impetuous women risked their
lives for the sake of the nation's freedom and equality of race and gender. Ana
Betancourt de Mora(1832-1901) is one of the most prominent figures of the war
against Spanish rule, considered a heroine due to her dedicated and extensive
work to achieve gender equality and rights for women. She lived in the jungle
with her husband and other revolutionaries where she worked on a newspaper
called "El Mambi". She stepped up into the fight and risked her life
to save her husband to prove that women are also an important part of the
independence movement, not just child carriers.
In a speech she gave in the headquarters of the Constituent Assembly,
she proclaimed:
“Citizens:
the woman, in the dim and quiet corner of the home, was waiting patiently and
resigned to this beautiful hour in which a new revolution breaks her yoke and
unties her wings.”
She later fled the country and continued her dedicated
efforts to support the war from Madrid, Spain where she organized revolutionary
activities (Oliva and Diaz)
Women like Ana are pioneer advocates of equal rights for all
genders and races which makes her an important figure in the evolution of the
fight for women rights in Cuba and the world. Thanks to her example many other women were
encouraged to stand up and joined the fight, both for freedom and a society
free of discrimination towards minorities.The path was now set but it would
take time for real change to be made. Machismo and the old values of the time
still persisted, a yoke women would break one by one in the years to come.
These period was the most important decisive part of the revolutionary process
that would bring the much desired change women in Cuba needed.
In the beginnings of
the 20th century in Cuba, American intervention had caused the
average Cuban population to struggle economically and women were usually the
most affected. During this period 90% of the countries economic, social and
political control was held by the American government or appointed officials
and this exchange only benefitted one part. Unemployment rates were high
especially women due to the sexism and prejudices that were still
present(Geiling). After the coup d'etat that allowed Machado to hold power over
the island, many people with revolutionary ideas joined and started a movement
across the country to overthrow this corrupt government. Amongst these masses
were many women that sought justice regarding women rights through the fight
for liberation. The second Lucia in the film shows us this turning point in
history for women in which more start joining the fight for independence. Lucia
is the daughter from a wealthy middle class family who marries a revolutionary
man and decides to give up the comfortable life, the big house and her parents
money to join the movement along with him.
After he gets assassinated by this regime, she finds herself pregnant
and alone, which symbolizes the insecurities and lack of support women still
experienced in this time. Still many
women held leadership roles like Ofelia Dominguez and Bertha Darder whom
organized the Labor Union of Women and led major protests against the Machado
regime joining others' discontent with the situation the country was submerged
in. Police repression caused many to be locked in jail or even assassinated,
but their spirit and hard work were never forgotten(McKelvey). Most women also
risked incarceration, turning their houses into hiding spots for wanted
revolutionaries, weapons and also performing dangerous jobs like carrying
important messages amongst revolutionary groups.
Towards the 1950's
the situation in Cuba regarding independence and the fight for the rights of
the people had intensified. Now with yet another new regime, crueler than the
previous one, Cuban revolutionary forces were more eager than ever to put an
end to this oppressive government. In these years the role of women truly
became an important factor that would ensure victory day in 1959. Not only they
now operated in the cities, but also led the armed forces through the jungle in
the mountains to fight the enemy together with men. Some of these brave women
held high positions of command like Celia Sanchez Manduley(1920-1980) who fought alongside
Fidel Castro and whom he trusted with the decisions that would be made in the
war. She was the first female guerrilla and helped the revolutionary process
every step of the way, like aiding the landing of the Granma boat which was a
crucial part of the war since Fidel and other important figures like Ernesto
Guevara were arriving in it, bringing weapons and munitions.(Koch). Her example
helped fuel the involvement of other women in the fight that was taking place
in the cities, she became a symbol of
the bravery and abnegation of women towards their country and how much they can achieve. Together with Celia, other women like Vilma
Espin would constitute an important force of change and progress for the
country, creating reforms and organizations that would give women and others as
well equal rights.
After the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, many
things needed to be reconstructed, edifications, public spaces, farmlands and
also a handful of reforms that were needed to set the country off to a new
start. The third Lucia, living in the beginnings of the 1960' takes us through these changes
showing us the great opportunities women received post-revolution, specially in
the rural areas where women mostly worked the land together with men, and where
machismo and old values were still present. Education, homestead rights and the
freedom of being self-sufficient members of society; these were some of the
many achievements women had fought so hard for and finally made it a reality.
So we see the last Lucia as the strongest of the three, holding her self worth
up high and fighting against violence and discrimination and society old norms.
One of the biggest
milestones women were able to achieve was the formation of the Cuban Women
Federation(FMC) in 1960 by the aforementioned Vilma Espin Guillois (1930-2007)
and Fidel Castro. Vilma being the wife of Raul Castro and an "unofficial
first lady" allowed her to hold a significant amount of political
authority and used it to give women power (editors of encyclopedia
Britannica). The FMC (Federacion de
Mujeres Cubanas) was created to change the way society see women, it contained
health and education programs to educate women and a no-tolerance attitude
towards sexism, teaching young children the importance of respecting both sexes
equally. One of the organization' s main focuses was the employment and
integration of women to the country's workforce, handing jobs to qualified
women and training them to be professionals. They helped many women from the
countryside, those that came from poor families and also those that had gone
through a life of prostitution before the Revolution to succeed in the new
society (Sangha and Collins). The FMC is still one of the most important
organizations in Cuba with most of the female population as a member and
prevails to never let women suffer hardships like these ever again. Even though
so much has been achieved there's still an active culture of machismo that has
been hard to tackle but to which women will not yield to any longer.
The extensive history of Cuba's fight for its independence
and the decisive role of women in it can account for the achievements visible
in today's society. Equal job opportunities, education, health care and rights,
that give women the opportunity to prove that what they have worked so hard for
has bore fruits and all Cubans of any race or gender can enjoy human rights
equally. The various feminine figures
that participated in the war constitute a prime example of breaking stigmas and
societal conservative norms that have no place for this new era of progress.
Thanks to their determination and extensive effort to obtain their rights and
freedom, they've fought alongside of men and proving themselves more than
capable to participate in the economic and political decision of the country,
Cuban women have shown the determination and courage needed to protect and push
the nation towards higher grounds, being today more than half of the nation's
workforces and active contributors of society.
Works Cited
Editors of the Encyclopædia Britannica,The,"Vilma Espin
Guillois", Encyclopædia Britannica,
Geiling, Natasha, "Before the Revolution", Smithsonian.com,
31 July 2007, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/before-the-revolution-159682020/
Koch, Judy, "Celia Sanchez: Heroine
of the Cuban Revolution", Monthly Review Press, Socialist Action, December
2013, https://socialistaction.ca/2014/06/08/celia-sanchez-heroine-of-the-cuban-revolution/
McKelvey, Charles, "The Cuban Popular Revolution of 1930-33;Ruben
Martinez Villena", The View from the South: Commentaries on World Events
from the Third World Perspective, Global Learning, 5 August 2014, http://www.globallearning-cuba.com/blog-umlthe-view-from-the-southuml/the-cuban-popular-revolution-of-1930-33-ruben-martinez-villena
Oliva Enriquez, Rosa Maria and Ildefonso Gustavo Diaz Sandoval,
"Ana Betancourt: An imperishable Cuban woman", Mundo Obrero
Workers World, 25 February 2016, http://www.workers.org/2016/02/25/ana-betancourt-an-imperishable-cuban-woman/#.WLWL_zsrIdW
Sangha, Suki and Sarah
Collins, "The Federation of Cuban Women: A Model We Should Learn
From", USI Live, 19 July 2013, https://usilive.org/the-federation-of-cuban-women-a-model-we-should-learn-from/
Sierra, Jerry A., "The War for
Cuban Independence", History of Cuba.com, http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/scaw/scaw1.htm
Solas Humberto, Lucia, Cuban Film, Instituto
Cubano del Arte e Industrias Cinematograficas (ICAIC), October 1968
Waters, Julie,"Women in Colonial Havana", Colonial Havana http://piracyandurbanizationincolonialhavana.blogs.wm.edu/women-in-colonial-havana/
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