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Danielle Edwards Assignment #11

In Cabezas’ “ Between Love and Money,” she adds to the dialogue concerning sex tourism and citizenship. The Caribbean has a very strong tourism industry and with relation to her research Cabezas show how tourism promotes sex. Cabezas did her research in Cuba and the Dominican Republic where those in the hospitality and resort industry like chambermaids and beach boys engage in sexual relations with foreigners. Having a sexual relationship with and accepting gifts from these tourists became a source of extra income to support their families for these workers that have meager wages. A lot of “sex workers” don’t like to accept money from tourist but rather accept gifts or even offer to pay sometimes in an effort to disassociate themselves with the prostitution or in the hope of the relationship blossoming into something more. Some of the people Cabezas interviewed said they hoped to have a long lasting romance with frequent visits and even a marriage proposal with would in turn lead to migration. In regards to citizenship, the social condemnation of some sexual practices and the heterosexual patriarchal structure in Cuba creates “partial citizens”. The state actively controls the sexuality of women. Cabezas argues that sexual citizenship- public life is no longer dominated by heterosexual males, but rather based on gender and sexual diversity- will allow for a society where people who don’t conform to the heteronormativity of today’s society to have control and responsibility over their own sexual lives. Sexuality also complicate traditional views on nationality because when we usually talk about nationality we are referring to a person or group of people belonging to a specific country. However, because of sex tourism, people with the same nationality are segregated. Cabezas writes that lighter skinned Cubans are able to be receptionists and at the front desk of resorts when tourists enter but dark-skinned Cubans are performers (which gives of a very sensual notion to tourists) or are back-kitchen workers. Also, mulata Cubans are automatically labeled “sex worker” if seen with a foreigner while a lighter-skinned Cuban who dates a foreigner is not. Darker skinned people in the Dominican Republic also run the risk of being arrested for prostitution if they are caught in touristy areas alone while their light-skinned counterparts who may engage in prostitution are not viewed in the same light. So although one may be of the same nationality; race, class and skin color does influence the general population’s perception.