In Amelia Cabezas article, “Between Love and Money,” she discuses important questions of a tourism, economics, sexuality and prostitution in Cuba and Dominican Republic. In the past twenty years Cuba and Dominican Republic had a major change in their political and economical systems. Before the change, however, these two countries were more closed and inaccessible. However, in the end of twentieth century Cuba and Dominican Republic had to adapt to the new world order. So, tourism had become one of the main source of revenue for these countries.
Tourism was a way to go because Cuba and Dominican Republic have very beautiful nature and they are surrounded by water. So, economical systems of these two countries are very dependent on the endless waves of tourists coming to towns. Although, the decision to adapt and to be dependent on tourism had some drawbacks for native people who have to live and sustain themselves there. The author discusses that the regular tourism quickly turned to the “sex tourism.” Tourist would come to a Cuba or Dominican Republic and they would have a choice of exploiting prostitution. According to Cabezas, the government does not really mind the prostitutions in the tourist areas. It is also possible to say and assume that the government supports the “sex tourism” since the economy of both Cuba and Dominican Republic fully depend on those type of income. Cabezas also discusses the concept of citizenship and relationship. Sometimes through the process of “sex tourism” people made relationship and it could lead to the gain a certain citizenship in a certain country. Thus, trough their sexuality “sex workers” could support themselves and their families and there was always a possibility of migration, if relationships with a tourist were genuine.
Also from the interviews in the article we can conclude that people in Cuba and Dominican Republic were not against “sex tourism” because it could lead them to a better life even though they had to make a lot of sacrifices along the way. It threatened their sexuality and identity but they still continued this practice.
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