5 Assignment 11

Society has portrayed women bodies with sex. Women are view as a sex object. For instance, naked women are display in music videos, on the cover of magazines or models depict during commercial all this to earn a salary. Many of these women sometimes sleep with their employer, not for love but simply for money, to help support themselves and family.

Cabezas in her article, “Between Love and Money” indentified during her research than many Cuban and Dominican women traded their bodies to tourist in search of money. Many of these women were destitute and became a prostitute to provide the necessities for their families. In addition, many women migrate to work in tourist resort where there befriend, a visitor in hope that their affair can continue once the tourist return to his homeland to sends money back. Many women form relationship with these men simply for romance. Consequently, many tourists travel to these countries for prostitute and pleasure not for love.

Cabezas wants us to see the stereotype many women face being a Cuban or Dominicans women. Tourist thinks of these women as prostitute and nothing more. Automatically when a tourist sees a native woman, they quickly offer money for sex. Visitors believe that women are objects and nothing more. Woman moral, values and norms are disregard. Consequently, the norm of marriage is descending rapidly while the cultural norm of prostitution is ascending. Sex tourism is the only means of survival in this tense economy while the latent function of prostitution is helping to grow the economy. Sex tourism help worker to get by and to get ahead: recreation, consumption, travel, migration and marriage. Cabezas wants us to see how poverty can stigmatize a group or society and what was once a self-respected country becomes label as a deviant where civilian would do anything just for a mint. Also she wants us to see how foreign money have such great influence on poor countries and being from another country provide wealth to its civilian and why immigrants would leave their country in search of wealth and opportunity

Cuba and the Dominican Republic are both poor countries that rely on tourism as their main source of revenue. The citizens of these countries understand the value of tourism and its purpose and attempt to utilize it to benefit their family and individual needs. It has become a way of life to lure tourist into temptations of sexual pleasure and relationships. Using their exotic demeanor and sexuality as a way to manipulate men into helping them with money and goods has become the way of life for Cuban and Dominican women. It is the only way for these women to provide for their family and it is a risk that they are willing to take. Although it is an illegal practice to seduce or have sex with men for money and the government is well aware of the women’s need to do so, the government is still harsh and strict when it comes to persecuting the women. Often giving women jail time, fines, and taking them away from their families knowing that there was no other viable option for these women. Some women claim that the do it so that they can find romance or love but the reality is that really want a way out. Race also takes a major role in the sexualization of women, in Cuba if a dark skinned women is seen with a group of foreigners she is automatically seen as a sex worker, yet if a white Cuban woman is seen with foreigners, she is not considered one.

Cabezas’ article illustrates the similarities between Cuba and Dominican Republic’s economy and social outcomes, as a result of international sex tourism. One such outcome is that this type of labor is not linked to just a money exchange, but to a way to obtain long-term resources such as migration, marriage, recreation, and an ongoing income from the same sex tourists. The author further discusses that part of the problem is that “sex workers” and “sex tourists”, do not identify themselves, as these labels would suggest. Although, in both Cuba and Dominican Republic prostitution is not illegal, Cabezas discusses that this shift has impacted the local laws.

According to Cabezas, the economy in both countries has caused “internal prostitution” and workers to rely on domestic services for income. The present laws in both countries are geared to encourage income from sex tourism. This has caused sex tourism to be acceptable, because it blends into society. This has occurred because most of sex tourism is taking place at hotel suites, and not in brothels. It has created what Cabezas refers to as “emotional economy, and government laws influence this economy. For example, the military keep out the local population from tourist areas. This causes “sex tourism” to occur between the guests and hotel workers.

Cabezas argument links these practices to race, gender, and class. Dark skinned woman get arrested more that light skinned woman from good neighborhoods. The law permits arresting women if they are found in public places and are not accompanied. On the other hand, male “sex workers” are viewed as heroes while woman are seen as deviant figures in society. She further states that the darker skin women are labeled as dangerous. For example, woman can be placed in institutions/ rehabilitation centers in Cuba. These arrests serve for the government to exert their power and further promote “sex tourism”.

Amelia Cabeza, in “Between Love and Money,” did an interesting study where she interviewed male and female sex workers in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. She explains how the fact that these locations have become very popular among tourists is bolstering the sexual economy, otherwise termed “sex tourism.” Hospitality workers, such as those working in resorts, are often involved with sex work because of their direct contact with the tourists. A tourist may have their eyes on a particular worker, and that worker would actually welcome the chance to earn extra money by offering sexual services. Or, there may be gigolos who wonder around tourist-heavy areas in search for foreigners who will take their services. However, the term “sex tourism” becomes unclear in some cases, because of the element of love. Some people that Cabeza interviewed stated they didn’t have a material interest and was only out for companionship and romance. There were gay sex workers who denied any interest in monetary gain and in this case, the reason may be that the ability to express their homosexuality and to have sexual freedom was a gift in itself. Though some straight people choose gay sex because it is more profitable, there must be an element of desiring sexual freedom through sex tourism among those who are unable to have such freedom in their society. It’s difficult to say whether sex tourism is solely business or solely pleasure, but Cabeza also introduced another term that seems to encompass both elements: “emotional economy.” People actually form relationships through sex tourism, and some even strive for marriage and eventual migration. One of the interviewee, Yolanda, met several boyfriends while working at the resort, and her current boyfriend sends her money so she could support her family. It is hard to deny the element of love in their relationship, but it is without a doubt that money is an aspect that cannot be separated from their relationship. With that being said, however, there is the question of what takes priority, the love in the relationship or the need to support their family. If the other party is unable to support and send money, would that mean the end of the relationship for the couple as well?

The term “sex tourism” used by Amelia Cabezas is differently approached from the perspectives of the citizens of the Dominican Republic or Cuba in comparison to how a tourist will define it. Citizens might see it as a form of labor that helps them survive in their countries or even make possible migration to a different country. On the other side of the spectrum, tourist are just willing to have a companion during their vacation and are open to fall in love after any sexual relationship that they might have with the citizens of that alien country. She also mentions how race, class and gender play a role on categorizing people as sex workers or as foreigners. Citizenship separates people by groups that have similar characteristics that fit accordingly to the place where they reside. However, when Cabezas explains the relationship formed between tourist and citizens of certain countries it shows how one way or the other those barriers that separate people based on the ethnic groups they belong to kind of disappear. Usually we see borders as the main separation between nations which at some point it can limit and force independence from other people with different backgrounds. But, in this article we see the opposite because all people are unified either by sex, labor or any other sort of relationship that erases any stereotypes and individuality between citizens. There is no difference in the rights each individual has because both the foreigner and the native are willing to exploit the opportunities they have or are offered to have a better life. Cabezas research on sex tourism blends people from different parts of the world through the relations between love, money and migration. She gave a variety of anecdotes and definitions of the various discourses under each category that eliminated any traditional ideas on citizenship and nationality.

Citizenship took on the form of being both oppressive and liberating depending on the country they were a citizen of. Citizenship is seen as belonging to a country through unity and an emotional tie to ones country, but not necessarily in the physical or sexual sense where your body is seen as being the nation. Many of the Cuban and Dominican women that were interviewed came from poverty where they were expected to not only take care of their children, but often times take care of their parents and siblings financially. A citizenship in another country worked as a symbol for hope and opportunities. One of the women interviewed,  Yolanda, formed serious relationships with some of the tourist. One wanted her to quit her job, and be with him exclusively. He continued to pay her rent and support her children who she was left with after her husband abandoned them. Her previous relationship with a tourist ended because she felt he wasn’t as committed to the relationship as she was. What comes to mind when people hear of sex tourism is just women sleeping with foreign men in exchange for more money than she can make elsewhere. In actuality many of the women wanted something more serious than what was described. They often times would prefer to get presents than money which seems more like a relationship instead of some exchange. What a lot of these women are searching for is a way out. After obtaining an intimate relationship with the tourist it is common that they bare their souls and express their desires and dreams for better. Their sexuality is used as a gateway to lead to marriage and migration. Their sexuality is also connected to their citizenship in their native country. Sex tourism became such a major part of what brought people in to the country and helped stimulate the economy. Cuban women having sexual relationships with tourist was seen as defiling the pride of the nation. The female body belonged to her nation because when a male had sex with a tourist no one considered the Cuban body to lose its value. The woman’s citizenship differed from the man’s because she was seen as physically belonging to and representing her nation while he gets to be seen as a defender of the nation when he “conquers” the invaders or tourist.

In Amalia L. Cabezas, piece “Between Love and Money,” she discusses the importance and globalization of sex. Sex in history, goes back to the breeding of slaves, the trafficking of women, and the hiring of wet nurses. The globalization of sex created conditions which allowed sexual identities to develop. Cabezas tell us how workers challenge the labor process through their expression of sexual identities. Her perception that people flee to these countries to take advantage of these sexual laws allows to create the idea that characterizes all sex tourism as sex work. Some people such as Martin Opperman and Chris Ryan believe that sex tourism is a form of victimization. Opperman believes that it is a form of victimization because the motivation for sex tourism is to travel to a foreign countries for the sole purpose of partaking in sexual activities. These women are being taken advantage of by men looking for an easy way to have sex. The research done by Cabezas portrays the idea of the exchanging of money for sex as acceptable. Sex tourism brings money into an economy that is struggling to stay afloat. It represented the reliance on outside forces to provide for them and gain economic stability. While, the idea of a sex worker is where one exchanges sexual activities for money. That definition is a bit construed because a lot of people in the Caribbean do it for the romance and leisure. The idea that sex tourism is more than just sex and money is becoming more widely known. It involves behaviors that are deemed acceptable, therefore it is more than an illicit activity. Although, some blame the absence of sexual rights on tourism because of their ability to take advantage of women, others blame it on the women for their greed, vain, and lack of moral values. These female sex workers could be seen as deviants and as a shame to society. Cabezas challenges these views because she believes that these women should identify themselves as sex workers, instead of hiding it. Countries such as Cuba, believes that these sexual acts by women taking place for money, are shaming their country. It creates a bad name for them and it portrays the idea that the only reason people travel over there is for sex.

Due Sunday, November 19th, by midnight. Word count, at least 300 words. You may include a brief quotation, but be sure this is followed by your interpretation of the text and include the proper citation (either MLA or APA). Late assignments will be accepted for partial credit if they are submitted no later than one week after the original deadline.

In Amelia Cabezas article, “Between Love and Money,” she asks after global configurations that are contributing to definitions of sexuality and sexual identity. An important component of these new configurations include the way sexuality is connected to citizenship. How does Cabezas’s research on sex tourism complicate traditional views about citizenship and nationality?