User:Mmack1220/Women in Cuba

The Lead
Many women in Cuba come from different racial backgrounds including Afro-Cuban women. After the Revolution, many Afro-Cuban women, with financial support from the Marxist government, have graduated from medical schools and were sent abroad to help patients^5. Along with Afro-Cuban women, women in Cuba were able to gain higher educational levels and equal advancements in their respective careers^15. The 1975 Family Code was designed to allow Cuban women to share the household duties fairly with their spouses^11. Job opportunities were available in the cities and as a result, many Cuban women left the countryside to work and live in the cities^13. However, because of the increased number of Cuban women studying and working, the national birth rate has declined^14. Despite the fact that desegregation was enforced in Cuba, unequal issues in housing still linger in modern Cuba^10.

History
The Family Code expects that both husband and wife shares equal amount of responsibilities in the household^11. According to the Federation of Cuban women, the Family Code is an educational example for young generations^12. By serving as an example for families, young people can note that both husband and wife are required to share household duties^12.

History of Afro-Cuban Women (MY NEW SECTION THAT I WILL ADD TO THE CURRENT ARTICLE)
Afro-Cuban women have been living in Cuba starting in the fifteenth century^2 with the rise of the demand for slaves during colonial times. Slaves born in Africa and were imported to Cuba were termed bozal. Slaves born in Cuba were known as negro criollo^7. The Afro-Cuban culture was also amalgamated with the influx of Afro-Haitians and their cultural products and practices in the aftermath of the Haitian Revolution^1. After 1959, the revolutionary government has instituted new reforms for the Afro-Cubans and the overall population. The revolutionary government had a goal to make every sector of the population become literate. The result was that many Afro-Cubans graduated from high school which is statistically higher compared to their white counterparts^8. This change would result in noting a substantial number of Afro-Cubans enrolling in medical schools. They were trained in medical schools established in Cuba. Medical schools were established since there was a “brain drain” that occurred likely due to the increasing attractiveness of the revolutionary ideals in the country^5. Thereof, one of the changes include free medical care which was provided to the Cuban population as well as to foreign patients^4. Cuba was renowned for its humanitarian cause in other countries including Venezuela^5. Afro-Cuban women were the majority of doctors sent abroad^5. One of the reasons why many Afro-Cuban women make up the majority of doctors sent abroad is because the salary is lucrative. Many Afro-Cubans did not have families living abroad and so they were not able to receive currency nor gifts^8. The Cuban government did not charge tuition to students and Afro-Cuban women and Cuban women were able to study in medical schools^5. They gained the opportunity to be high-paying doctors and this is a major gain in women’s rights in Cuba^5. By receiving steady money and material commodities such as clothing, the Afro-Cuban doctors were able to support their families in Cuba^5. In addition, they would not have an obligation to immigrate to a new country. They could work in a foreign country for a relatively short period of time then return home to Cuba^5. During the Special Period, Afro-Cubans were severely affected by the numerous problems that arose. For instance, they had to endure hardships including low supply of food and insufficient job opportunities^5. Afro-Cuban women asserted that they did not receive the professional opportunity to contribute to the Cuban economy despite their high educational level. For instance, in the 1990s, Afro-Cuban women have raised the issue of lack of jobs in the tourist sector. Because of the hardships, insufficient food supply, and insufficient hospitality jobs, many women including Afro-Cubans turned to sex work and international dating (tourism)^9. In the sex tourism industry, Afro-Cuban female sex workers became publicly associated as some distinct and vixenish type of exotic objects^9. Conversely, Caucasian Cuban sex workers were commonly assumed to be girlfriends or wives for tourists^9.

Home & Family and Cuba’s Decreasing Birth Rate
Women in Cuba were expected to have a fulfilling and satisfactory relationship with their husbands. By having a pleasing relationship in sex with their husbands, the Cuban government were hoping that the couples’ loving relationship will influence their children to behave morally and civilly^6. However, there were inequalities in the housing sector. Despite the Revolution’s promise to implement equal distribution and fair housing, the revenues sent from abroad were able to sustain the Caucasian Cubans’ living means^10. Afro-Cuban women were not able to live in luxurious homes due to a finding that the majority of expensive homes were owned by Caucasian Cubans^10. Despite the high number of Caucasian owners in expensive neighborhoods, the Revolution has implemented desegregation in schools and in neighborhoods^3.

After the Cuban revolution, more and more Cuban women started working away from home. The revolutionary government worked to change the societal norms marginalizing women in Cuba^15. Emancipation was necessary to help women gain equal economic opportunities^15. Prior to the Cuban Revolution, according to a census taken in 1953, 13.7% of Cuban women were working^14. After 1960, the number of women working increased^14. With revolutionary reforms that were implemented, Cuban women have more economic opportunities. A steady income would serve as an incentive for both men and women to migrate to the cities^13. However, with more women working and going to school, the birth rate has decreased^14. Another result is that there were less people living and working in the countryside due to the fact that they emigrated to the cities for jobs^13.