Leading the Life of a Modern Girl: Representations of Womanhood in Cuban Popular Culture, 1919-1929 Lizabeth M. Lotz a Dissertat
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Leading the Life of a Modern Girl: Representations of Womanhood in Cuban Popular Culture, 1919-1929 Lizabeth M. Lotz A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History. Chapel Hill 2008 Approved by: Louis A. Pérez, Jr. Kathryn Burns John Charles Chasteen Jocelyn Olcott Lars Schoultz ABSTRACT Lizabeth M. Lotz: Leading the Life of a Modern Girl: Representations of Womanhood in Cuban Popular Culture, 1919-1929 (Under the direction of Louis A. Perez, Jr.) This dissertation looks at the central role the figure of the Modern Girl had on understandings of gender norms in 1920s Cuba. The international Modern Girl served as an embodiment of the varied challenges to the gender hierarchy. Within a generation, women throughout the island were cutting their hair, wearing short skirts, attending unchaperoned outings, and openly flirting with the opposite sex. Through her modern appearance, behavior, and attitude, the Modern Girl prompted debates over what it meant to be a Cuban woman, and moreover how the new version of womanhood related to notions of national identity. Popular magazines emanating from the Havana promoted the Modern Girl as the new model of ideal femininity. However, the outpouring of support for the Modern Girl did not indicate that Cubans had unconditionally embraced the changes in cultural practices. Rather, multiple versions of the archetype emerged, all varying in degrees of acceptability. Rather than voicing disapproval directly, most public censure surfaced through the more indirect means of mockery and sexualization. This reaction was most common among male commentators who tended to glamorize and praise the Modern Girl, but did so by typecasting her as frivolous, superficial, and materialistic. These methods of critique served to undermine women’s accomplishments and opportunities, making them ii appear harmless and unimportant. But they also reflected social angst towards the sudden transformations affecting Cuban society. In contrast, most female journalists and readers took cultural changes much more seriously than men by noting how modern trends related to modern women’s increased autonomy and practical needs. The figure of the Modern Girl thus provided women with an opening to contest, defy, and continuously redefine established gender norms. The lifestyle of the Modern Girl served as a means for women to express their new-found sense of freedom, while also making them more acutely aware of gender inequalities and providing them with a sense of empowerment to challenge the gender hierarchy. iii To Daniel and Nicolas, And to All the Strong and Inspirational Cuban Women in my Family iv ACKNOWLEGMENTS I owe many thanks to those who helped turn my ideas into a scholarly work. My story of the Modern Girl in Cuba would not be possible without the assistance of many institutions, colleagues, friends, and family members, both in the United States and in Cuba. I am grateful for the financial support given to me by my graduate institutions, Florida International University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In particular, I received generous funding from the History Department and the Graduate School at both universities and from the Institute for the Study of the Americas at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Numerous U.S. librarians and staff members assisted me during my years of research. I am especially thankful for the expansive knowledge of Esperanza B. de Varona and Lesbia Orta Varona at the University of Miami Cuban Heritage Collection, Fernando C. Alvarez at the Library of Congress, and Teresa Chapa at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In Cuba, I am indebted to Marta Beatriz Gutierrez, Deborah Peña, and Lourde Lopetegui at the Biblioteca Nacional José Martí. Numerous scholars have offered me support and guidance over the years including, Asunción Lavrin, Lynn Stoner, James Sweet, Sherry Johnson, N. David Cook, and Mark Szuchman. Many in Cuba offered me their knowledge as well as their hospitality. In particular, I want to thank Lourdes Serrano, Milagros Martínez Reinosa, v Marel García Pérez, Daisy Rubiera Castillo, Tomas Fernández Robaina, Luz Merino, and Mayra Heydrich. The individual members of my dissertation committee, Kathryn Burns, John Charles Chasteen, Jocelyn Olcott, and Lars Schoultz offered me their insight and expertise, allowing me to better able to articulate my arguments. This was especially the case with my advisor Louis A. Perez, Jr., who tirelessly read my drafts and kept pushing me in the right direction. I am also indebted to the friends who patiently listened to ideas, offered suggestions, and revised my work, especially Dana Brinson, Joshua Nadel, Lupe García, and Rachel Hynson. A special thanks to Devyn Spence Benson, a dear friend and fellow Cubanist who I shared many wonderful experiences with, including traveling to Cuba, spending long hours in the library, and talking endlessly about our projects. My family in Cuba, especially Marta, Llanes, Nerea, and Lisi, welcomed me into their homes and made me feel as if I had always been a part of their lives. Their love and support made my pseudo-homecoming natural and wonderful. I attribute my love for Cuba to my family, Ia, Mami, Papi, Eño, Titi, and Tita. Their stories made me yearn to learn more, and their encouragement allowed me to continue my explorations. The Cuban women in my life were especially responsible for inspiring in me a desire to know more about those women who pushed the boundaries almost a century ago. Exploring the life of the Modern Girl in many ways became a way of learning more about my own family. I owe much of who I am today to another Cuban woman, my childhood friend and confidante- my sister Anna. Words cannot express how grateful I am to my husband, Daniel, for supporting me through this arduous process. His belief in me kept me going and kept me centered. And to our son, Nicolas, I am grateful for keeping everything in perspective. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I. The Modern Girl in Cuban Popular Culture Introduction..................................................................................................................... 4 Background..................................................................................................................... 9 Historiography and Theory......................................................................................... 16 II. The Glamorous Life of the Modern Girl Introduction................................................................................................................... 25 Discourse on Cuban Womanhood ............................................................................. 28 The Feminist and the Modern Girl ............................................................................ 34 Living a Glamorous Life............................................................................................. 46 Defining the Cuban Modern Girl............................................................................... 57 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 74 III. Fashion as Expression Introduction................................................................................................................... 76 Slaves to Fashion.......................................................................................................... 82 The Shorter the Better ................................................................................................. 97 Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder ....................................................................... 111 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 124 IV. New Dating Practices and the Modern Girl Introduction................................................................................................................. 126 vii Moving Beyond the Home........................................................................................ 129 Modern Dating Practices........................................................................................... 144 Pursuing their Principe Azul..................................................................................... 156 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 164 V. Behaving Badly Introduction................................................................................................................. 166 Inappropriate Behavior.............................................................................................. 169 Sexualized Modern Girl ............................................................................................ 183 Women Behind the Scenes ....................................................................................... 192 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 203 VI. Conclusion: The Uncertain Future of the Modern Girl ........................................ 205 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 214 viii Chapter One: The Modern Girl in Cuban Popular