Politics and Civil Society in Cuba

(Axel Boer) #1

388 Chapter 16


627 I have noticed the disapproval of the people in the street too.
628 For example
629 one time I was in the Polyclinic
630 with my girl in my arms,
631 she was little.
632 I was with my partner who looked a little butch.
633 And so I had an argument with someone who wanted to cut in
front of me to see the doctor
634 and they realized that I had just given birth,
635 I had a baby girl in my arms
636 and it was my right (to go first).
637 That’s a law in this country.
638 Women who have just given birth get preference.
639 They fought and the woman didn’t like the way my friend looked
640 And I, I don't know if it was innocently,
641 I answered her. I asked “Why are you offending her?”
642 I got involved in the fight.
643 And she says to me,
644 “And who are you to butt in?”
645 I tell her,
646 “She’s my aunt.” It just came out to tell her that.
647 “Is she your uncle? Or your husband?”
648 Do you understand?
649 With that disapproval
650 and then I noticed that the rest of the people that were there were
staring at me too with their faces like this,
651 all weird.
652 It makes you feel pretty bad.”
653 Sincerely, it makes you feel really bad.
654 Because you feel like you don’t belong,
655 not to this society,
656 not to this place,
657 that you don't belong to any of it.
658 Truly, you go down the street and they are staring at you,
659 if its not because how I look,
660 its because the person that you’re walking with.
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