Singer becomes pioneer of #MeToo movement
HAVANA — Dianelys Alfonso has a bold presence — brightly colored tattoos, spandex bodysuits, Technicolor hair — and a clarion voice that won her the label “Goddess of Cuba” for her turns on songs ranging from ballads to reggaeton.
Now she’s also the center of a new phenomenon in Cuba after publicly accusing another renowned musician, flutist and bandleader Jose Luis Cortes, of repeatedly assaulting and raping her during their yearslong relationship while she was a vocalist for NG La Banda, one of the bestknown Cuban bands of the past three decades.
Since Alfonso’s accusations against Cortes on an internet video program last month, many Cubans have declared their support for her online, calling her the pioneer of the #MeToo movement in a country where open discussion of violence against women is rare.
Within hours of speaking to video host Alex Otaola and alleging that she had been abused by Cortes, hundreds of Cubans on the island and in its diaspora in the United States, Latin America and Europe began posting messages of support for Alfonso with the hashtags #IBelieveYouGoddess, #MeTooInCuba and #YouAreNotAlone.
Alfonso also has received reams of abusive messages calling her a liar and accusing her of besmirching Cortes’ reputation to win greater renown.
Online activism of any kind is relatively new to Cuba, which began permitting mobile internet only this year. Until recently, open discussion of domestic abuse also has been rare in a communist society where the government portrays itself as able to take care of every social problem and where there are only a handful of nongovernmental women’s rights groups.
The government last year organized a publicity campaign to raise consciousness of domestic violence, with posters and announcements in official media under the slogans “You Are More” and “Evolve,” though that appeared to focus more on physical than sexual abuse.
Some 500 Cuban artists and intellectuals have signed an open letter of support for Alfonso.