The Cuban Alián, son of the Cuban comedian Antolín El Pichón, went viral this Tuesday with a video in which he "explains" why Cuban women are "toxic", pointing to a popular phrase that, according to him, has been developing since preadolescence.
The Cuban TikToker like @el.profesor.cubano asserts that it all begins in the school verse notebooks, those notebooks where Cuban teenage girls write down phrases and dedications. "A verse notebook of a respected Cuban must necessarily include the phrase... he who does not feel jealous does not love," he states in the video, which is two minutes and five seconds long.
According to his theory, that saying acts like a "virus in the blood" that begins to develop between the 10 and 12 years old, that is, in fifth, sixth, or seventh grade. "Here I explain that within a maximum period of three years, this virus begins to develop in the blood of the Cuban woman," says the TikToker, who uses the format of a classroom and addresses his followers as "outstanding students."
The central argument is that a girl who, at that age, can articulate such a loaded phrase as "those who do not feel jealousy do not love" carries with her, from that moment on, the seed of jealous and controlling behaviors. "From the age of 10, 11, or 12, look at what she believes: those who do not feel jealousy do not love," summarizes the creator.
The video quickly sparked reactions: it amassed over 22,300 views, 1,888 likes, 211 comments, and 204 shares, dividing readers into those who see it as cultural humor and those who criticize it as a stereotype that reduces Cuban women to a cliché.
The content is part of a sustained trend on TikTok since at least 2024, where Cuban creators inside and outside the island debate gender stereotypes. In November of that year, another Cuban TikToker went viral for describing Cuban women as "intense", sparking a similar debate. In January of this year, TikToker @cubanamexicana8604 lashed out at Cuban men with the phrase "they think they are the last Coke in the desert and don’t even measure up to pipe beer." And in May, creator Osmy offered a reflection on the image some Cuban women project on social media, connecting the topic to the diaspora in the United States.
Beyond humor, the phrase "those who do not feel jealousy do not love" carries implications that extend beyond the anecdotal. Organizations like SECMALC warn that messages of this kind can legitimize control over a partner's clothing, friendships, and movements, presenting it as a form of protection. Furthermore, they note that these dynamics have been reconfigured with social media and messaging apps, which can become mechanisms of surveillance.
The magazine Bohemia defines toxic relationships as bonds characterized by jealousy and control, and warns that the roles of victim and perpetrator can be interchanged. Cubahora, on the other hand, points out that a key sign of this type of relationship is feeling the need to change one's lifestyle to avoid conflicts.
The TikToker concluded his video by inviting his followers to suggest new topics: "Any topic you'd like us to discuss in this class, I would be happy to accommodate you."
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