Whores and Other Feminists

by Nagle; Jill

• ISBN13: 9780415918220
• ISBN10: 0415918227
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 1997-07-02
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Whores and Other Feministsfleshes out feminist politics from the perspective of sex workers--strippers, prostitutes, porn writers, producers and performers, dominatrices--and their allies. Comprising a range of voices from both within and outside the academy, this collection draws from traditional feminisms, postmodern feminism, queer theory and sex radicalism. It stretches the boundaries of contemporary feminism, holding accountable both traditional feminism for stigmatizing sex workers, and also the sex industry for its sexist practices. Recent theorists have pointed out that the exchange of sex for money has no inherent meaning. Contributors Nina Hartley, Candida Royalle and Debi Sundahl, sex industry feminists, discuss creating women-oriented products and entertainment for an ever-increasing female consumer demand. Annie Sprinkle offers sex-worker-positive tips for self-care in a challenging profession. Together with other contributors, they problematize traditionalfeminism's dismissal of sex work as inherently antifeminist by revealing its myriad of forms and contexts. Each contributor ellucidates a particular intersection, or series of intersections of feminist theory and sex work practice: a butch lesbian offers herself for hire by femmes; after years of studying the holy whore archetype, a forty-two year old woman has a spriritual awakening and decides to become a prostitute; and a stripper demystifies questions about sex and objectification she has only intellectualized. The result of these contributions is a more complex definition of both feminism and sex work, and a new context for debate--one in which the voices of feminist sex workers are primary and central.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction	p. 1
Integration: The Letter, The Spirit, and The Flesh
Naked, Naughty, Nasty: Peep Show Reflections	p. 19
Odyssey of a Feminist Pornographer	p. 36
The Holy Whore: A Woman's Gateway to Power	p. 44
A Sex Protector/Pervert Speaks Out	p. 55
In the Flesh: A Porn Star's Journey	p. 57
We've Come A Long Way - And We're Exhausted!	p. 66
Meanings: Performance, Perspective, and Discourse
Love for Sale: Queering Heterosexuality	p. 73
Feminism, Sex Workers, and Human Rights	p. 83
Peepshow Feminism	p. 98
The Littlest Harlot: Barbie's Career as A Role Model	p. 119
Sex Radical Politics, Sex-Positive Feminist Thought, and Whore Stigma	p. 125
500 Words on Acculturation	p. 136
Turnabout: Reversal, Subversion, and Re-vision
It's Different for Boys	p. 141
Professional Dominance: Power, Money, and Identity	p. 145
First Ladies of Feminist Porn: A Conversation with Candida Royalle and Debi Sundahl	p. 156
No Girls Allowed at the Mustang Ranch	p. 167
Butch Gigolette	p. 170
Uncovering: Myth, Stigma, and Silence
All Stripped Off	p. 179
Confessions of a Fat Sex Worker	p. 189
They Say I Write Sex for Money: The Dike Writer as Sex Worker	p. 191
Showing Up Fully: Women of Color Discuss Sex Work	p. 195
Working It	p. 210
Sedition	p. 217
Politics: Activism, Intervention, and Alliance
Inventing Sex Work	p. 223
Organizing in the Massage Parlor: An Interview with Denise Turner	p. 232
MAPping Accountability	p. 242
A Prostitute Joins NOW	p. 248
Dancing Toward Freedom	p. 252
Feminists for Free Expression	p. 256
Appendix	p. 259
Bibliography	p. 263
Contributors	p. 273
About the Editor	p. 281
Index	p. 283
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.