Friends, I like 2 clarify one thing. The comments on Bracket are Not Mine. It is the part of the Forwarded Message I got From SWFK. I think it is the part of PTI news. who wrote the comments in Bracket.
The Autobiography of Nalini raises so many Points. I like 2 Share a Point on this Weeks Tehelka From [ http://www.tehelka.com/story_main13.asp?filename=hub073005the_life_of.asp ] Paradoxes abound in the small state of Kerala — a sex worker who had no freedom of choice because of her economic conditions, today speaks about the other freedoms that she enjoys. Even as the media revels in the glossiness of sexually tinted advertisements, and serials portray empowered women, the reality is pretty skewed in Kerala — it is not safe for women to go out alone after eight at night, and the sex scandals that rock the state compete hotly with serials on a regular basis. Nalini says that sex workers seem to have more freedom than ordinary women in this progressive state. She asks, "In Kerala, can other women walk alone on the road as bravely as we can? To some extent, sex workers have more freedom in matters of sex as compared to the ordinary married woman who has to take her husband's beatings and abuses all her life. The sex worker has the freedom of choice not to go with a client that she does not like." Perhaps there is some truth in her reasoning. On 22/08/05, Anivar Aravind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Sex worker's Autobiography Published > > Source: Press Trust of India > > Kochi, Aug 14 (PTI) An autobiography of a sex worker is creating waves in > the Southern Indian state of Kerala. > > The 233-page book narrates the story of thrice-married Nalini Jameela, now > in her fifties. > > "I am over 51 and I want to continue as sex worker," she says in her > autobiography 'Laingiga Thozhilaliyudae Atmakatha' (autobiography of a sex > worker). Human rights activist I Gopinath has written the book for Nalini > in Malayalam. > > Over 5000 copies of the book have been sold since its release on June 20 > this year and the publishers are soon going in for a third print, V C > Thomas, Manager, Publication of D C Books, the publishers, told PTI. > > Selling 5000 copies of a book in Malayalam within five weeks of its > publication is a rarity, he said adding the book would be brought out in > English and nine other languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and > Bengali. [It always amazes me at how eager publishers are to assist the > distribution of stories about women who claim they love "sex work." - Donna] > > According to Nalini, her aim is not to malign those who have exploited her. > "They are my bread givers". [Traffickers, pimps, and johns are just "bread > givers"! - Donna] > > Describing the sex workers as "safety valves" of a society, she says she > wants red streets in Kerala because "our society is facing sexual poverty > while we are talking about morality". > > Nalini, who is the coordinator of sex workers' forum, says she had to face > the wrath of some feminists for organising the sex workers. > > Sex education should be given to children. "Let boys and girls grow up > together. We are separating them from childhood. That is the main reason > for sexual harassments," she told PTI. > > Born and brought up at Amballoor in Thrissur district, Nalini studied only > upto third class. Poverty and the burden of looking after three siblings > forced her to work at an early age. > > Her three marriages were a failure. She became a sex worker after the death > of her first husband. Her tale is about sexual exploitation by politicians, > police and men from varying backgrounds. > > She is active with sex workers organisation in Kerala and has completed two > documentaries on the life of sex workers. She underwent camera training in > Thailand and attended meetings in several Indian cities as convenor of sex > workers forum. > > According to Gopinath, a former naxal activist, the book is an attempt to > "expose the so called morality" of Malayalees. > > > Press Trust of India >
