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and even Nollywood had a spin on the Like Chioma, a lot of prostitutes see the
trade. Perhaps my fondest memories of job as a means to an end. Everyone who
Ann Njemanze and Gloria Young were dabbles into a trade, or hobby usually
in the infamous, Domittila, and Glamour has some driving purpose. A lot of
Girls - a must watch, if nostalgia about women are not as fortunate as Chioma,
VHS tapes, early day feminism and old and some never leave the scene
Nollywood cinema are your thing. but if these women were so morally
degenerate, how and why was it such
A lot of morally reprehensible big business?
conversations were always around
prostitutes. Film and culture depicted Research has shown that African
the women who chose this life as I had societies generally prohibit sexual work
remembered them - loud and obvious or all sex associated work including
and mostly working at night. As I soliciting, pimping and even brothels.
grew older, I heard other derivations – On the other side of the world though,
‘Night workers’, ‘Girls of the backdoor’, associations and groups that have
‘Ogboloba’, ‘Hookers’ and even the risen from Human rights movements
slur that has found its way into modern and concerned parties, have found an
urban culture- ‘Slut’. One thing was increase in the trade. Some countries
profound; the way prostitutes were control the scene by ensuring sex
addressed always seemed to be workers take regular health checks,
derogatory. Nobody wanted to be pay taxes and only operate within
a prostitute, it was anything but an designated areas.
honourable profession. It meant you
were loose, and unashamedly ready to A lot of feminists who have spoken
do the down and dirty. to the breakdown of the patriarchy,
have expressly raised concerns
Could one choose this life? Was it for commercial sex workers. Often
an effect of an unmet want? Were described as abolitionists, they
prostitutes really bad? Weren’t they speak to the fact that prostitution is a
people working too? violence against women. Nothing in the
dealings, supports the strengthening or
“…Many times, my landlord was my empowerment of the woman. A good
saving Grace, he opened his home to number of sex workers have been
us because there were days when we led to it, as a reaction to a suppressed
couldn’t get clients. A good number of economic situation. This group believes
us were doing this work for our families that voluntary prostitution can very
back at home. When I met Ray*, it was much be likened to sexual exploitation.
a turning point, we are now married with
3 beautiful children and live in Ireland. “A sex worker’s choice is to sell her
Even though I am not doing the work sex labour or starve it; it amounts
any longer, it was a window to many to compulsion and really amounts
other opportunities,” says an ex-sex to no choice at all.” Simply put the
worker, Chioma. abolitionists’ side of the feminists
argument believes ridding women from

Jan - Mar 2021 | The Lion King | 53