Nalini jameela book

Title: The Autobiography of a Sex Worker 
Author: Nalini Jameela
Year of Publication: 2005
Series: NA
Series #: NA
Goodreads Rating (Avg.): 3.19
Goodreads Rating (Mine): 5

Synopsis: An autobiographical work by a sex worker and activist from Thrissur, Kerala. I read the revised edition translated into English (it would have taken me forever and a giant dictionary to read it in the original Malayalam.)

Autobiography of a Sex Worker is in one word, mind blowing. The author’s narrative voice is strong and dispersed with wry humour. She comes across as well aware that her matter-of-fact narrative holds up an uncomfortable mirror to society.

It’s hard to review such a book. Any recommendation I can give pales in comparison, when the book speaks for itself so assertively. It is revolutionary on countless planes and for numerous reasons, for Kerala boasts an extremely conservative culture. Keralite women from well off, upper caste backgrounds still fight to retain any semblance of autonomy. Even today, this is a society that largely shuts down by 6 or 8 pm, with people retiring to their homes after that. The exceptions are by and large extended only to men. Both men and women enjoy little freedom when it comes to choosing a husband or wife, and the suffocating social structure demands that women be married by 23 (or at least 25), and men before they are 30. Even within the framework of arranged marriage, many parts of our society still consider it scandalous that the bride and groom speak to each other at length before their wedding day.

Above all else, this is a society that severely punishes choice and desire. And I don’t mean the desire to exercise sexual, financial or marital autonomy. Leaving nothing to chance, elders in the family will go so far as to punish the least expression of a desire. And children grow up learning to keep their secrets closest to their hearts, to b

Indian writer

Nalini Jameela (born c. 1954) is an Indian best selling author,sex worker activist and former sex worker from Thrissur, Kerala. She is the author of the books The Autobiography of a Sex-worker (2005) and Romantic Encounters of a Sex Worker (2018). She is the coordinator of the Sex Workers Forum of Kerala (SWFK) and is a member of five non-governmental organisations (NGO). She received Special Jury mention at the 51st Kerala State Film Awards for costume design for her work in the film, Bharathapuzha.

Biography

Nalini Jameela was born c. 1954 in Kallur village, Thrissur, India. She worked in the fields planting and harvesting crops until her husband died of cancer when she was aged 24. This left her with no means of supporting her two young children. A sex worker named Rosechechi introduced her to sex work. Rosechechi arranged her first client, a senior police officer, and she met him in a guesthouse in Trissur that was frequented by politicians. When leaving the guesthouse in the morning she was arrested by the police and beaten.

She had left school after the 3rd grade when she was about seven. In the 1990s she furthered her education at the Kallur Government School, eventually reaching the 12th grade.

In 2001 she became coordinator of the Sex Workers Forum of Kerala (SWFK), Under her leadership the SWFK held protest marches to draw attention to the plight of street-based sex workers.

Jameela is a member of the five non-governmental organisations (NGO). At the fourth meeting of the AIDS Counselling Program in Bangalore, she called on the government not just to distribute condoms, but to provide an education to sex workers and their children.

Works

Autobiography of a Sex Worker