A Whore’s Manifesto: An Anthology of Writing and Art Work by Sex Workers

Poet and activist Kassirer makes space for “a network of cis women, transwomen, and non-binary queers who perform a stylized version of womanhood for the gratification of clients” to tell their stories via free verse, prose, and visual art, in a raw, emotional collection with the aesthetic of a basement poetry slam. Some pieces, like Peace’s self-encouraging “Late Nights and Lap Dances” and Jessica Barry’s matter-of-fact “The Day Shift,” speak directly about daily life as a sex worker. While some, like Mateo Lara’s “Ridden,” speak to caution or fear, at least as many speak of sex work as difficult but powerful, like Lux Aeterna’s anthemic “Gods & Monsters” and J. Mork’s “Margaretha,” a success story of stepping out of the “straight job world” to find her calling as a dominatrix, a version of the theatrical work she craves that allows for her neurodiversity. Other entries explore identity more generally, such as Robin Gow’s evocative religious fugues or the strange body horror of Gigi Genet’s “After Animorphs.” While much of the poetry can feel awkward, heavy-handed, or overly self-conscious, this collection succeeds as a vehicle for workers who have so much stigma placed upon them to define themselves on their own terms and to show readers what they can do. [em](Oct.) [/em]