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drakken's review against another edition
4.5
A commandingly written (in the greatest possible sense), exhaustively researched / footnoted look at the (dismal) state of sex workers' rights today. Smith & Mac (who are long-time SWers themselves) break down the various legal approaches to prostitution around the world and provide example after example of how even feminist-endorsed, "well-meaning" regulation - which it often isn't - only ends up cruelly harming and endangering the people (most often women) affected by it. Ultimately, they convincingly illustrate how full decriminalization + support is the only practical and humane path forward if we're actually concerned with making things better for the very real human beings at the heart of this discussion. An important read not just for those invested in sex work but for anyone concerned with workers' and women's rights period.
frenchfrybri's review against another edition
5.0
i think that more people need to read this book. I would put it up there with books like hood feminism- in the way that it really effectively shows how a lot of issues that are often sidelined in feminism for various social stigmatizations are actually at the core of being a human who cares and fights for women’s rights. It’s not a book about the pros and cons of sex work. the authors make it extremely clear they aren’t reviewing sex work through a lens of “this thing is so empowering so let prostitutes be prostitutes” but rather “prostitutes are human beings doing work in order to survive and therefore deserve to be protected against workplace violence.” for how short the book was, i truly learned a lot and i think you should read it, too. while this centers and focuses on prostitution/sex work, it also is overall a very convincing argument and excellent explanation of why harm reduction is important in helping vulnerable populations. I highly recommend this book
happy_birthday's review against another edition
dark
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Clearly written, convincingly argued, unfailingly persuasive. Probably as good as it gets in radical literature; the sort of book that sticks with you for years and years. Also a really good first book to read if you don't really know anything about sex work, political radicalism or the politics of liberation in general. This book covers not just sex work, but the closely related topics of policing, borders, work and many other things that make it an astoundingly effective primer if you're at all interested in leftist political ideas.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Trafficking, Homophobia, Classism, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Rape, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Racism, Deportation, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Hate crime
graveyardpansy's review against another edition
5.0
I truly have nothing to critique about this book. It's a pretty comprehensive and wide-reaching analysis of sex work, its connections to borders and policing, and different models of legislation surrounding it. It all comes from a very intersectional and radical leftist framework, which is incredibly refreshing. While the authors are both white cis women, they use this book to amplify the voices of many trans women and/or WOC, with quotes and references and statements from various radical orgs. They definitely make an effort to acknowledge where their experiences hinder their analysis, and they often keep individuals anonymous for safety, which is definitely respectable. All the arguments are well-constructed, consistent, and based on liberation for all. As a whole, the authors don't hesitate to be critical of things widely perceived as good (e.g. carceral feminism or the Nordic Model.) I put a lot of sticky notes in this one, and I'm really glad to have it on my shelves -- will definitely be recommending this one to others and referencing it in the future!
obvious_lia's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
5.0
'Revolting Prostitutes' critiques commercial sex through the intersectional lens of dialectical materialism. Smith and Mac skewer the neoliberal symbolism projected onto the bodies of sex workers, centering instead the humanity of those workers most marginalized by capitalist colonialist patriarchy. This book gave me nightmares and woke me up.