Playing the Whore: The Work of Sex Work (Jacobin)
"Collectively as a society we've got a whole bunch of tangled, warped intuitions and policies towards the exchange of money for sex. Melissa Gira Grant does a remarkable job of rigorously teasing these apart and righteously scrapping those she finds wanting. Her work has been hugely influential in how I think about sex work and outright changed my mind on a number of points. She's a must read.”–Chris Hayes,All In With Chris Hayes“An important contribution to debates around sex and work, and deserves to be read by anyone who wants to get beyond tired and damaging understandings of both.” –Nina Power, author ofOne Dimensional Woman"Gira Grant is one of the most interesting policy thinkers in the country when it comes to sex work, and this short book introduces and outlines her thinking on the matter." –Mike Konczal,Washington Post“An informative and extremely worthwhile addition to the existing body of literature on sex work.” –Stoya, adult performer andVicecolumnist“Learn, listen, take heart—this is the real deal.” –Susie Bright, sex and culture critic, and founder of On Our Backs“Well-researched and provocative … A vital text on an incendiary topic.” –Lily Burana, author ofI Love a Man in Uniformand Strip City“Gira Grant weaves her way through sanctimony and hypocrisy with wit, eloquence, insight, and a dose of necessary outrage.” –Laura Kipnis, author ofHow to Become a Scandal“Makes precisely clear that a culture that polices, silences and marginalizes women who sell sex isa culture that cares nothing about women. Period.” –Janet Mock, author ofRedefining Realness“As self-appointed saviors like Nicolas Kristof command mainstream media attention for their crusade on behalf of trafficked women, Melissa Gira Grant provides a sharp and powerful counternarrative, a layered, justice-minded critique of such interventions as well as a much needed skewering of ‘carceral feminism.’ An important, illuminating and engaging read.”– Liliana Segura, Senior Editor, The Intercept (First Look Media)