To Live Freely in This World: Sex Worker Activism in Africa

by Chi Adanna Mgbako

Sex worker activists throughout Africa are demanding an end to the criminalization of sex work and the recognition of their human rights to safe working conditions, health and justice services, and lives free from violence and discrimination. To Live Freely in This World is the first book to tell the story of the brave activists at the beating heart of the sex workers’ rights movement in Africa—the newest and most vibrant face of the global sex workers’ rights struggle. African sex worker activists are proving that communities facing human rights abuses are not bereft of agency. They’re challenging politicians, religious fundamentalists, and anti-prostitution advocates; confronting the multiple stigmas that affect the diverse members of their communities; engaging in intersectional movement building with similarly marginalized groups; and participating in the larger global sex workers’ rights struggle in order to determine their social and political fate.

By locating this counter-narrative in Africa, To Live Freely in This World challenges disempowering and one-dimensional depictions of “degraded Third World prostitutes” and helps fill what has been a gaping hole in feminist scholarship regarding sex work in the African context. Based on original fieldwork in seven African countries, including Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda, Chi Adanna Mgbako draws on extensive interviews with over 160 African female and male (cisgender and transgender) sex worker activists, and weaves their voices and experiences into a fascinating, richly-detailed, and powerful examination of the history and continuing activism of this young movement.

Genres: Sex Work, Nonfiction, Feminism, Africa, Politics, Social Justice, History

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engagingly written account of sex worker activism over the last decade or so, with a focus on the present, in eight different African countries. Despite the prevalence of sex work in Africa, there isn't much that seems to have been written, and this book covers a lot of the gaps. While the author is an American academic, she has placed the voices of sex workers at the centre of the narrative, and the result is a strongly argued, moving look at the topic. It's never a difficult read.
I came to this knowing very little about Africa, and a bit more about sex work, and at times it felt the expected audience was the other way - I missed a bit, I think, by not having a stronger background in African society and culture. Many of the glimpses intrigued me - the realities of sex worker culture when gay and lesbian relationships are illegal, the intersection of HIV and sex work in a society where HIV/AIDS is so common - but sometimes it felt that the narrative was jumping too quickly to understand.
What does stand out is the incredible voices of people who demand respect, who fight for safe working practices and who display such inspiring solidarity in the face of stigma, police violence and social exclusion. Definitely worth reading.

[Amina · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent history of sex work activism on the African continent with multiple case studies and interviews. Though the author is not a sex worker, she excellently categorizes the legal and social impediments to freedom among sex workers and consistently upholds the voices of people who are doing real, on the ground work in the global South.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to figure out a "rating" for this book as it's a sort of overview of a topic where the reaction would depend a lot on your familiarity with the topic. She did a great job in centering sex workers' words and stories, often with long direct interviews, but in doing so sometimes elided some of the context for people less in the know about sex work or activism. I can see it being a great intro reader for a university class, but I wanted a little more analysis of criminalization trends and advocacy efforts. Also, while I appreciate the use of different countries to pull out patterns and develop a pan-African view, overall it felt a little too flattened in trying to show parallels more than in acknowledging specific differences. For example, I was quite curious about the role of race relationships in South Africa in communities and activism that was just not addressed.

[Mélissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book if you're interested in learning about the sex workers' movement. I highly recommend.

[Yassmin]

Fantastic. A book that honours the sex workers who are fighting for their rights and dignity across the continent.

[haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

for class

[Lillie Guo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
incredibly moving account of the young movement in africa for the health and human rights of sex workers. goes into movements in different countries and the diversity of strategies used to advocate for health and rights and the decriminalization of sex work. speaks on the intersectionality of the sex workers movement, particularly w the labor rights movement, the lgbt+ health and rights movement, migrant rights, the movement for accessible and equitable hiv/aids prevention/treatment. speaks on the polarizing, and sometimes even invisible nature of sex work discourse amongst feminist leaders (as well as the incredible impact it can have when feminists include and work w sex workers in their organizing). the writing and accounts of sex work, as well as the abuse that frequents the work that results from criminalization and stigma, is poignant without being exploitative, matter of fact without being cavalier. it was a really impactful book for me.

i read to live freely in this world for my work, and although it reads a bit like a textbook, i still found it incredibly engaging and think that anyone interested in sex workers rights and the decriminalization of sex work would find this book endlessly enlightening and fascinating.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

On top of the concise history and present of sex workers' activism in Africa, this book also has such a convincing and accessible argument for decriminalization and against "rescue" activism and faux "help" like legalization and the Nordic model (partial criminalization). I also appreciate the many sections where sex workers write about their experiences in their own words.