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05/04/2012 05:20 AM
A sad day for Indonesian sex workers
- Wednesday was a sad day for Indonesia, and for me. It marked the death of Endang Sedyaningsih, who encompassed what is best in the women everywhere: courage, determination, integrity, compassion and humility. It is a rare combination at the best of times; in the Indonesian cabinet, where Endang held the position of Minister of Health, [...]
03/27/2012 12:01 PM
Spanish wisdom, from hookers (and me)
- Spain. With the possible exception of the one I’m trailing around now, it’s my favourite country on earth. For many reasons, including a sense of social solidarity and the fantastic pragmatism of Spanish women. Madrid’s sex workers have been displaying both, refusing to sell sex to bankers until those blood-suckers start lending money to the [...]
03/05/2012 06:16 AM
What’s wrong with Indonesian penises?
- [Note: I'm still on sabbatical. But even on sabbatical, one sometimes thinks about sex... For reflections on democracy, corruption and other dirty subjects, see my other blog, from which this is a cross-post.] Reading the newspapers in cities across Papua, Indonesia’s easternmost province, I cannot help but notice the full-colour ads for penis extensions. In [...]
01/05/2012 03:45 PM
HIV prevention, Indonesian style: stay away from blondes
- Note: This post appeared over at Elizabeth Pisani’s new blog, “Portrait Indonesia”. “Wisdom of Whores” is still on hiatus as she travels Indonesia in preparation for her new book, but we thought that WOW readers might appreciate this particular post. If you’ve not done so already, please do go over to Portrait Indonesia and have [...]
10/25/2011 02:33 AM
The last word in HIV prevention (and farewell for now)
- Much has been going on in the world of HIV, sex and drugs in the last month or so; the US marines recruiting at gay community centers, more mysteriously disappointing study outcomes for PrEP, encouraging news about the effect of microbicide gels against herpes, a new super-easy condom with a brand name that will put [...]
09/08/2011 01:28 PM
Responsible porn hits the Financial Times
- It’s not that often that I sit reading the FT on a Tube full of morning communters. Even less often that the Pink Paper (no, boys, not THAT Pink Paper) carries full page ads from the Purveyors of Porn. The ad is pimping a new internet domain ending: .xxx (Slogan: Coming, now!) The porn industry [...]
08/31/2011 07:25 AM
Taxing times for Bonn’s street hookers
- Selling sex is an odd profession, full of fiercely independent mavericks who are happy with a very flexible life outside the mainstream, while equally happy to moan about marginalisation. And there’s a fair bit of moaning going on in Bonn at the moment, after the local government installed “pay and display” tax machines for people [...]
08/22/2011 09:00 PM
Unconditional homophobia? Jamaica and Canada at the extremes?
- Trawling through an old paper lying around in a hotel lobby in Jamaica, I found this pastor’s reflections on gay men. Jamaica has the dubious distinction of being a world leader in homophobia. Now a senior police officer, Fitz Bailey, had said that most of Jamaica’s booming lottery and credit card fraud businesses are run [...]
08/15/2011 07:09 PM
Björk does a few of my favourite things
- It’s no surprise to anyone that I’m interested in viruses. Many know of my on-going affair with Indonesia. Some will have heard me obsess recently about using art to make people think differently about science. And a handful will know of my growing interest in digital media. Conveniently, Icelandic singer Björk has brought all those [...]
07/15/2011 01:50 PM
PrEP makes no sense for discordant couples – corrected
- First PReP worked for gay men, and we were happy. Then it didn’t work for straight women, and we were sad. Now, two big studies in heterosexuals have shown it can work for straight couples, and we are deeply confused. Or at least I am. Taking anti-HIV pills every day cuts the risk of infection [...]
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Elizabeth Pisani
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