‘Women aren’t allowed to talk about their suffering:’ Anil Yadav on his novella about ‘courtesans’
· Scroll
Anil Yadav, author of Courtesans Don’t Read Newspapers (which comprises the eponymous novella and five short stories), reflected on how religious elites manipulate language to legitimise the sexual subjugation of women. He observed that ours is a culture that worships women, only to assert dominance over them, allowing traditionally powerful and corrupt groups to use sexual violence as a tool to deny women bodily autonomy. In a conversation with Scroll, Yadav explored the links between prostitution and capitalism. He also addresses the institutional discrimination faced by minorities. Excerpts from the interview:
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In the novella Courtesans Don’t Read Newspapers, you write, “The flag-bearers of Kashi’s culture insist that even today their newspapers didn’t write about prostitutes without first showing them the respect owed to sisters and daughters.” This meant substituting “rape” with “breach of modesty”. They call the sex workers “nagarvadhu”, brides of the town. And they don’t hesitate to call the red light district “Manav Mandi”. Where does this need for sanitisation of language come from while talking about the horrors faced by women? Why do they create a false illusion of respect and safety? Whose “modesty” are they protecting?
“The flag-bearers of Kashi’s culture” here refers to the traditional elites of the society who, like other elite...