10/09/2013 Professor Bleich FMS231: CHANGING GENRES OF EROTICA Rent Girl Deema Ali

Rent Girl
Rent girl displays an interesting first person fictional perspective of an young woman living as a prostitute in Boston. I, prior to reading the story, identified with Michelle because I found her to be somewhat of a doppelganger. She reflected her view towards men with her traumatic experience of her sexually abusive stepfather. It gives the justification as to why she feels that way about men, and is somewhat relatable (not towards the traumatic experience) but that it's interesting how she states that men are able to disconnect themselves from the person beyond them while having sex is this limited to gender? Or the individual?

Rent girl also discusses the social issues and complications that come with prostitution. Michelle even briefly mentions that perhaps anti-prostituting feminists may have a point towards the lifestyle here. The lifestyle is a dirty game, and a rough business. It is stated that cocaine 'reminds you of why you are a whore'. The graphic novel explores the degradation and exploitation of the business by express it in a more psychologically-unsettling setting, the sexual abuse and the trauma. For example ,when Steph gets sexually abused, she is seen to 'bathe in her clothing'. This image is psychologically disturbing and unsettling, especially accompanied by the graphics.

What was fairly interesting is the repeating element of fake orgasms, especially with men, and how flirting repelled Michelle in the first half of the story. This somewhat contributes to the idea that

10/09/2013 Professor Bleich FMS231: CHANGING GENRES OF EROTICA Rent Girl Deema Ali women 'cannot achieve orgasm', and gives women no justice for that idea. However, it can't be said that there is no truth to the stereotype, but it is important to note that it isn't the only option. In a sense, this story makes it seem that the man is unable to give the woman an orgasm. This is displayed during the scene when Dinah and Michelle jokingly 'compete' between having the most dramatic, convincing fake orgasm. It's humorous, yet it belittles the customer (as the reader) at the same time. What effect does this emit? Perhaps it twists the stereotype towards men being incompetent instead of women being unable. Or perhaps difficult to please?

Overall, I feel indifferent towards the novel. It displays important issues and brings prostitution to a perspective, but I developed no strong pro/opposing thoughts towards the story. It may've been because I felt detached from the narrative.