These phrases, among many others, were scrawled on the walls of the Can Do bar we visited last night. The Can Do Bar is one of a kind - the first entertainment, or "expertainment", venue owned and operated by commercial sex workers. Located on Chiang Mai Land Rd., the bar also houses the EMPOWER foundation's Chiang Mai office. To learn more about EMPOWER and it's "bad girls", check out: http://www.empowerfoundation.org/. Basically it is an organization working to promote the health and human rights of commercial sex workers in Thailand. EMPOWER's message is that commercial sex workers don't need to be victimized, moralized or pitied, thank you very much. What they really deserve are equal rights and opportunities, just like everyone else.We first encountered EMPOWER when we were back in Charlottesville, contacting organizations we wanted to meet with as part of our research. We received a reply from EMPOWER's office in Bangkok that bluntly asked us why we wanted to come all the way to
Thailand to research the commercial sex industry and it's constituents. Their response was roughly along the lines of, "You have a commercial sex industry in America too, you know. Human trafficking is a problem in America too, you know". This email put us in our place - rightly so. Why were we so keen to study problems in other parts of the world, and not our own? What was so captivating about the "bongo bongo" and why did we think we could even begin to help solve their society's shortcomings? Well, we didn't have the answers to these questions (we still don't), but we did know that we definitely had to visit EMPOWER.So, a 60 baht tuk-tuk ride from Chiang Mai's inner city brought us to the Can Do Bar. Difficult to spot among the karaoke bars with flashing neon signs, we finally spotted the place. After being graciously ushered inside, we were informed that there would be a drama show that night. We soon learned that a Thai health organization of some sort would be visiting the bar also, to see this drama about the occupational hazards in the Thai commercial sex industry. Within minutes of getting our drinks, the folks from the organization trickled in, eventually filling the first floor to full capacity. While eagerly awaiting the show, we met an Australian woman who was volunteering with EMPOWER for six months. Four months into her stay, she had a lot to share with us about working with EMPOWER, EMPOWER's activities and the situation for commercial sex workers in Australia.
Soon the drama started. Two women dressed in air hostess outfits re-enacted the safety procedures for passengers on airplanes, but a la the Thai commercial sex industry. One example was the special suit a commercial sex worker (CSW)should wear in the case of emergencies. The suit was a hot pink bikini, tied around the neck, with a whistle attached for emergencies. There were also ten-inch platform boots involved. The show garnered much applause and even more laughs.
Afterwards, everyone got a tour of the upper floors of the bar. These floors had classrooms for teaching English and Thai, health awareness or computer classes. EMPOWER also teaches women from minority communities (such as Burmese ethnic communities, northern hill tribes, Lao migrants, etc.) their basic human rights, applicable everywhere even if they are living or working illegally in Thailand. There was a mannequin dressed in a skirt made of condoms. Posters covered the walls, listing the assumptions people make if you're a commercial sex worker or even just a woman. There are also a few two-foot tall papier-mache dolls standing around the room.
These dolls were made by migrants as part of the recent "Labour Sans Frontieres" project EMPOWER started in 2004. Migrants made these dolls to represent their dreams to travel freely, which many cannot actualise due to Thai labour laws and fears of being deported or detained in an International Detention Centre. So instead, these dolls are able to move for these migrant sex workers - around Thailand, around Southeast Asia, and around the world - until they can.
After our tour, we chatted for a bit with our new Australian friend. We discussed how commercial sex workers are treated around the world, but particularly in Thailand. We were told that EMPOWER's well, powerful stance on sex worker's rights is necessary because so often are sex workers weakened, victimised, demoralised or scrutinised by media, researchers, government officials, public health agencies, and many more. Outsiders tend to think that these poor women were "economically coerced" into shamefully selling their bodies because they had nothing else to sell. But this volunteer, a former sex worker herself, said, "Well, isn't everyone economically coerced into their job?" I suggested that EMPOWER should organize media workshops with local journalists so that the media may discuss the commercial sex industry with more sensitivity.
Because we had to get up early the next morning, we decided to call it a night at around 11 pm. We were glad to have met all the wonderful, friendly and fantastic women at the Can Do Bar. The night was certainly an eye-opener and helped us get a better understanding of the multiple dimensions within the Thai commercial sex industry.
The next morning, we went to a different sort of awareness-raising activity at the Chiang Mai University. Sunday was designated as a "Day of Mindfulness", organized by the Green Papaya Sangha and Thais following in the tradition of Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. Venerable Thay and many fellow Plum village monks and nuns were in Chiang Mai last summer to lead a week-long retreat. This was a sort of mini-reunion to remember his teachings and get a chance to raise our own spiritual awareness.
A group of about 20 of us sat underneath an open-air pagoda at the Sala Dham on campus. We started with a few deep breaths and calling of the bells (it's a Thich Nhat Hanh thing) before starting to meditate more seriously. A participating couple had decided to bring their two young sons with them. They kept making a lot of distracting noises which at first I found really annoying. But then, I knew that Thich Nhat Hanh would tell me to think of their high-pitched calls for Mommy as "bells of mindfulness". And so instead, I began to listen to the sound of the first day's rain, softly falling all around us. After the first sitting meditation session, we listened to a dhamma teaching on Enlightenment by Venerable Thay. Then - it was mindful lunch time!
Mindful eating means that we are fully aware of what and how we are eating. Are we eating foods that directly are relating to the suffering of other sentient beings (thanks, Karen Lang!)? Are we aware that we are eating - or just chewing mindlessly as we watch the television? How does the food breakdown in your mouth - can you feel the morsels moving across your tongue and under your teeth? Needless to say, it can take a good 3-4 minutes to finish chewing and swallowing one bite of khao pad. But boy, you sure do enjoy that one bite!
Unfortunately we had to leave the event early since we had to catch a bus to Chiang Rai. But all in all, it was certainly an enlightening weekend, in more ways than one. I was inspired to re-start my mindfulness meditation practice on the 3-hr. bus ride, also because I left my iPod in Bangkok. However, it soon became difficult to concentrate because the bus stewardess popped in the most horrible French pirate movie I have ever seen (not that I've seen many French pirate movies - nor, now, do I plan to) - dubbed in Thai, mind you. It was so bad in fact, that I could not not watch it. But soon, it was over and I was able to enjoy the rest of the ride. I tried to return to my meditation practice as I watched the beautiful misty mountains pass by. The scenery was so hypnotically gorgeous that I fell asleep, dreamily drooling on my neighbour.
Soon the drama started. Two women dressed in air hostess outfits re-enacted the safety procedures for passengers on airplanes, but a la the Thai commercial sex industry. One example was the special suit a commercial sex worker (CSW)should wear in the case of emergencies. The suit was a hot pink bikini, tied around the neck, with a whistle attached for emergencies. There were also ten-inch platform boots involved. The show garnered much applause and even more laughs.
Afterwards, everyone got a tour of the upper floors of the bar. These floors had classrooms for teaching English and Thai, health awareness or computer classes. EMPOWER also teaches women from minority communities (such as Burmese ethnic communities, northern hill tribes, Lao migrants, etc.) their basic human rights, applicable everywhere even if they are living or working illegally in Thailand. There was a mannequin dressed in a skirt made of condoms. Posters covered the walls, listing the assumptions people make if you're a commercial sex worker or even just a woman. There are also a few two-foot tall papier-mache dolls standing around the room.
These dolls were made by migrants as part of the recent "Labour Sans Frontieres" project EMPOWER started in 2004. Migrants made these dolls to represent their dreams to travel freely, which many cannot actualise due to Thai labour laws and fears of being deported or detained in an International Detention Centre. So instead, these dolls are able to move for these migrant sex workers - around Thailand, around Southeast Asia, and around the world - until they can.
After our tour, we chatted for a bit with our new Australian friend. We discussed how commercial sex workers are treated around the world, but particularly in Thailand. We were told that EMPOWER's well, powerful stance on sex worker's rights is necessary because so often are sex workers weakened, victimised, demoralised or scrutinised by media, researchers, government officials, public health agencies, and many more. Outsiders tend to think that these poor women were "economically coerced" into shamefully selling their bodies because they had nothing else to sell. But this volunteer, a former sex worker herself, said, "Well, isn't everyone economically coerced into their job?" I suggested that EMPOWER should organize media workshops with local journalists so that the media may discuss the commercial sex industry with more sensitivity.
Because we had to get up early the next morning, we decided to call it a night at around 11 pm. We were glad to have met all the wonderful, friendly and fantastic women at the Can Do Bar. The night was certainly an eye-opener and helped us get a better understanding of the multiple dimensions within the Thai commercial sex industry.
The next morning, we went to a different sort of awareness-raising activity at the Chiang Mai University. Sunday was designated as a "Day of Mindfulness", organized by the Green Papaya Sangha and Thais following in the tradition of Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. Venerable Thay and many fellow Plum village monks and nuns were in Chiang Mai last summer to lead a week-long retreat. This was a sort of mini-reunion to remember his teachings and get a chance to raise our own spiritual awareness.
A group of about 20 of us sat underneath an open-air pagoda at the Sala Dham on campus. We started with a few deep breaths and calling of the bells (it's a Thich Nhat Hanh thing) before starting to meditate more seriously. A participating couple had decided to bring their two young sons with them. They kept making a lot of distracting noises which at first I found really annoying. But then, I knew that Thich Nhat Hanh would tell me to think of their high-pitched calls for Mommy as "bells of mindfulness". And so instead, I began to listen to the sound of the first day's rain, softly falling all around us. After the first sitting meditation session, we listened to a dhamma teaching on Enlightenment by Venerable Thay. Then - it was mindful lunch time!
Mindful eating means that we are fully aware of what and how we are eating. Are we eating foods that directly are relating to the suffering of other sentient beings (thanks, Karen Lang!)? Are we aware that we are eating - or just chewing mindlessly as we watch the television? How does the food breakdown in your mouth - can you feel the morsels moving across your tongue and under your teeth? Needless to say, it can take a good 3-4 minutes to finish chewing and swallowing one bite of khao pad. But boy, you sure do enjoy that one bite!
Unfortunately we had to leave the event early since we had to catch a bus to Chiang Rai. But all in all, it was certainly an enlightening weekend, in more ways than one. I was inspired to re-start my mindfulness meditation practice on the 3-hr. bus ride, also because I left my iPod in Bangkok. However, it soon became difficult to concentrate because the bus stewardess popped in the most horrible French pirate movie I have ever seen (not that I've seen many French pirate movies - nor, now, do I plan to) - dubbed in Thai, mind you. It was so bad in fact, that I could not not watch it. But soon, it was over and I was able to enjoy the rest of the ride. I tried to return to my meditation practice as I watched the beautiful misty mountains pass by. The scenery was so hypnotically gorgeous that I fell asleep, dreamily drooling on my neighbour.
1 comment:
Were you drooling on your neighbor because you wanted her mango sticky rice? haha, I thought so. Great entry my friend!
Post a Comment