• Corpus ID: 18700624

Scandalous Acts: The Politics of Shame Among Brazilian Travesti Prostitutes

@inproceedings{Klein2003ScandalousAT,
  title={Scandalous Acts: The Politics of Shame Among Brazilian Travesti Prostitutes},
  author={Charles H. Klein and Don Kulick},
  year={2003}
}

• Charles H. Klein, D. Kulick
• Published 2003
• Art

In a small, dimly-lit hotel room, a man and a transgendered prostitute have just had sex. The price of this transaction had been agreed on before the couple entered the room, and the man, now dressed and anxious to leave, removes his wallet from his back pocket. The travesti straightens her bra-straps and eyes the man. "No", she murmurs, as she sees him open the wallet and take out a few notes. "More. I want more". The man is startled. "What do you mean, you want more?", he asks warily. "We agreed on thirty reais, and here's thirty reais. Take it". The travesti slips towards the door, in a swift, resolute gesture. "Listen love," she says calmly, blocking the man’s exit, "The price went up. You wanted me to fuck you. You sucked my dick. That's more expensive. That's not thirty reais. It’s sixty". The man growls that the travesti can go fuck herself if she thinks she can rob him like that. He flings the notes in his hand at her and moves towards the door. But the travesti moves too. Practiced. Fast. She slams her purse on the floor and plants her feet firmly apart, in a stance that makes her seem thicker, stronger, more expansive. A pair of tiny nail scissors flash in her hand. Suddenly afraid, the man stops in his tracks. He stands in front of the travesti, staring at her and wondering what to do next. Suddenly, he sees her coral-red mouth open and he hears her begin to shout; to utter loud, harsh, venomous screams that fill the room, the hotel, and, horrifyingly, it seems to the man, the whole neighborhood: