Spare yourself the Sparrow

Many of you may have read, heard about, even experienced the red-light districts throughout Asia. Young, beautiful Asian women on the arms of Western men? Big deal. Happens all the time in New York, at least. It takes all kinds. But here, something's different.

I first noticed an unusually high percentage of this combo in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It's none of my business, but in line for a coffee, hearing the man order for the two of them, the woman not so well-versed in English, it made me wonder. Are these two in love? Eh, who cares...but upon closer look, most of the men looked, well, broken. Older, worn, even dried up, like prunes. Not only lovely, these women sure were kind to take to these men. I didn't realize. Should have left my naivete in New York. Here, it is all paid. Paid time spent. A job. And out in the open in many shades of legal. Ok. Who am I to judge?

But hearing what are probably urban myths created by travelers (or at least I hope they are), many of the women have families they leave to support through this type of work. I don't know what women who work in a sex industry think or feel. Do they hate the work, enjoy it? Are they indifferent? I can only imagine what they dream about. Are their dreams any different than mine?

So at the airport, on the way to Bali, I saw a book called Red Light Nights, Bangkok Daze and picked it up, hoping for some insight. I finished it today. And I'm discouraged, even disappointed. William Sparrow, writer and author, not sure if acclaimed, has enjoyed researching red-light districts of Asia and the women (and ladyboys) in those areas. His book, however, is no more than a compilation of articles he has already published on his website (which I won't link). I can't say his book or any article therein was as informative as I expected. More specifically, I'd hoped the stories would tell working women's stories and lives.

Beginning the book with a write-up of what I imagine is one of his most lascivious experiences, Sparrow moves on to discuss porn stars, twin fantasies and, my favorite, his buddy's affinity for the old and ugly. He chronicles his friends' trysts and his own experiences with women, using those stories to argue the superiority of Asian women and to justify his use of their services. It begs the question. Would his articles have been written if he did not already have an affinity for these women?

But here's the real issue for me. The lines are blurred. Fine, as a writer you may have to use creative methods to get a story. But is research really research when you pay someone to sleep with you for it? And how can a writer investigate the sex industry and never have a moment of conscience? In one of his article's written about a teenager in Burma he writes, "It is one of the very few experiences I have had in Asia where the girl on offer was certainly not willing to sell herself for sex..." Wow. That is just sad. How many of these women would do this work if they'd had the same choice. I wonder still. Does this man ever read what he writes?

As is, there is more sex-pat than writer in Sparrow. He scrapes the surface to titillate but remains far more at large than investigative. I guess I'd hoped to enter the doors and communities I will never see. To become a spectator in a world I have never entered. Smells, sights, description. But alas, Sparrow does not deliver. I guess money can't buy everything. Upon discussing my feelings of the work with my Mom, she exclaimed, "Damn! And I paid for it!" While a woman can certainly pay for it, only a woman living the life can tell the real story, at least in Sparrow's case.

If interested in this topic, please do research and find a legit account of what it means to work these districts. Or wait for my next review. Either way, spare yourself this one.