Chapter 9 Giving a Voice to Sex Workers in Au cÅur du bois (Drexel, 2021)
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This chapter examines Claus Drexelâs Au cÅur du bois (2021), a documentary featuring a community of sex workers living and practicing their profession in the Bois de Boulogne. Being for the most part a male-to-female (MTF) transgender, the sex worker of the Bois de Boulogne challenges not only normative forms of gender identity and sexual behavior sanctioned by the French Republic but also the political ideologies that regulate them. The first part of the chapter establishes the historical context of sex work in the Bois de Boulogne, which became associated with dangerous transgender immigrants. It is argued that the stateâs linking of urban insecurity and street prostitution to illegal immigration influenced the last two decades of repressive legislation that has marginalized this group. The second part examines Drexelâs documentary approach and its impact on the visual and narrative representation of sex workers, the Bois de Boulogne, and their symbiotic relationship. The third part analyzes the filmâs opening, main narrative, and ending, focusing on the sex workersâ testimonies. The final part considers the ways in which Drexelâs documentary offers a platform for these individuals living on the margins of Paris to find their voices and speak on the behalf of their community.