5 ms·

> Ultimately, in the context of the country/culture, legal protection is a progressive position, but it's not sufficient, unless complemented by a degree of ano

by hzay 5y ago

> Ultimately, in the context of the country/culture, legal protection is a progressive position, but it's not sufficient, unless complemented by a degree of anonymity. Not sure how that could work, though! Legal, non-anonymous and socially respectable escort services used to exist, you know. It existed in south india as a practice for hundreds of years before the british came.

pizza234 5y ago
Yes, this is why I've mentioned "in the context of the country/culture". Surely in the country you mention, or I suppose others (e.g. Netherlands) there is no social stigma, but in the USA, there is, and it needs to be taken into account.
bollu 5y ago
What was it called, the practice in south india? I live there and I've never heard of this!
- hzay 5y ago
  Devadasi system :) but it's erased history at this point and I also didn't know about it growing up. For historical sources I'd recommend Domingo Paes's book on Vijayanagara empire and Chola inscriptions in the Tanjore temple. You can also look up Bangalore Nagarathnamma, Veena Dhanammal, Mylapore Gowri ammal, Coimbatore Thayi, Balasaraswathi, Muddupalani. Some of them have books written on them. If you'd like more sources, plz let me know -- I'll send some book titles your way.
lenkite 5y ago
"before the british came." More accurately - before Islamic conquerors came. The Vijayanagara empire was utterly destroyed by the Sultanates. Devadasi as an institution was shattered first by Islamic invaders - who even record this in their journals. In-fact most Islamic historians explicitly declaim this as liberation of women in India and how Islamic conquest uplifted backward society in that era.
- hzay 5y ago
  Could you give me a source for your claims please? Until mid 1800s, my understanding is that the system was working fine.
- mistrial9 5y ago
  the English wikipedia article 'Devadasi' is not in synch with this story?
denton-scratch 5y ago
> Legal, non-anonymous and socially respectable escort services You can still hire no-sex escorts to accompany you to an event - such as a work event, or anything where you don't want people to think you're a saddo who can't get a girlfriend. I can imagine a closet queen employing such a service.

by hzay 5y ago

pizza234 5y ago

Yes, this is why I've mentioned "in the context of the country/culture". Surely in the country you mention, or I suppose others (e.g. Netherlands) there is no social stigma, but in the USA, there is, and it needs to be taken into account.

bollu 5y ago

What was it called, the practice in south india? I live there and I've never heard of this!

hzay 5y ago
Devadasi system :) but it's erased history at this point and I also didn't know about it growing up. For historical sources I'd recommend Domingo Paes's book on Vijayanagara empire and Chola inscriptions in the Tanjore temple. You can also look up Bangalore Nagarathnamma, Veena Dhanammal, Mylapore Gowri ammal, Coimbatore Thayi, Balasaraswathi, Muddupalani. Some of them have books written on them. If you'd like more sources, plz let me know -- I'll send some book titles your way.

lenkite 5y ago

"before the british came." More accurately - before Islamic conquerors came. The Vijayanagara empire was utterly destroyed by the Sultanates. Devadasi as an institution was shattered first by Islamic invaders - who even record this in their journals. In-fact most Islamic historians explicitly declaim this as liberation of women in India and how Islamic conquest uplifted backward society in that era.

hzay 5y ago
Could you give me a source for your claims please? Until mid 1800s, my understanding is that the system was working fine.
mistrial9 5y ago
the English wikipedia article 'Devadasi' is not in synch with this story?

denton-scratch 5y ago

> Legal, non-anonymous and socially respectable escort services You can still hire no-sex escorts to accompany you to an event - such as a work event, or anything where you don't want people to think you're a saddo who can't get a girlfriend. I can imagine a closet queen employing such a service.