The Lives of Retired Sex Workers in Mexico City David Rosenberg - Slate
go to original May 20, 2014

María Isabel in her bedroom at Casa Xochiquetzal, 2013. The former sex worker, who grew up in Michoacán, Mexico, ran away from home at the age of 9 after a year in which her father “used her.” When she got to the Mexico City bus station, she met a woman selling tamales who offered her a home and education. María Isabel nearly finished her studies to become a teacher, but when her caretaker died, she became a sex worker at 17. She now reads, writes poetry, embroiders, and makes earrings and bracelets. (Bénédicte Desrus)

It’s an unusual question that isn’t often asked: What happens to sex workers once they retire? Photographer Bénédicte Desrus spent six years answering that question while documenting Casa Xochiquetzal, a home in Mexico City for (mostly) retired sex workers.

Desrus, who is French, first discovered Casa Xochiquetzal when she was assigned by a women’s magazine to take a portrait of Carmen Munoz, a retired sex worker who opened the shelter in 2006. Fascinated by the shelter, Desrus wanted to learn more about it and the roughly 26 women who lived there. To do that, she began with an organic and somewhat slow approach by simply showing up and developing relationships with the women. “You really need to live with them because they will tell you one story, and the day after they will tell you another story, and the next day they will tell you the truth,” she said. “They love to talk, but they aren’t open. You need trust, and for this you need to spend time with them.”

Desrus relied on humor and curiosity to help build relationships with the women. If she had to travel for work, she always made sure to return to the shelter to convince them she was sincere about sharing their stories. She only took photographs of the women who gave her permission and provided them with prints, which often inspired other women to participate. They often asked her why she was interested in taking their portraits. Desrus used that as an opening to earn their trust through lighthearted banter. “I was respectful,” Desrus laughed. “I said, ‘Because you’re old and ugly.’ ”

Read the rest and see photo gallery at Slate

Unique in the world, Mexico City (Distrito Federal de Mexico) has a city-run old age home for retired and working senior citizen prostitutes. One Mexican commentator said that it's strange that a country whose stereotype among outsiders is for violence and cruelty that such generosity and survivorship is also shown. (VBS-TV/richmx2)

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