The post Join us for International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers 12/17/14 appeared first on SWOP-NOLA.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014 at 4pm
December 17th – International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers 2014 in New Orleans
December 17, 2014 4:00 pm
Canal St. at Bourbon
New Orleans, Louisiana
This December 17th, 2014, for the third year, the Sex Workers Outreach Project, New Orleans (SWOP-NOLA), will be joining 25+ U.S. cities (and many more worldwide) in observing the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.
As with years previous, SWOP-NOLA will march through the French Quarter in honor of individuals working in the sex industry who have fallen victim to violence, and to renew and celebrate our commitment in the ongoing struggle for empowerment, visibility, and rights for all sex workers.
We invite you to walk with us in a show of solidarity. Show up at Canal and Bourbon at 4pm on Wednesday, December 17th and join us!!
Though the reason for our event is sober and serious, you don’t have to be.
We’ve found the unique mix of tourists, sex workers, locals, and service industry workers who gather in the quarter (be it for work or play) to be pretty receptive to the cause of sex workers’ rights.
Gaining support and winning allies is an important step in chipping away at the societal stigma that encourages violence against us. So don’t be afraid to wear something fun and grab a go-cup!
We have a few red umbrellas (international symbol of sex workers’ rights) available. Last year, just for the sake of looking awesome (and matching our umbrellas), we all wore red, so let’s shoot for that again. If you’re concerned about anonymity, we’ve got you covered (well, your face, anyway). We have sparkly masks, and some of us will be wearing wigs, not only to obscure our identity, but because we’ll take any excuse to do so, and Mardi Gras is still two whole months away.
We also have SWOP-NOLA info and promo stuff to hand out to people on the street (same stuff as last year). Feel free to create your own materials to distribute, and bring some to share!
“In the spirit of remembrance and healing, the Sex Workers Outreach Project joins sex workers, allies and advocates from around the world in recognizing December 17, the International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers. As we approach this day, we seek to come together to remember those who we have lost this year, and renew our commitment in the on-going struggle for empowerment, visibility, and rights for all sex workers. On December 17th, we also renew our commitment to solidarity. The majority of violence against sex workers is not just violence against sex works—it’s also violence against trans women, against women of color, against drug users, against immigrants. We cannot end the marginalization and victimization of all sex workers without also fighting transphobia, racism, stigma and criminalization of drug use, and xenophobia.” (from SWOP-USA)
Everyone is welcome–all ages, all genders, as long as they can play nice (I almost said “behave themselves,” but then I remembered good behavior is overrated). Sex workers, allies, boyfriends/girlfriends, kids, random supporters, etc.
Check this page for memorial names. They’re gonna publish the 2014 list soon, so if you’d like to add someone who worked in the biz to the list, contact them.
Just a reminder: the term “sex worker” applies to anyone who does sexy work: escorts (indies and agency girls), strippers, fbsm-ers, sugar babies, pro-dommes, cam-models/ camwhores, porn stars, porn…supporting cast (I guess?), fluffers, street workers, massage parlor workers, girls who work for those topless maid companies, tantra practitioners…shit, in some cases, I would say bartending and waitressing even counts. oh and there’s phone sex. and peep shows. and I think I just time-traveled back to the 80s. Anyway, that’s all the sex workers I can think of right now.
Tentative Route!
The post Join us for International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers 12/17/14 appeared first on SWOP-NOLA.