Labor of Love

(Image via Melissa Gira Grant's twitter account)

You might recognize this sentiment: the sex workers’ rights movement is funded by “the industry.” We are “the pimp lobby,” whether we’ve ever been in any sort of management role ourselves or not, let alone whether we’ve abused or exploited other workers. You might think it’s pretty easy to laugh at that sort of thing,… Continue reading Labor of Love

Love and Frosting: A Conversation With Portland’s Cupcake Girls

The author enjoying the fruits of her research (Selfies by Red of herself devouring cupcakes)

“But how should I address the invitations?” the young brunette across from me asked. “Husband first, so ‘Mr and Mrs blank,’” advised the older woman next to her, and everyone nodded. I blinked and made a note, tried not to look confused or judgmental. I was at a planning meeting for It’s a Cupcake Christmas!,… Continue reading Love and Frosting: A Conversation With Portland’s Cupcake Girls

Sex Worker/Social Worker: An Ethics Roundtable

via soulkreations on Etsy

Monica Jones was both a student in and a target of the Arizona State School of Social Work when she was arrested in a sweep that was part of Project ROSE, the prostitution diversion program that’s a partnership between the school and the Phoenix PD. We asked sex workers who, like Monica, are students in or… Continue reading Sex Worker/Social Worker: An Ethics Roundtable

Discussing Other People’s Lives: Social Work and Student Sex Workers

(Screenshot of Graf and O'Neill's Student Sex Worker Outreach Project page on the Portland State University's Women's Resource Center's website)

Adrienne Graf and Annie O’Niell are two social workers whose focus  has been sex workers. O’Niell has experience as a sex worker and Graf is an ally. Together, they have facilitated workshops at the university, state and national level on how to work with students in the sex industry. Here, they have a conversation about… Continue reading Discussing Other People’s Lives: Social Work and Student Sex Workers

The Emperor’s New Clothes: Swedish Model Edition

Once upon a time, there was a cold little kingdom in the north—we can call it Swedala. Now, you might not believe in magical spells, frogs that turn into princes, or other imaginary things. But believe me when I tell you that in this kingdom people were living in two parallel worlds so different they… Continue reading The Emperor’s New Clothes: Swedish Model Edition