The Amsterdam Window Protest: The War Continues

The Amsterdam window protest. (Photo via Yvette Luhrs)

On April 9th, over 200 Amsterdam sex workers and their supporters protested the closing of legal sex businesses in the Red Light District by the city council. The demonstration consisted of a march from the Amsterdam Red Light District to city hall, where the protesters handed a letter to the mayor demanding the reopening of… Continue reading The Amsterdam Window Protest: The War Continues

Big Mother Is Watching You: Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton with Long Pros. (Photo via Nicholas Kristof's "Half The Sky" Pinterest)

For our second installment of Big Mother Is Watching You, a guide to prominent anti-sex worker activists and officials, we’d like to remind you of a few salient facts about Hillary Clinton and her relationship to Somaly Mam, after the formal launch of Clinton’s second presidential bid on Sunday.  While U.S. Secretary of State (2009-2013),… Continue reading Big Mother Is Watching You: Hillary Clinton

Gore and Psychic Wounds: Nicole Witte Solomon on Horror, Phone Sex, and Film

Manini Gupta as Al nursing a phone sex related headache in Small Talk. (Still from Small Talk, courtesy of Nicole Witte Solomon)

Nicole Witte Solomon and I have kept up with each other online for a while, dating back to the era when she was a young phone sex operator/film student, just beginning to pitch her clever writing on topics ranging from vegan cooking to feminism in pop culture to a variety of venues. As the years… Continue reading Gore and Psychic Wounds: Nicole Witte Solomon on Horror, Phone Sex, and Film

SWOP-Seattle Battles Washington Legislation

image via SWOP-Seattle on Twitter

The Seattle City Council’s unanimous vote to change the legal terminology for buying sexual services from “patronizing a prostitute” to “sexual exploitation” is an example of the limits of the city’s politically progressive character. Seattle’s progressive leaders think it’s their mission to perpetuate the idea that sex workers are victims who need rescuing and eradicate… Continue reading SWOP-Seattle Battles Washington Legislation

Big Mother Is Watching You: Mistresses of the Universe

(Carceral Feminist Cat meme by Melissa Gira Grant)

Welcome to Big Mother Is Watching You, a guide to prominent  anti-sex worker activists, most of them women. This new feature is brought to you by Robin D.,  veteran activist with SWOP-Denver. Today’s Mothers are a pair of powerful heiresses and philanthropists who, of late, have focused their efforts on influencing policy affecting sex workers. … Continue reading Big Mother Is Watching You: Mistresses of the Universe