Social Media, Zola, and the Sex Worker Horror Story

By now, you’ve probably heard the story of Zola and her fabled strip trip to Florida with her new friend, Jess. If you haven’t, the story was told in a series of dramatic tweets by Zola, AKA twitter user _zolarmoon. In it, she spins a story that’s so intense and absurd that it’s hard to believe.… Continue reading Social Media, Zola, and the Sex Worker Horror Story

October 22nd And After: The Movement Against Police Violence And Black Sex Workers

Every year since 1995, thousands of people all over the world have joined forces in an effort to end police brutality, repression, and the criminalization of our lives. In America, yesterday, October 22nd, has become known as the National Day to End Police Brutality. These efforts were launched by the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA and… Continue reading October 22nd And After: The Movement Against Police Violence And Black Sex Workers

How Did Mary Mitchell Blame The Victim And Still Get Published?

(Photo by Flickr user quinn anya)

Content warning: this piece contains discussion of sexual violence. By now, most reading this are probably familiar with Mary Mitchell’s Chicago Sun-Times column in which she editorializes that sex workers are responsible if they are raped, for they willingly put themselves “at risk for harm”—as if the rape of a sex worker is an occupational… Continue reading How Did Mary Mitchell Blame The Victim And Still Get Published?

What the hell is going on with Backpage? Part II

(Screenshot of Backpage's July 10th email to users)

Update: Backpage filed a federal suit today against Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart for violating its free speech and equal protection rights after the Sheriff successfully pressured credit card companies to break with the company this month. In the suit, Backpage requests a preliminary injury, so that credit card processing will be restored to the… Continue reading What the hell is going on with Backpage? Part II

The Week in Links—June 12th

  Vincent Musetto, writer of the greatest headline in New York Post history—HEADLESS BODY IN TOPLESS BAR—died on Tuesday. The fact that 225 Haitian women being forced to resort to transactional sex with UN peacekeepers to obtain food, medicine, and other needed items comes as a scandalous surprise makes me worry about the naivete of… Continue reading The Week in Links—June 12th