Dave Navarro will be a judge at tonight’s Hooker Beauty Pageant, a burlesque performance at the Dragonfly Bar in Los Angeles. According to curator Natalia Fabia, hooker is defined as “someone who sells one’s talents and abilities, talent, or name for money, (but it also means) a rad, strong, talented, tough, colorful, independent, stylish, and beautiful woman.”
Houston Chronicle society reporter Sarah Tressler was fired for moonlighting as a stripper after she was outed by the Houston Press.
Sex work advocates in Ontario can now celebrate the legalization of brothels in their province. The change in legislation will go into effect next year.
Stephanie Pappas of LiveScience.com disputes Rick Santorum’s claims of the myriad dangers caused by porn consumption.
In Sohar, Oman, 35 sex workers were arrested for “immoral behavior” during a raid on health clubs
“Naked If I Want” protest planned for Saskatchewan’s prohibition on serving alcohol in a place where strippers are performing. The province’s law has led to the investigation of a breast cancer fundraiser where of Chippendales (who didn’t remove any clothing) performed and fines for a club where a dancer undressed—backstage.
A Salon.com article discusses the link (or lack thereof) between child sex trafficking and Backpage adult services ads.
Debating continues over Illinois’ proposed $5-per-patron strip club tax. The extra money would fund services for victims of sexual assault.
Ex-prostitute Shelley Lynn has brought a lawsuit against her former boss at McDonald’s for coercing her into prostitution.
A court has ordered the Egyptian government to ban internet porn.
A Milwaukee man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for pimping underage girls. The sentence was added on to the 20 years he’s already serving for murder.
A survey in Kenya revealed that 40 percent of sex workers there are married or in stable relationships. The survey covered both male and female sex workers.
Melissa Petro (who recently contributed a piece to Tits and Sass) told her story to the Guardian.
No matter how many times I read it, it’s still so sad what happened to Melissa Petro. Sex work allowed her to pursue low-paying but meaningful opportunities giving back to the community and working for social justice. Then when it was time, she was done with it.
I know she’s managed to move on with her life since being fired, but it just reinforces how 2-dimensional people want us to be. Like, “You were a prostitute so you are this kind of person. You can’t be a teacher ’cause that’s for that kind of person.” The fluidity of human reality and the lengthiness of life on earth are not compatible with such rigid typecasting.