San Francisco Sex Workers Bare All to Bring Hope
Sex Workers Celebrate A Rare Victory at the United Nations
March 18th, 2011- Scantily clad sex workers and their friends will gather inside the Civic Center Bart Station near U.N. Plaza at 12 noon on Friday March 18th to celebrate a rare nationwide victory handed down from the United Nations. “86 THE VIOLENCE” is an art demonstration drawing attention to the US State Department’s acceptance of Recommendation #86 in the Universal Periodic Review, the UN Human Rights Council’s report card for human rights abuses for individual countries. In accepting Recommendation #86, the US says: “…no one should face violence or discrimination in access to public services based on sexual orientation or their status as a person in prostitution.”
“It’s finally been acknowledged that sex workers are human beings deserving of rights,” said Patricia West, a coordinator with the Bay Area chapter of the Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOPBA). This news comes more than 2 years after the Prop. K loss on the 2008 ballot, which would have symbolically decriminalized prostitution in San Francisco.
“In 2008 voters were clearly confused about the difference between sex work and human trafficking,” said Annie Sprinkle, who has been a sex worker rights advocate since 1975. Advocates say that by accepting Recommendation #86 the US has clearly addressed the human rights needs of sex workers, drawing a distinction between consensual sex work and forced labor, “Hopefully this move by the US will better inform San Franciscans and lead to more sensible, effective policies.”
Recommendation #86 equally condemns violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation, “Discrimination against sex workers and discrimination against LGBTQ people are interconnected struggles,” explains Stephany Ashley, Programs Director of the St. James Infirmary. She continues, “Many sex workers are lesbian, gay, bisexual; those sex workers who are transgender experience significantly higher levels of violence. Human rights abuses against sex workers are attacks on the Queer community as well.”
Sex workers say there are complex issues that will have to be addressed to truly improve the U.S.’s human rights status with sex workers. “Poverty, homo- and transphobia and racism are the biggest factors compromising sex workers’ safety,” said artist Sadie Lune, a sex worker participating in the nationwide actions. “Finally, the U.S. is under international scrutiny for its state-sanctioned mistreatment of sex workers. We support the U.N. in taking our government to task and demanding that the U.S. stop allowing sex workers to be the targets of preventable violence.”
A press conference will begin at 1pm during the demonstration inside the Civic Center BART Station near U.N. Plaza. Sex workers and supporters will be available for comment. For more information please contact Stacey Swimme, Communications@StJamesInfirmary.org or 877-776-2004 x 2
More information about Sex Workers and the UPR available at: www.HumanRightsForAll.info
Who: Sex Workers Outreach Project of the Bay Area (SWOPBA), St. James Infirmary (SJI)
What: 86 THE VIOLENCE Art Action and Press Conference
When: 12 noon, Press Conference 1pm
Where: Inside Civic Center BART Station, (nr. stairs leading to United Nations Plaza)
