Sex Work and Job Satisfaction

 Regardless of whether we love, despise, or have mixed feelings about being sex workers, we deserve human rights, such as the right to make a living without being persecuted or subject to violence for being sex workers; the right to exit sex work without being discriminated against at other jobs because we were sex workers; the right to health care; and the right to working conditions as safe and sanitary as possible. Somebody who deplores being a sex worker should have as much right to all of the above as somebody who loves being a sex worker.

Thus, if this were simply a question of macro level sociopolitical and legal issues, then the blog entry would end here.  However, politics isn’t all that matters. Sex workers have feelings, so our personal feelings also matter. Thus, it really bothers me when people dismiss the feelings of sex workers who have positive attitudes about our work on the grounds that we have a false consciousness or that we’re trying to promote an overly romanticized image of the industry.

To say that everybody enjoys being a sex worker or that sex work is wonderful for everybody would be promoting a romantacized image of the industry. However, for us to assert our right to define for ourselves how we feel about our work in no way, shape, or form promotes an overly romanticized image of the industry and anybody who says it does is attempting to shut up sex workers who they disagree with and prevent us (even if just verbally) from being able to speak for ourselves.

Both the micro level (our personal feelings) and the macro level (societal issues and factors) matter here.

What Are You Doing to Get People Out of Prostitution

A staunch anti-sex work activist asked sex worker advocates about what we’re doing to get people out of prostitution. Well, this would actually be a fair question if we weren’t so busy having to peacefully fight for our own rights. Before asking us this, perhaps she should ask herself what she’s doing to stop the incarceration and major human rights abuses against sex workers under the anti-prostitution laws that are “supposed” to be about stopping human trafficking:  http://blip.tv/sexworkerspresent/anti-trafficking-cambodia-the-reality-full-version-977233.   Since when does persecuting and abusing sex workers stop human trafficking.   She also needs to ask herself about what she’s doing to stop violence against sex workers beyond promoting anti-prositution laws that encourage this; and what she’s doing to promote the well-being and agency of sex workers while we’re sex workers.

Nonetheless, I’ll respond to the question anyway. Criminalizing and stigmatizing prostitution creates obstacles to people looking to exit the industry and people who are looking for jobs in addition to prostitution, as various employers do criminal background checks, and applicants almost always need to list past employment (such as the past 3 jobs, etc.) on job applications. Similiar things could be said about resumes. If prostitution weren’t criminalized or stigmatized,  this would be no problem, as sex workers would be able to include this information without fear of being discriminated against for being sex workers or incriminating oneself. Thus, one thing we’re doing to help people exit prostitution is advocating for the decriminalization and destigmatization of prostituiton.

In cases where people have trouble exiting prostitution due to lack of other viable job opportunities, prostitution isn’t the core issue, but lack of viable job opportunities is.  Criminalizing prostitution or pressuring sex workers to leave the trade doesn’t just magically give these workers other job opportunities. 

The St. James Infirmary, a sex worker led health clinic in San Francisco, also employs current and former sex workers, and provides these workers with opportunities to develop different types of job skills, in terms of providing health care, health education, outreach, planning events, public relations, etc. Sex worker advocates in India provided a way for sex workers looking to exit or in need of extra income can make hand-made sanitary napkins for. Also, a sex worker advocate of Cambodian descent from San Francisco, created a socially concious design company that employed Cambodian sex workers, where they can make clothing and handbags for livable wages.

Also, another way we’re helping people exit prostitution who wish to is by promoting policies that increase the likelihood of people actually living long enough to exit the industry. Each year on Dec. 17 is International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers. As part of this event, we read and remember names of sex workers killed over the past year and where they were killed if this information is known. Year after year, the vast majority of people on the lists were killed under criminalized systems of prostitution. It was in this context that the largest known serial killing spree in U.S. history occured, the Green River killings. Gary Ridgeway acknowledged killing 48 people in a two year killing spree in Seattle that lasted from 1982-1984, targeting street-based sex workers. He was likely connected with more murders, as there are unsolved murders of sex workers in that area. However, he wasn’t charged with those murders until about two decades later in 2003. It’s hard to imagine how many sex workers were arrested for prostitution over that same time period.

In a study of street prostitution in neighboring British Columbia, John Lowman found that murder rates against these sex workers went up after British Columbia make it illegal to communicate for the purposes of prostitution. He attributed this to anti-prostitution laws and hatred against sex workers: http://veganvixen1.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/how-the-swedish-anti-prostitution-legislation-harms-sex-workers/ .

Major Sociological Organization Supports Decriminalization of Prostitution

The Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) accepted a resolution written by Jenny Heineman, co-coordinator of the Sex Workers’ Outreach Project-Las Vegas (SWOP-LV), in support of the decriminalizating prostitution. Here’s a link to the resolution: http://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/pageid/1516#R3  .

Thank you, Jenny! This is so well written and addresses concerns about trafficking without conflating all prostitution with trafficking. This resolution really shows how being anti-trafficking doesn’t have to mean being anti-sex work. All too often, the issue of trafficking has been used against sex workers, which not only violates sex workers’ human rights, but also gets in the way of developing effective solutions to human trafficking.

In Aug. 2011 the SSSP honored the SWOP-LV for it’s social justice advocacy.

How the Swedish Anti-Prostitution Legislation Harms Sex Workers

Sweden’s government has often led the way in progressive social justice legislation, but not with anti-prostitution laws. On the surface these policies may seem progressive. After all, they break through the double-standard in which sex workers (who are largely women) are more likely to be arrested than clients (who are largely men). The legislation criminalizes the clients, but not the sex workers. So what’s wrong with this legislation?

If gender double-standards were the only problem with anti-prostitution laws, then there would be nothing wrong. However, there’s a lot more wrong with anti-prostitution laws and it’s important to look beyond the surface.

Sweden’s anti-prostitution policies have received praise from various anti-sex work feminists, politicians, and others. Yet, various Swedish sex workers have  expressed very different feelings about this legislation. Rather than just jumping on the bandwagon in support of the Swedish model, Petra Ostergren spoke with Swedish sex workers about this and listened to their concerns. Despite the fact that this legislation was “supposed” to protect them, Swedish sex workers reported the opposite. They reported that their work became more dangerous after this legislation passed and that they have less agency and control over their working conditions. For example, they reported a higher percentage of clients demanding unsafe sex acts and less agency to turn down such clients. Sex workers also reported that criminalizing the clients made hindered their ability to screen them, thus further jeopardizing the sex workers’ safety.  Here’s a link to Ostergren’s report: http://petraostergren.com/pages.aspx?r_id=40716

Additionally and relatedly, this legislation is very pateralistic, so it’s interesting that some people who identify as feminists would support it. It totally infantalizes women in prostitution, treating us like we’re all incapable of making decisions for what we do with our own bodies. This is very disappointing, especially from a country’s that’s often so progressive. I would expect better from the Swedish government.

This is exemplifies how paternalistic legislation under the guise of protecting women further endangers us. (I’m not Swedish, but use the term “us” because I’m a woman and a sex worker). I realize that not all sex workers are women, but I use the term “women” because the language in the legislation targets women in prostitution as victims, without recognizing the multiple realities that exist in prostitution and how legislation such as this increases the likelihood of victimization. Though I don’t like to impose the victim label onto sex workers, various Swedish sex workers seem to feel that the legislation victimizes them more than sex work does.

Decriminalization of consensual sex acts whether for free or for payment is the way to go, so sex workers aren’t criminalized just for being sex workers and clients aren’t criminalized just for being clients.  The abuses and violence that sometimes occur inside and outside of prostitution would still be illegal.  To criminalize somebody just for paying for sex makes as little sense as criminalizing somebody just for having sex for free.  Though this may seem overly simplistic, it is this simple when we look at anti-prostitution laws.  Just like I find it problematic to overly simplify complex concepts, I also find it problematic to make concepts more complicated than they need to be.  Though there are a lot of complexities in prostitution, legally speaking, the only think that differtiates prostitution from non prostitution is the exchange of payment for sex. 

Here’s additional info. about the Swedish model:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11437499

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11437499

So, if you think the Swedish model is progressive, think again…

Why Sex Work is Important, Meaningful Work

I realize that there are multiple experiences and perspectives among sex workers and I don’t claim to speak for every sex worker.  However, I make no apologies for finding my work meaningful, though I haven’t had all wonderful experiences in sex work. In fact, I’ve had a mixture of positive and negative, and a bad experience as a exotic dancer is what led me to sex worker advocacy. Yet, instead of turning against the whole industry, I decided to go another route and recongnize that there are different sides to sex work.  Pathologizing the whole industry does nothing to improve conditions.  I view exotic dance as a beautiful art form and  pole dancing has a hobby has become a fitness hobby for me.  It’s such great exercise!

Here are some reasons why sex work is so meaningful to me, in addition making a living and the financial aspects:

1. In a society where there is so much stress and negativity, I provide pleasure, enjoyment, and make people feel good.

2. Sex work helps support my vegan lifestyle.

3. I’ve developed friendships and bonds with some sex workers.

4. The vast majority of my clients in the legal Nevada brothels have been very kind and respectful, and I enjoy being around them.  It’s not just sexual, but we’ve had discussions about a variety of topics, including one of my favorite hobbies-hiking.  Yet, we’re never guaranteed to be perfectly safe in this world no matter where we are or what type of work we do, so it’s always important to be careful.

5. I’ve found that in various ways, sex work has given me more freedom than many other jobs. For example, when I do webcam, I can work from a studio or from my computer, set my own schedule, and with many companies I can also set my own rates. (Yet, I realize that degrees of freedom vary greatly within the sex trade. Some people have a lot of freedom. Some have none. Some have mixed levels of freedom. ) I support freedom the freedom to be sex workers, the freedom not to be sex workers, and the freedom to exit sex work without being discriminated against in other jobs because we’re sex workers.

6. As a sex worker, I don’t have to make my work my whole life. Thus, I can engage in other activities outside of work that are also meaningful to me and live a fulfilling, well-rounded life.

7. I get to help people explore their sexuality. We live in such a sexually repressed society that some clients come to me not in touch with their bodies or thoroughly knowing what they enjoy sexually. I get to help them discover what brings them pleasure.

8. I’ve learned a lot about what I do and don’t enjoy sexually, so I became more aware of my own sexuality.

9. I’ve become a more open-minded person, learning how sex workers and clients are such a variety of people.

10. I’ve become a more sensitive, socially conscious person.

Yet, regardless of how we feel about our work, we deserve to be able to make a living as sex workers without being persecuted, subject to violence, and hated.

Working at Nevada Brothels: Q&A

I began working in the Nevada brothel system almost 10 years ago, and am writing this to share insight. I’m not trying to encourage or discourage people from working in the brothels, but rather to provide important information, as I believe in being able to make informed decisions no matter what we do.

-How long do I stay at the brothel? It varies. Some brothels have minimum stay requirements, such as a week or two, and some don’t. I like to stay for two weeks at a time. After two weeks, I’m ready to go and I’m usually able to get a good amount of business during that amount of time, even if it’s slow for part of it.

-Do we live in the rooms we see clients in? At many brothels, yes. However, there are a few, such as the Shady Lady and Bikini’s, where we live in separate rooms.

-Do brothels have computer access? Many do, but my experience is that it’s often slow and at times isn’t working. Many also have Wi-Fi if you bring your laptop. At Bikini’s you can even bring a desktop and set it up in your room.

-Do brothels provide meals? Many provide dinner and some provide more meals, but you can also bring your own food. However, I learned that the Cherry Patch doesn’t allow this and requires you to buy food from the brothel. I haven’t worked there, but have heard this from various sex workers who did.

-Do all houses require line-ups? Line-ups are typical, but Bikini’s doesn’t have line-ups. It’s a mixture of a strip club and a brothel, where the sex workers can dance for the clients and chat with them at the bar, rather than doing line-ups. Many houses also have bars in addition to line-ups, and some customers can go to the bar and chat with the sex workers before selecting somebody rather than getting line-ups.
They can also request a sex worker without a line-up, and in some cases, they schedule appointments ahead of time. I can’t speak for everybody, but for me, customers have always showed up after scheduling appointments.

-What’s the relationship like between the sex workers? Since we live together while we’re at the brothels, we sometimes bond and develop friendships. I’ve gotten along with the vast majority of sex workers I’ve worked with. However, sometimes tensions arise between sex workers for a variety of reasons.

-What do we do during line-ups? Typically, just say, “hi, I’m (your name).” Physical contact (beyond handshakes at some brothels) and flirtiness aren’t typically allowed during line-ups and are often considered “dirty hustling”. I learned that line-ups are a skill and talent and it’s important to be conscious of our pace (how fast we walk and shake the customers’ hands) and our tone of voice. I’m careful to smile, walk slowy, shake their hands slowly (at brothels where we shake hands with customers), and speak slowly so I come across as relaxed, rather than rushed, anxious, or nervous.

-How can I attract clients to the brothel? You can post photos on the brothels’ websites, as well as here: http://www.sex-in-nevada.com/choice.htm . You can also post on this very active discussion board: http://sex-in-nevada.net/smforum/index.php .

-How often do I need to be tested for STI’s: The blood tests are once a month and in Nye County, you need to get tested again if you’re off the brothel premises for more than a day. I’m not sure if that’s a statewide law or just Nye County. We also get weekly cultures, which are like mini pap smears.

-Do I pay for my own STI testing? Yes

-How much is room rent? It various per brothel, though typically $20-$35.

-How much of the money that I bring in do I get to keep? The brothels typically take 50 percent of what we book for, though there could be a few with a 60-40 percent split in the sex workers’ favor. I heard that the Wild Kat and Dovetail are 60-40 houses, but this was years ago, so I’m not sure if it’s still the same. In addition to that, we also pay room rent at many of the brothels and some also charge additional fees, such as for linens and book keeping.

-Can we work shifts? At many of the houses near Reno, yes. Not usually at the other houses, though some close overnight.

-What are the clients like? The vast majority of my clients have been very kind and respectful, and I enjoy being with them. However, it’s always important to be careful and we can encounter unkind, disrespectful people in any industry. The clients are a variety of people, different types of personalities, occupations, hobbies, interests, etc.

-Are condoms required? Condoms are required for vaginal, anal, or oral penetration. (However, not all houses allow anal.) My experience is that clients come to brothels knowing that they’ll need to use condoms for these types of acts and they’re interested in safety, so they rarely try to resist.

-How old do people have to be to work at the brothels? At least 18-years-old, and in some counties (such as Nye) 21-years-old.

-Do we set our own prices? Yes, but many brothels have house minimums that we can’t go below. Also, the Shady Lady and Inez’s have posted prices for basic sessions.

I hope this info. is helpful. Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Dog Fighting or Factory Farms: It’s Animal Cruelty Either Way

You’ve probably learned about Michael Vick, not only because he’s a pro football player, but because he’s a pro football player who ran a dog fighting ring. After he was caught, there was a lot of media attention about this extremely cruel activity, generating much public outrage about dog fighting and specifically toward Vick.

Vick was awarded the National Football League (NFL) comeback player of the year award in 2010 after missing a couple of football seasons due to his prison sentence for animal cruelty, and Vick insists he has turned his life around. Among his activities includes publically speaking through the American Humane Society about the harms of dog fighting.

Yet, not all are supportive of him. In fact, he apparantly wants to get another dog and there’s a Facebook campaign to prevent him from being able to do this. I believe he was legally prevented from being able to have a dog again. Though Vick isn’t the only person to ever run a dog fighting ring, his celebrity status certainly put him in the spotlight, thus also bringing more attention to this issue, which was largely ignored by the media and broader public.

Though the outrage against dog fighting is totally justified, there’s much less public outrage and media focus on the horrific conditions on factory farms, where much of the dairy, meat, and eggs in the U.S. and a lot of the world comes from. Yet, some who are outraged by dog fighting still eat and drink animal products coming from such farms. Where’s the outrage about calves being chained at the neck and taken away from their mothers so the milk can be sold to humans. Where’s the outrage about these calves often being sold to the veal industry. Where’s the outrage about pigs being crammed into sheds (for lack of a better term) where they never see the light of day and live in their own feces, with larger pigs sometimes crushing smaller pigs since there’s barely space to move around.

Why do people get so outraged about dog fighting (which we rightly should) without showing any outrage against factory farming. It could be because many people have dogs as pets, so they get to know dogs and dogs become like part of the family. On the other hand, they don’t live with or know cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, etc., so they don’t feel the same type of concern or emotional connections toward these animals. It may also be that people are more oblivious to the abuses on factory farms since there seems to be far less media focus on that than on dog fighting. Also, people may be more likely to justify the factory farms because people eat and drink products produced from there, unlike with dog fighting, which is just brutality for money and human entertainment. For some, it may also be an issue of legality. Factory farms are legal and dog fighting is illegal in the U.S.

Despite the reasons, all animals can feel and it’s every bit as wrong to treat a cow, pig, chicken, turkey, etc. cruelly as it is to be cruel to a dog or cat. I hope that some day, there’s the same level of outrage against cruelty to animals on factory farms as there is against dog fighting.