Sex Workers Through The Ages

By floriot1

  • Stonewall Riots

    Stonewall Riots
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nCMAdEjebw The Stonewall Riots marked the beginning of LGBTQ human rights movement. The Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in NYC, was a popular hangout for members of the LGBTQ community and sex workers alike. Sylvia Rivera was a drag queen who prostituted herself and spent a lot of her time at the Stonewall Inn. She was an activist for the LGBTQ community and it is said she threw the first brick at police to spark the riots.

  • COYOTE

    COYOTE
    "Call off your old tired ethics" was an organization that formed to repeal laws against prostitutes and rid the bad stigma against sex workers. The idea was to decriminalize sex workers and give them a voice to be recognized as equal. COYOTE wanted to regulate sex as a trade and create more "sex-positive" perceptions.

  • First Annual Hooker's Ball

    First Annual Hooker's Ball
    Although it had a small turnout of 300 people, it drew a lot of attention to people to act respectful towards sex workers. It was held in San Francisco and with its success other cities started to follow suit. The purpose of the ball was to initiate the acknowledgement of sex workers as respectable individuals who should not be criminalized.

  • North American Task Force on Prostitution

    North American Task Force on Prostitution
    The task force was founded by Priscilla Alexander. It's goal was to protect sex workers in the face of the law. They wanted to repeal prostitution laws and ensure a multitude of support for them such as: improved working conditions, informing society about the issues sex workers face, HIV and violence prevention projects, etc.

  • "Sex Work" terminology

    "Sex Work" terminology
    Carol Leigh coined the term "sex work" after attending the Women Against Violence in Pornography conference and hearing the phrase "sex use industry." She thought this was more degrading of the women and classified prostitution and other sex jobs as sex work.The term "sex work" sparked the movement for respect and decriminalization of sex workers.

  • Exotic Dancers Alliance

    Exotic Dancers Alliance
    Due to the poor working conditions, the Exotic Dancers Alliance was formed by Dawn Passar and Johanna Breyer. Dancers were required to pay stage fees and were at health risks. The purpose of the alliance was to speak up as an ally of others in the sex work industry and advocate for civil human rights across the spectrum.

  • Sex Workers Project

    Sex Workers Project
    https://www.bustle.com/articles/13651-sex-workers-were-not-a-rescue-project-not-trafficking-victims
    The Sex Workers Project not only supports and protects those who chose work in the sex industry, but also sex trafficking victims. This project provides client-centered and social services to those who have been involved in sex work either by choice or not. They help survivors of sex trafficking and help prostitutes against any law-enforcement brutality.

  • Sex Workers Outreach Project- USA

    Sex Workers Outreach Project- USA
    Robyn Few founded SWOP as a result of her arrest of promoting prostitution. She was angry and wanted to educate the public and policy makers about the wrongs done to sex workers. Her first order of business was holding a memorial for the victims of the Green River Killer case and marking a day for anti-violence against sex workers. SWOP is an organization seeking justice for the sex workers at large.

  • First International Day Against Violence on Sex Workers

    First International Day Against Violence on Sex Workers
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO8dLp3KZ0A
    When Gary Ridgeway, the Green River killer, was convicted of murdering 49 prostitutes in the 1980s, a memorial was held for the victims. Since the conviction on December 17, 2003, December 17th has been marked the international day to end violence against sex workers. Usually reports of violence or harassment against sex workers get written off and completely ignored, so this day is an annual reminder to the world to protect these women from violence.

  • $pread Magazine

    $pread Magazine
    Targeted towards sex workers and their supporters, $pread Magazine issued news topics, health columns, political views, and personal experience articles. The magazine was a safe place for sex workers to discuss their experiences and to learn about others. It also helped those outside of the sex industry to understand it and perhaps respect it more than they may have before. This was another tool in the progression for respect and decriminalizing sex workers.