Edit:

Here is a list of resources to learn about sex worker from actual sex workers who are engaged in the struggle for worker's rights:

  • https://www.nswp.org/resources/types/nswp-briefing-papers-248
  • https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-trafficking-and-slavery/white-mans-burden-revisited/
  • https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-trafficking-and-slavery/from-brothel-to-sweatshop-questions-on-labour-trafficking-in-camb/
  • https://titsandsass.com/the-massage-parlor-means-survival-here-red-canary-song-on-robert-kraft/
  • https://medium.com/purplerose0666/the-af3irm-agenda-b5ec31216904
  • https://medium.com/@katezenjoy/dear-esperanza-5aa7db4d501a
  • https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-trafficking-and-slavery/decriminalising-sex-work-in-new-zealand-its-history-and-impact/
  • https://www.mayamorena.com/anti-equality-model-campaign/2021/5/22/pscegcnr680fh4oazlmwe8i5527o9j

Bigger repo of theory / resources:

  • https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oWxx3yodCJJGxTmqgCeB6csVAeRkllSQq_VUe78MJA4/view

Books to check out:

  • https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36224357-sex-lies-statistics
  • HodgePodge [love/loves]
    hexagon
    ·
    2 years ago

    Sex work is work. If you’re against sex work, then you’re a shitty socialist and are unable to self-crit your own internalized misogyny and classism.

    • geikei [none/use name]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Living in eastern Europe i can only think that Misogyny and classism is the reason the vast majority of the sex industry exists in the first place. Millions upon millions of women and kids even yes were pushed and resorted in a hellish mafia driven "sex worker" industry after the collapse of socialism (collapse of free eduucation till college, women equality in the work place, equal opportunity to freely chose your education and trade, job and home and heathcare to everyone as a right etc) in eastern Europe . People that in their own informed choice and through their own consent chose sex work as an occupation exist and will always exist under every economic system. But history and reality arround me is that for sex workers in my country and in countries around me that wasnt the case in 99% of the cases. Extreme class warfare and the destruction of actual institutionalised gender equality and opportunities was what created the sex industry, pushing millions of women that just 5-10 years prior whould have been in the path of free education, housing ,healthcare and job of their choice into sexual abuse, grooming and scarring just to put bread on the table and not be homeless. Thats the reallity here and in most of the world and the vast vast majority of sex workers are helpless victims of capitalism and didnt chose or consent to a life of abuse and destroyed dreams and what happened to their futures and life. Im not against sex work, it will exist and has always existed . But the current sex industry and sex work in the reality around me has little to do with the personal experience and nuance of consent and freedom of choice and "its work like any other" of people like OP

      • camaron28 [he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Yeah, fucking priviledged people thinking "sex work" is simply OF.

        • HodgePodge [love/loves]
          hexagon
          ·
          2 years ago

          The many queer people who have done survival sex work because "legal" jobs wouldn't hire them are not privileged.

        • camaron28 [he/him]
          ·
          2 years ago

          Amazon isn't criminalized and their workers pee in bottles and die in hurricanes.

          • HumanBehaviorByBjork [any, undecided]
            ·
            2 years ago

            yeah, that's what "sex work is work" means. work sucks. it's capitalism. you already know that, and you know i know that.

            certainly they're abused, but they won't get imprisoned or deported if caught doing their job, and they have recourse to some labor protections (albeit constantly eroding ones).

              • HumanBehaviorByBjork [any, undecided]
                ·
                edit-2
                2 years ago

                yea i would agree with that. but my conclusion is always gonna be "decriminalize, destigmatize."

                i'm poppin off in these comments i still haven't watched the video lol

        • throw42069at [he/him]
          ·
          2 years ago

          Just like how black market marijuana completely disappeared immediately after legalisation?

            • throw42069at [he/him]
              ·
              2 years ago

              Where did I argue that marijuana should be criminalised? I merely stated that the black market doesn't necessarily disappear with the appearance of a "white" market.

      • usa_suxxx [they/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        kind of a common trope about people talking about sex work being abusive making a rape joke. on the internet.

      • comi [he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        That what theory predicts (or just observation of the world tbh), it doesn’t preclude sex work in itself.

        It will be legalized, exploited and then they’ll be worse off than they started (in global north*). again not saying it’s not a work or whatever tho, if some say they like it I believe them :shrug-outta-hecks: also it’s not an act of abuse if two adults are consenting of their own free will. If you say they won’t eat if they don’t - congratulations, but that’s exact same for everyone. (I’m excluding abusive leeches on top here, who will coerce them otherwise)