To Catch a Killer, Give Amnesty to Sex Workers

In the week leading up to December 17, 2010–the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers– the remains of four women, all of whom were involved with sex work, were discovered on a beach in Long Island. Since the end of March, the remains of six more bodies have been found in the same area. The [...]

The “Art” of Exploiting Cambodian Sex Workers

Warning: Please be aware that clicking on many of the links in this post will lead to websites containing images that are NSFW and may be offensive and/or triggering. I consider myself fairly liberal when it comes to some of the most controversial 21st-century debates about sex. I’m not anti-pornography or sex work, as long [...]

What’s More Effective: Closing Your Purse or Your Legs?

A sex strike recently proposed in Belgium has ignited a debate about the efficacy of sex strikes. Proposed by parliament member Marleen Temmerman, the strike would be intended to break the eight-month political deadlock caused by a feuding Dutch-speaking North and French-speaking South. Though half-joking in her suggestion for spouses to withhold sex until their [...]

Terrorism Against Sex Workers: It’s Time to Take a Stand

For the past 7 years, December 17th has been recognized by sex workers and their allies as a day to recognize that violence against sex workers is endemic to many societies. It is also a day to commit energy toward making the cultural and working conditions of sex work safer. This is very different from [...]

Why Decriminalizing Sex Work is Good for All Women

Decriminalizing sex work is a win for all women, because it helps to combat “whore stigma” that all are vulnerable to.

The Anti-Porn Men Project

The Anti-Porn Men Project is a new “online space for (mainly) men to write about and discuss anti-porn issues.” And I really wanted to like it. That statement may sound disingenuous coming from me. As a sex-positive feminist whose sexual identity is BDSM, I spend most of my time writing in favor of sexual freedom. [...]

Still Much Ado About Craigslist

Though Craigslist’s Adult Services section is offline for good, the debate about its role in trafficking continues. Most recently, Michelle Goldberg weighed in on The Daily Beast with an article that uncritically embraces claims about what the closure of Adult Services will do for underage girls. In doing so, she inadvertently confirms many of the [...]

Newsflash: Canadian Court Strikes Down Anti-Sex-Work Laws

The provincial court of Ontario, Canada, struck down several key provisions that limit sex workers’ ability to work safely, a victory being hailed by sex workers’ rights activists. On September 28, three anti-sex-work laws were deemed “unconstitutional” and a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Justice Susan Himel, a high-level Ontario court [...]

How To Respect Sex Workers

Most women have strong feelings about the sex industry, be they for or against. (And many, of course, remain undecided.) When dealing with such an emotionally volatile topic, it’s easy to inadvertently silence or even insult sex workers themselves. (As a participant in sex worker activism for the past four years, I’ve seen that in [...]

Like Cattle: Cow Steroid Addiction Among Bangladeshi Prostitutes

Why is a steroid meant for cows so popular among prostitutes in Bangladesh? The use of Oradexon, a steroid commonly used to make cows fatter, is so widespread that the UK charity ActionAid reports approximately 90 percent of the commercial sex workers in Bangladesh are addicted to the drug. Oradexon is favored by many brothel madams [...]

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