#sex workers rights

Please share: Presentation for 4/23 9 PM EST Urban Survivors Union sex worker organizing group conference call: Shawna Ferris and (time-permitting) Amy Lebovitch will be discussing how to protect ourselves from potentially exploitative researchers as our sex worker orgs gain visibility. Shawna Ferris wrote the groundbreaking _Street Sex Work and Canadian Cities: Resisting A Dangerous Order_, the most brilliant book I’ve ever read on sex work, neoliberalism, gentrification, and media tropes. Of course, most of us know Amy Lebovitch as the acclaimed sex worker activist famous for being one of the plaintiffs in Bedford v. Canada. Outdoor sex workers in particular,as well as other marginalized groups of workers, get pressure to take part in research, so it behooves outsider sex worker orgs made up of street workers, drug-using workers, trans workers, migrant workers, etc, to prepare strategies for responding to these queries. Shawna and Amy will go over how to set agendas and protect ourselves from or in research w/various kinds of academics-students, graduates, university professors, etc. They’ll also outline what different kinds of researchers can offer our communities and what they can pay us as subjects. As usual, any current or ex drug-using sex workers or current or ex sex workers interested in harm reduction or drug users union work are invited to the call! Respectful harm reduction and drug users union allies who don’t center themselves at our expense are also welcome. Again, this biweekly call will take place on 4/23, 9 PM EST. The info for the call is always the same–over laptop/tablet/smartphone– https://www.gotomeet.me/LouiseVincent
On your phone in the US–+1 (786) 535-3211
Access Code–615-430-549

Urban Survivors Union sex worker organizing call tonight at 9 PM EST! The next one after this will be 4/23 at 9 PM EST. Info always the same:
Over laptop/tablet/smartphone: https://www.gotomeet.me/LouiseVincent
On your phone in the US–+1 (786) 535-3211
Access Code: 615-430-549
All current or ex sex workers interested in harm reduction, particularly current or ex-drug-using sex workers, are welcome, as well as respectful harm reduction or drug users union allies.
What we’ll be discussing on the call tonight:
1) Strategizing to have all call members attend the International Drug Policy Reform Conference in St Louis in November, either via DPA scholarship or through USU-created scholarships, so that we can meet as a nascent group in person.
2) What I can do to represent us at some coming harm reduction events
3) What presenters do you want on the call in the future?
4) What do you want to do with any funding we acquire? Does anyone want to volunteer to help with grant writing or grant editing?
5) What can we do to link up the Urban Survivors Union #reframetheblamecampaign against drug-induced homicide laws to sex workers’ rights and women’s issues? (Not to say those are the same thing.) http://ncurbansurvivorunion.org/sex-work-and-reframethebla…/
6) What would you like to do with the free reign we’ve been given with the sex work section of the USU site? With USU server space?
7) What is the best way to utilize a national call like this in general? How can we use it to help with the regional work we’re all doing separately?
If you’re interested in the calls in general, PM me your email and I can add you to the regular calendar alerts,