“Sex workers often work in isolation because of the criminalized status of the work, but I don’t think sex workers live in isolation,” said Ms. Ray, now program director for the Red Umbrella Project, which helps sex workers tell their stories publicly. “There’s an assumption that if your life has gotten that bad, you’re expendable. That’s not true. A lot of people do care. We’re just not listened to.”
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Prostitute Disappearances Unnoticed Until Bodies Were Found - NYTimes.com
There’s a really good, sensitive article about sex work and violence in the New York Times. I’m pleased with my quotes, and there’s a good shout out to the Red Umbrella Project.
Last night, at the Red Umbrella Diaries, I was introduced to the families of two of the performers, and the third performer spoke about her family in her piece. Certainly, not all sex workers have such supportive family in their lives, but many do - or at least have relationships with their families. Which means that people care when we go missing. But “people” don’t include the police or the media, unless the body count is more than one.
On the eve of the third annual Speak Up (which I should also note, is the 2nd time in 3 years that a murder story was being reported during the training), it makes me feel my convictions ever deeper. It is essential to amplify the voices of people who have experience in the sex trade to tell our truths. Those truths will help change our circumstances if we keep telling them, while also demanding the end of oppressive policies that criminalize us and make it difficult or impossible for us to access services and live safer lives.
(via audaciaray)
I was fortunate enough to be able to go to one of the Red Umbrella Diaries events hosted by Ms. Ray this past January while I was in the city and it was profoundly moving. If you’re in New York you should make it a point to attend.
(via sisterhoodispowerful)
(via gordon-crisp)
