Sex Workers Demonstrating for Visibility on International Whores’ Day

International Whores’ Day is an opportunity to stand in solidarity with protesting whores who reject poor and unsafe working conditions resulting from government-enforced criminalization of sex work. The action is open to all sex workers and supporters and is endorsed by ESPLERP, SWOP Sacramento, US PROStitutes Collective, the Sidewalk Project, the Decriminalize Meetup, and the Libertarian Party of San Francisco.

The banner drops during commute hours in Berkeley, Los Angeles and Sacramento are meant to raise awareness about the rights of sex workers and will be documented using the hashtag #InternationalWhoresDay2021. Banners will feature messages including #DecrimSexWork, #RepealFOSTA  #SupportAsianMassageWorkers and #StopRacistLoiteringLaw.

International Whores’ Day commemorates the occupation of Église Saint-Nizier church in Lyon, France, by more than a hundred sex workers on June 2, 1975 to draw attention to inhumane working conditions and police violence against them. That event, in the same era as Stonewall and the Compton’s Cafeteria riot, is considered a starting point of the international movement for sex work rights.

“On this historic day, we join with sex workers around the world to demand our rights and the decriminalization of sex work. We recognize how many sex workers are mothers supporting children, elderly parents and other family members. At a time of increasing poverty, where women and children make up 70% of people living in poverty in the US, many women are going into sex work to survive,” said Rachel West of US PROStitutes Collective.

West added that, “The movement for decriminalization of the prostitution laws is gaining ground in the US with challenges to those laws in at least 10 states. New York decriminalized its loitering law because it was racist and discriminatory. California has broken ground with more protections for sex workers. A majority of voters now support decriminalization. It’s time these unjust laws are repealed.”

Other organizers echoed West.

“This past year has been exceptionally difficult for sex workers and erotic laborers here and around the world. With so few resources for marginalized workers, many have died in their efforts to survive,” said Kristen DeAngelo, Executive Director of Sex Workers Outreach Project Sacramento. “So this year on June 2nd we stand in solidarity demanding decriminalization. To truly be safe, sex workers must be free to negotiate the terms under which they work.”

Demonstration locations include:

San Francisco Bay Area — Footbridge over the Interstate 80 University Exit

Los Angeles — Beaudry & Wilshire Overpass at  the 110/101 & 105

Sacramento

Occidental overpass (over State Highway 50)

Howe Ave overpass (over State Highway 50)

59th street overpass (over State Highway 50)

More information can be found at ESPLERP.com here: esplerp.org/s-day-june-2-2021/

Image via Pexels here.