SAFE SEX Workers Study Act Deep Dive Interview – wtih Zola & Mariah of Sex Workers Project
Release Date: 05/20/2022
Open to Debate: “Is it OK to Pay for Sex?”
The Oldest Profession Podcast
This week in Open to Debate a sex worker rights advocate and a human rights attorney have a passionate and vigorous debate about these laws, with the common goal of figuring out what’s best for sex workers. Arguing “yes” it is ok to pay for sex, is Kaytlin Bailey, who is the founder and executive director of a nonprofit organization that seeks to change how society views sex workers. Arguing “no” is Yasmin Vafa, who has advocated on the federal and international level for protecting women and other vulnerable populations as the founder and executive director of Rights4Girls. She is...
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Pamela Churchill Harriman
The Oldest Profession Podcast
In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey celebrates the life of Pamela Churchill Harriman, a remarkable woman whose journey kept her at the forefront of history through the 20th century. Born in 1920, Pamela came of age on the cusp of WWII, marrying Randolph Churchill days before Hitler began bombing London. After divorcing the prime minister's son she embarked on a career as prominent socialite and companion of the rich and powerful in the high society of Milan, New York and Paris. Pamela's charisma and wit opened doors to powerful circles. However, it was...
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LGBTQ+ Rights & Sex Worker History
The Oldest Profession Podcast
n this thought-provoking episode of The Oldest Profession podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey explores the shared historical context of the stigma and criminalization of homosexuality and prostitution. Kaytlin discusses the origins of negative attitudes towards homosexuality and “non-traditional” sexual practices in the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This episode highlights how these religious beliefs have shaped social mores and contributed to the marginalization of both LGBTQ+ individuals and sex workers. This episode challenges misconceptions and emphasizes the...
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Magdalene Laundries & Homes for Unwed Mothers
The Oldest Profession Podcast
In this eye-opening episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey dives into the dark history of the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland and the homes for unwed mothers in the United States. These institutions were once touted as charitable organizations for "fallen women" and pregnant teens, but concealed a dark reality of exploitation and abuse. Kaytlin Bailey exposes the shocking treatment of these women, the heart-wrenching stories of forced separations from their children, and the whorephobic philosophy that justified their horrific treatment. Through compelling research, this...
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Carol Erwin
The Oldest Profession Podcast
In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, your host Kaytlin Bailey explores the life of prolific madam, Carol Erwin, who daringly thrived across the American West during the Great Depression and World War II. Kaytlin Bailey brings Carol's journey to life, with a particular focus on her establishment in Fairbanks, Alaska. Set against the backdrop of gold rushes and boomtowns, Carol's story shines a light on women's resilience amid legal constraints. Shaped by a nomadic upbringing and fearless spirit, Carol Erwin embarked on a diverse range of experiences, from train hopping to...
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December 17th is the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
The Oldest Profession Podcast
In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey explores the significance of December 17th, which is the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. This day has been observed by sex worker advocates and allies worldwide since December 17, 2003. Originally conceived as a memorial for the victims of the Green River serial killer in Seattle, this event reignited the sex worker rights movement and has kept the movement alive for the last twenty years. In this episode, Kaytlin Bailey highlights the challenges faced by the sex worker rights movement in the...
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The American Plan
The Oldest Profession Podcast
Join host Kaytlin Bailey on The Oldest Profession Podcast as she uncovers the chilling history of The American Plan, a government program that aimed to target promiscuity and prostitution in the United States from 1917 into the 1970s. Initially conceived as a necessary tool to protect enlisted men from venereal disease, these laws led to the forced institutionalization and imprisonment of thousands of women. For more resources on this episode, please visit our website: This episode was made possible through recurring tax deductible contributions from listeners like you. We’d also like...
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Margo St. James
The Oldest Profession Podcast
Join us on The Oldest Profession Podcast as we pay tribute to the remarkable life and legacy of Margo St. James. Known as the mother of the contemporary sex worker rights movement in the United States, Margo's impact was immeasurable. In 1973, she founded COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics), a pioneering organization that championed the rights of sex workers. She organized the first and second World Whore’s Conference bringing sex worker rights advocates from all over the world together. Her dedication to the cause led to the establishment of the St. James Infirmary in 1999, a health...
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The Mann Act a.k.a. The White Slave Law
The Oldest Profession Podcast
In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, hosted by Kaytlin Bailey, we go on a journey to uncover the history and lasting legacy of the Mann Act, also known as the White Slave Law. Enacted in 1910, the Mann Act made it illegal to transport women across state lines for “immoral purposes.” Sold to the American people as a way of combating “white slavery” the Mann Act was broadly interpreted to include extra marital affairs, consensual interracial relationships in addition to adult sex workers. We explore the impact of the Mann Act on Americans and its ongoing legacy on sex...
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Carol Leigh a.k.a. The Scarlot Harlot
The Oldest Profession Podcast
In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey pays tribute to Carol Leigh, a hero in the sex worker rights movement. Carol Leigh, also known as “The Scarlot Harlot," was a multi-talented artist, author, performer, filmmaker, advocate, and political provocateur. She is credited with coining the term "sex work," which became a cornerstone of the sex worker rights movement. Carol Leigh founded the San Francisco Sex Worker Film and Arts Festival and co-founded BAYSWAN, the Bay Area Sex Worker Advocacy Network. Carol Leigh's impact on the sex worker rights movement...
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For more resources on this episode, visit our website:
https://oldprosonline.org/oldpronews-008
Bios
Zola Z. Bruce MSSW is a social worker, activist and artist who focuses on helping people to create the life they want in all aspects of their career. Originally from Dallas, TX, they moved to New York to attend Sarah Lawrence College to study psychology and sculpture, in addition they did a semester abroad with The School for International Training in Kingston, Jamaica where they studied Gender and Development. Zola received their Masters of Science in Social Work from Columbia University in 2001. Afterwards they worked for 12 years in youth development with organizations including the Center for Family Life, McBurney YMCA, and the LGBTQ Center focusing on creating therapeutic art programs for youth and families. Internationally they started a nonprofit, Unified for Global Healing, where they developed grassroots community health initiatives in Haiti, Ghana, and India using the arts to communicate beyond language, class, and cultural barriers. Combining their experiences in art, activism, sex work and social work, Zola currently works as Director of Communications at the Sex Workers Project of The Urban Justice Center (SWP) and started a documentary series for and by sex workers, recently on display at The Museum of Sex. Alongside their work with SWP they continue to create, consult, speak at activist events, teach as an Adjunct Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, is a BDSM instructor and Vice President for KinkOut (KO).
Mariah Grant (she/her) is the Director of Research and Advocacy with the Sex Workers Project of the Urban Justice Center (SWP). She is a human rights and migration specialist with a focus on migrant and sex workers’ rights, freedom of movement, and labor exploitation. In her role with SWP, she oversees policy advocacy and development of original research, including ongoing studies on law enforcement violence against sex workers. She has worked throughout the US and internationally on improving anti-trafficking policies to ensure better human rights protections for migrants and sex workers.
The Sex Workers Project at the Urban Justice Center in New York City are a national organization that defends the human rights of sex workers by destigmatizing and decriminalizing people in the sex trades through free legal services, education, research, and policy advocacy.
https://twitter.com/UJCSexWorkers
https://www.instagram.com/sexworkersproject/
SAFE SEX WORKER STUDY ACT LINKS
Report produced by Hacking//Hustling, authors: Kendra Albert, Elizabeth Brundige, and Lorelei Lee
https://hrlr.law.columbia.edu/hrlr/fosta-in-legal-context/
https://survivorsagainstsesta.org/
https://make-the-switch.org/commercial-sex-online/
https://make-the-switch.org/the-safe-sex-worker-study-act/
Op-Ed by Fight for the Future Director Evan Greer https://www.thedailybeast.com/want-to-fix-big-tech-stop-ignoring-sex-workers
SWP Statements on SSWSA
https://swp.urbanjustice.org/news-room/resources/
Senate Bill:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/3758
House Bill:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/6928
EARN IT ACT
Call your Reps and Senators!
https://www.fightforthefuture.org/actions/sesta-fosta-anniversary/
Request meetings with your Reps and Senators – and other critical members of Congress – like members of the committees the bill has been referred to:
https://www.house.gov/representatives
https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm?OrderBy=state&Sort=ASC
Subscription to a database with contact information
Request to Join: https://make-the-switch.org/join-the-network-subgroup/
Please fill out this form to join the Sex Worker Subgroup of the Federal LGBTQPLHIV Criminal Justice Working Group. Joining the network means being added to the listserv and access to a database of resources for activists and allies, as well as an invite to the monthly working group call.
This group supports the decriminalization of sex work, transparency and accountability in state action, and uplifting the leadership of impacted people.
Donate to organizations working on this issue, including the Sex Workers Project: