Diarra English Nicole Cardoza Diarra English Nicole Cardoza

Rally to decriminalize sex work.

As more and more women are turning to sex work opportunities, especially during this time of a global pandemic, a need to repeal the 2018 Fosta-Sesta laws is on the rise. The laws were set during the Trump administration and the main goal was to prevent online sex trafficking. Currently, people like Sinnamon Love—a professional sex worker—are pushing for the Biden administration to decriminalize it under its criminal justice reform (Marketplace). Sex work is known as one of the most common offenses for women to make and can have repercussions related to health, safety, and quality of life for years to come. There are many grassroots organizations beginning to take action to push for the decriminalization of sex work. According to the ACLU, Black and trans women stand to benefit the most from the decriminalization of sex work because they are already disproportionately targeted not only by the police but also by violent patrons (ACLU).

It's FRIDAY! And we're back with today's call-to-action. The movement to decriminalize sex work is far from new, but efforts reignited after the anti-Asian attack in Atlanta. Today, Diarra shares ways that we can join these initiatives in solidarity.

And thank you for all your connections so far for our next series! We're launching an Earth Week newsletter series (similar to 28 Days of Black History) written and edited by young environmental justice leaders of color. If you are under the age of 18 and doing this work in your community, OR a grownup that can connect us to a voice we must include, kindly reply to this email with details.

Saturday is our weekly Study Hall, where I answer questions from the community

This newsletter is a free resource made possible by our supporters. We'd love you to consider making a monthly recurring donation on our website or Patreon. You can also give one-time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). Thank you for all your support!

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

GET EDUCATED

By Diarra English (she/her)

Note: This article discusses sexual assault.

As more and more women are turning to sex work opportunities, especially during this time of a global pandemic, a need to repeal the 2018 Fosta-Sesta laws is on the rise. The laws were set during the Trump administration and the main goal was to prevent online sex trafficking. Currently, people like Sinnamon Love—a professional sex worker—are pushing for the Biden administration to decriminalize it under its criminal justice reform (Marketplace). Sex work is known as one of the most common offenses for women to make and can have repercussions related to health, safety, and quality of life for years to come. There are many grassroots organizations beginning to take action to push for the decriminalization of sex work. According to the ACLU, Black and trans women stand to benefit the most from the decriminalization of sex work because they are already disproportionately targeted not only by the police but also by violent patrons (ACLU).  


What the ACLU and other grassroots groups are trying to accomplish is full decriminalization of sex work for sellers, buyers, and “youth who participate in sex work, but not for adults who participate in exploit youth” (ACLU). By fully decriminalizing consensual sex work for both parties, sex workers will be far more likely to seek protective services such as STD testing, family planning services, and legal advice when clients aren’t respectful. Many sex workers and advocates have expressed the concern that sex workers are in constant fear of the police which prevents them from reaching out for help even when they are in dire situations (US News). Right now, when sex workers have conflicts with their clients, there is little to no protection for them, but the same is not true for the client. Where the sex worker is perpetually punished, the client is let go with a slap on the wrist.

This sad reality was exemplified in March in the wake of the anti-Asian attacks in Atlanta (Rolling Stone). The six Asian women who were killed were targets because of the intersection of their Asian heritage, immigrant status, and place of work (NPR). Asian women have long standing been at the convergence of fetishization and undesirability, making the Atlanta attacks that much more poignant. They proved what many have known all along: there is no protection. The burden almost always falls on the woman, further criminalizing her body and sexual autonomy. 


In the case of Black women sex workers, in particular, the burden lies entirely on her to prove she deserves protection not only from the law but also from clients. Historically, Black women have always been oversexualized and under-protected. During slavery, Black women’s sexuality was a direct link to their worth because of their ability to give birth to more people to enslave. This correlation between sexuality and commerce created the jezebel stereotype. Stemming from the Bible, a jezebel is an evil and immoral woman who uses her sexuality to manipulate men (Baptist News Global).


With the jezebel stereotype in place, it has been nearly impossible for Black women especially to be respected sexually. If a Black woman is raped, she was obviously asking for it because of her innate sexual nature. If she’s a sex worker, she should assume the risks that come with the profession and move on. None of these are okay assumptions to make, yet they’re made by society as well as the people Black women are supposed to be able to rely on to protect them. In any other profession, the business owner is protected. In sex work, that is not the case. 
 

Sex work has become imperative for many young people, especially Black, Brown, and trans women who need to pay essential bills such as rent but can’t secure steady traditional employment. Sites like OnlyFans have become increasingly popular over the last year because of the ability to earn money from sex work, but there are still plenty of women who rely on in-person sex work to pay their bills (Insider). For example, Dee is a transgender woman from Central America who lost her job at the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic. In order to keep up with her rent, she turned to sex work until her neighbors called the police and she was subsequently charged with prostitution (CNN). If sex work were legal, Dee would have not only been able to pay her rent but, also directly, contribute to the economy through taxes and spending.

Eliza Orlins, an American lawyer from New York City, is on a mission to remove the stigma around sex work and decriminalize it all together as she runs for District Attorney of Manhattan. She notes that when sex work is completely decriminalized, sex workers will have better access to healthcare, police will be able to spend more time combatting true crime, and the United States will slowly move toward becoming more equitable in terms of business (Chicago Tribune).  According to a poll conducted by Data For Progress in 2020, 52% of Americans support the decriminalization of sex work (The Hill). Data for Progress also found that 49% of Americans support defunding vice policing of sex work: when plainclothes officers solicit sex workers, have sex, and then arrest them (VICE).


But what we truly need is complete decriminalization followed by vacated and commuted sentences for those already serving time for sex work offenses. It’s time to level the playing field when it comes to the business of sex, especially when it’s being conducted consensually. It is time to end the double standard, meaning when sex workers, especially Black and trans sex workers, are no longer prosecuted for something the average person does just as often.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Sex work between two consenting partners should not be illegal.

  • Black and trans women are disproportionately affected by sex work being a criminal offense

  • Legalizing sex work would positively impact the economy and provide financial protection for sex workers.

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Diarra English Nicole Cardoza Diarra English Nicole Cardoza

Abolish the filibuster.

The modern filibuster is the greatest threat to American democracy right now. Without so much as a word, any senator who objects to a bill has the power to completely derail the bill’s progression until sixty senate members vote for the delay. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell is no stranger to the filibuster and has used it to block any bill he simply does not like. He and his colleagues are willing to go through major lengths in order to block bills, and President Joe Biden’s presidency doesn't seem much different.

Happy Wednesday and welcome back! Honestly, all I knew about the filibuster until recently was "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". Turns out filibusters are much more than impassioned, 25 hour speeches, but an insidious way to stifle progress. Diarra shares more about the process and offers the little we can do to change it.

This newsletter is a free resource made possible by our paying subscribers. We'd love you to consider making a monthly recurring donation on our website or Patreon. You can also give one-time on PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). Thank you for all your support!

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

GET EDUCATED

By Diarra English (she/her)

The modern filibuster is the greatest threat to American democracy right now. Without so much as a word, any senator who objects to a bill has the power to completely derail the bill’s progression until sixty senate members vote for the delay. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell is no stranger to the filibuster and has used it to block any bill he simply does not like. He and his colleagues are willing to go through major lengths in order to block bills, and President Joe Biden’s presidency doesn't seem much different.

Last week, President Biden took the first steps that possibly could help in dismantling the disruptive structure of the filibuster. He says it needs to be reformed back to how it was when he first began his thirty-eight-year Senate career—a talking filibuster (The Washington Post). Without a reformed filibuster, it will be nearly impossible for President Biden to pass legislation such as the voting rights bill, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and many more (Rolling Stone).
 

According to the U.S. Senate, a filibuster is an action designed to prolong debate and delay or prevent vote on a bill, resolution, amendment, or other debatable question (United States Senate). When a filibuster is enacted, the amount of votes needed to pass the legislation automatically rises from the original majority of fifty-one to a supermajority of three-fifths, or sixty votes. On bills where support is already limited, it becomes impossible to garner the remaining votes needed to pass the supermajority. 
 

The filibuster was first introduced in the mid-nineteenth century as a tool to unfairly uphold the institution of slavery at a time when leaders were beginning to realize the need to abolish it (NPR). Adam Jentleson, former deputy chief of staff to former Democratic leader Harry Reid from 2010-2017, credits John C. Calhoun as being the father of the modern filibuster as we know it. Calhoun fought hard to defend Southern slave owners by using filibusters, and later on the filibuster stayed true to its racist history by derailing Civil Rights legislation. 
 

It has long been understood that the American democratic system was founded on racism, therefore, its never been an ally for Black and non-white people. However, the extent to which this applies is more apparent as you dive into the structure of American politics. From the contradictory verbiage in the Declaration of Independence to the gerrymandering of cities, towns, and counties, there truly is no place for the American Black in the United States government. Today, the filibuster’s racist structure of politics speaks louder than ever as senate Republicans plan to use it to dismantle the voting rights of millions of Black Americans. 
 

Many members of the Senate have been calling for reform or abolition of the filibuster, and President Biden just joined the team along with democratic Senators such as Chris Coons and Dianne Feinstein, who was adamantly opposed to the filibuster up until last Friday afternoon. Feinstein stated in President Biden’s proposal (Twitter) that she is open to changing the Senate’s filibuster rules if necessary to pass legislation such as expanded background checks for firearm purchases, and reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. Most recently, Senator Bernie Sanders said, “The only way the [fifteen dollar minimum wage] would pass is if they abolished the filibuster” (Politico). Similarly, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn has vehemently opposed the filibuster and is now applying more pressure than ever to make sure President Biden addresses the issue. 
 

At the heart of the issue is the vulnerability not only of the majority, but also the ability to pass legislation that is essential to a functioning democracy. Following the election of Senators Jon Ossoff and Rafael Warnock, an onslaught of voter suppression laws was presented by Senate Republicans in crucial Southern and swing states. In the 2020 presidential election, the power of the Southern states was evidently clear; Black and Brown voters are unstoppable when they join together and aren't disenfranchised (The Atlantic). Without reform of the filibuster, it's easily possible for these laws to pass and cause irrevocable harm to the democratic process. As imminent as the threat may seem, President Biden does not appear to have the same urgency as Democractic senators or top aides who want to see reform happen as soon as possible. “He needs time” has been the consensus instead of moving forward with diligent speed (Politico). 
 

It is certainly going to be difficult garnering the support of Senate Republicans to alter the filibuster in the slightest, especially with minority leader Mitch McConnell as the head. He cites the filibuster as a means to force “deliberation” and is something that was within the wishes of the founding fathers. He believes eliminating it would dismantle the structure of the senate and will cause a ‘nuclear winter’ (The Guardian). But, President Biden doesn’t want to abolish it completely; he only wants to “refashion” it back into what it used to be (The Washington Post). In an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Biden states that he is all for bringing back the rules of the filibuster where Senators had to stand up, demand the floor, and keep talking (ABC News). This will make it harder for opposers to block essential bills and it will deter those from disrupting senate proceedings just because they don’t like something. They will actually have to work for it.
 

As long as the filibuster still is considered fair game in our democratic system, no progressive legislation will pass. As it has been used to block gun control in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre, Obamacare expansion, and numerous civil rights bills, there is no hope for forwarding movement as long as anyone senator can waste precious time either through silence or procrastination. There’s a reason the founding fathers did not support the filibuster. They had the forethought to understand the danger that a filibuster could cause, especially in the matter of the supermajority (Indivisible). It can’t be okay for the minority to essentially throw a tantrum whenever something isn’t going their way. We need to return to the balance of power intended for the government when it was first developed. Imagine a reality where American citizens advocate for the change they want to see and are actually able to see it because their senators can vote on and pass their concerns. It can happen without the filibuster and, as of Friday afternoon, we are one step closer to its reform and hopefully its abolition.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • The filibuster has always been a racist means of objecting to progression.

  • Without the filibuster in place, the minority will no longer have the power to derail the wishes of the majority and the American citizens who want change.

  • The filibuster often advances the desires of those who seek to abuse power.

RELATED ISSUES

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Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.

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Diarra English Nicole Cardoza Diarra English Nicole Cardoza

Address racism in reality TV.

There’s been twenty-five seasons of ABC’s The Bachelor, yet this is the very first year a Black man is cast as the bachelor. While Matt James has made history being the first Black bachelor, it has not come without racism from both the contestants on the show as well as the viewers. For the handful of Black and non-white contestants that do make it through casting, it is rare to see them past the first portion of the show, let alone make it to the night of the finale.

Happy Monday! Tonight is the finale of The Bachelor, a conclusion to a season that faced its own racial reckoning along with the rest of the world. Today, Diarra reflects on the controversy from this season and the role reality TV plays in shaping our, erm, reality.

This newsletter is a free resource made possible by our paying subscribers. Consider giving $7/month on Patreon. Or you can give one-time on our website, PayPal, or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). You can also support us by joining our curated digital community. Thank you to all those that have contributed!

ps – someone asked if we were paid to write about the Harry and Meghan interview with Oprah. No! We don't do any reporting here that's sponsored by brands. If we're writing about a show, movie, brand, politician, etc. it's because we think it offers thoughtful inquiry into racism and systemic oppression.

TAKE ACTION

  • Join the campaign for anti-racism in The Bachelor franchise. Sign the petition to combat racism in both the ABC and Warner Bros. networks. 

  • Do not support or watch The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, or shows like it that uphold racist speech and insist on painting BIPOC communities in a negative light.

  • While watching reality shows, consider: what does this narrative to do perpetuate harmful racial stereotypes? How does this show contribute towards a more equitable future? 

GET EDUCATED

By Diarra English (she/her)

There’s been twenty-five seasons of ABC’s The Bachelor, yet this is the very first year a Black man is cast as the bachelor. While Matt James has made history being the first Black bachelor, it has not come without racism from both the contestants on the show as well as the viewers. For the handful of Black and non-white contestants that do make it through casting, it is rare to see them past the first portion of the show, let alone make it to the night of the finale. 
 

Things heated up during James’ season when photos of contestant Rachael Kirkconnell at a plantation-themed college party resurfaced partially through the season’s airing. Although Kirkconnell took to her instagram to apologize for her ignorance and James issued a statement more focused on the follow-up conversation had between Rachel Lindsay, the first Black bachelorette in 2017, and Chris Harrison, there still leaves much to be said about Rachael Kirkconnell even being cast on the show in the first place (NBC News). 
 

Kirkconnell is not the first contestant on the popular TV show to be in hot water over racist and insensitive comments. During Rachel Lindsay’s historic season on The Bachelorette, racist tweets from one of the male contestants surfaced during the airing (Variety). After the show finished airing, Lindsay expressed disappointment in the discrepancy between her coverage versus other bachelorettes. Where the white bachelorette's time on the show focused entirely on their happily ever after, Lindsay’s epic season focused on a breakup that seemed to outshine what was supposed to be her moments of happiness (The Washington Post). Why did all of the white bachelorettes get their fairytale portrayal while the first Black bachelorette was painted as being unwanted and unhappy?
 

Black men and women have long been erased from television, but in the case of reality television, they are used as pawns to advance systemic racism and stereotypes. This is most clearly exemplified in The Real Housewives franchise. There is a clear difference between the way The Real Housewives of Atlanta are spoken about and portrayed versus The Real Housewives of Orange County. Where Black women are "ghetto", "loud", and "uncouth", white women are characterized as being "passionate", "expressive", and "well-mannered".
 

The Bachelor series’ true problem is the casting. Year after year they have the opportunity to not only choose BIPOC leads, but they also have the chance to reflect the demographic makeup of the United States. Instead, producers and casting choose to allow people with racist pasts to live in the same house with Black contestants, all the while, disproportionately stacking the house with white men and women and offering little to no conflict resolution when problems arise. Big Brother is similarly under fire for having a closed mouth when it comes to racist comments being made in the house and the lack of Black, Brown, and non-white contestants represented in the show. 
 

For young Black boys and girls, it can be especially damaging to watch shows like The Bachelor and The Bachelorette and see the people who look like you get sent home in the first few weeks, year after year. Although there are reality dating shows that consist of predominantly BIPOC casts, those contestants were not given a fair hand in terms of portrayal either. Shows like Flavor of Love, I Love New York, and For the Love of Ray J all are negatively focused on the stereotypical loud Black woman trope and exacerbates the idea that Black women are not “lady-like”. The same ideals from slavery and the Jim Crow era of being less desirable and unattractive ring true and even louder on shows such as The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. 
 

Creators of these shows must do better to not only accurately represent the beautiful mosaic of diverse people in the United States, but to thoroughly screen white contestants for racial biases before casting them. Black participants deserve to feel the same lust and fandom white cast members feel, from not only fellow contestants but also fans of the show. The Bachelor franchise has a huge opportunity—especially following after this current season with Matt James—to dig deep and correct their racial wrongs. Let’s all see that they do.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • After twenty-five seasons of ABC’s The Bachelor, this is the very first year a Black man is cast as the bachelor.

  • For the handful of Black, Brown, and non-whites that do make it through casting, it is rare to see them past the first portion of the show, let alone make it to the show’s finale.

  • The Bachelor’s racist casting goes beyond the trauma it causes the contestants who experience it, but it also damages those impressionable viewers such as Black boys and girls watching from home.

  • Shows consisting of a predominately Black and Brown cast are always portrayed in a negative light.

  • Contestants should be screened for any racial biases, especially against Black and Brown people.

  • Going forward, The Bachelor has an opportunity to dive deep and correct their racial wrongs. Lets act in opposition to these wrongs and see that they do. 

RELATED ISSUES

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT

Thank you for all your financial contributions! If you haven't already, consider making a monthly donation to this work. These funds will help me operationalize this work for greatest impact.

Subscribe on Patreon | Give one-time on PayPal | Venmo @nicoleacardoza

Read More