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.

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.

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

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Nicole Cardoza Nicole Cardoza Nicole Cardoza Nicole Cardoza

Protect the unhoused community.

Last week, a thriving houseless encampment in Echo Park, Los Angeles, was destroyed by city officials. The community released a statement asking not to be disturbed, and allies gathered to stand in solidarity in advance of the raid. Nevertheless, on March 24, over four hundred LAPD officers descended to remove the unhoused community forcibly. Over 182 people were arrested, including at least a dozen journalists. By early the following day, police erected fences around the perimeter so residents couldn’t leave or return (The Knock LA). Protestors have since reported violence and projectiles inflicted by law enforcement at the scene.

Happy Thursday, and welcome back to the Anti-Racism Daily. As we enter our 10th month of reporting (!!!), I'm still overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of this community. Thank you for being here, and remember: we're making big shifts together, even if you feel like your efforts are small. Thank you for staying committed and consistent with this work.

The stories from the forced displacement at Echo Park last week are still haunting me, so I wanted to educate myself a bit more about the houselessness crisis across the U.S. I want to emphasize that local engagement is critical on this issue, so do your best to find organizations and initiatives to support nearest you.

Also, 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.

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 PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). Thank you for all your support!

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

  • Use these steps to help the unhoused in your community get their stimulus checks. Join a virtual teach-in to learn more on Monday, April 5.

  • Support local mutual aid organizations focusing on the unhoused communities near you. Some suggestions: Remora House in DC, the Echo Park Rise Up GoFundMe, Minneapolis Northside Mutual Aid, and the SF Neighbors Solidarity Network in San Francisco.

  • Research how your city engages with its unhoused community and advocate for its wellbeing. For example, Austin will vote May 1 on Proposition B, which will make it illegal to camp in certain public places, sit or lie in public spaces, and panhandle at night (KVUE). My work is to advocate against this criminalization by raising awareness and encouraging my local friends to vote against it.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza (she/her)

In this article, we use the term houseless and houselessness, which distinguishes the difference between having insecure access to shelter rather than the sense of belonging and identity with the concept of home, which can be much more than a physical place. Pete White, executive director of the Los Angeles Community Action Network, shares in Curbed that unhoused people may still identify home as that neighborhood, city, and/or lands (although this shouldn’t discredit those displaced and unhoused because of houselessness). I also appreciate the perspective from unhoused.org, which states that “unhoused” implies “that there is a moral and social assumption that everyone should be housed in the first place.” This, to me, sharpens the focus of the issue.
 

Last week, a thriving houseless encampment in Echo Park, Los Angeles, was destroyed by city officials. The community released a statement asking not to be disturbed, and allies gathered to stand in solidarity in advance of the raid. Nevertheless, on March 24, over four hundred LAPD officers descended to remove the unhoused community forcibly. Over 182 people were arrested, including at least a dozen journalists. By early the following day, police erected fences around the perimeter so residents couldn’t leave or return (The Knock LA). Protestors have since reported violence and projectiles inflicted by law enforcement at the scene.

“

We view the displacement of the homeless residents of Echo Park Lake as a forced eviction. Indeed, it was eviction at gunpoint, one that entailed the invasion and closure of the park by a militarized police force and led to 'uncertainty, fear, anger' for the homeless residents.

From an open letter from UCLA staff members condemning the actions at Echo Park.

Echo Park is a well-known location in Los Angeles (The Hollywood Reporter), and that, paired with the scale of the crackdown, garnered national attention. But unhoused populations across the country – and around the world – face similar injustices regularly.

Like many issues in our society, houselessness is frequently positioned due to an individual’s actions. If you believe stereotypes depicted in media, a person’s addiction, violent tendencies, lack of academic commitment, money mismanagement, etc., led them to lose their homes. But really, the story of houselessness highlights the failings of a system, not its people. Evictions are often the major life event that precedes an unhoused experience, particularly in urban communities with rapidly rising rent and homeownership costs (Washington Post). Incarceration does as well; formerly incarcerated people are up to 13x more likely to experience houselessness than the general population (Urban Institute). So does job insecurity, which is increasingly likely for those working low-wage jobs and in temporary roles. 

These issues tend to impact people of color disproportionately. A study from 2018 found that Black people account for 12% of the population but 43% of the homeless population (National Low Income Housing Coalition). Because it’s embedded in everything from the housing market to employment, incarceration, and academia, systemic racism and discrimination accelerate the likelihood that someone will become unhoused. The New York Times offers a comprehensive overview of the impact of racism on houselessness in Los Angeles. Read more in-depth about other issues that foster houselessness here.

And all of this was well-documented before the impact of the pandemic, which has forced many more people into houselessness. In fact, the Echo Park community swelled in size this year because of it. One study estimates that this year will cause twice as much houselessness as the 2008 Great Recession. From now – 2023, the unhoused community is projected to grow by 49% in the United States, 68% in California, and 86% in Los Angeles County (Economic Roundtable).

Experiencing houselessness may increase the likelihood of contracting COVID-19. According to Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center, the highest single 7-day rate of positive COVID tests for the entire United States population between the months of June and October was 7.8%. The National Health Care for the Homeless Council reported that COVID positivity rates for those experiencing houselessness fell in an average range of 9-12% for that same time period (United Way). Despite this, at least twenty states did not include people living in shelters as part of their vaccine distribution plans (National Academy for State Health Policy).

In addition, some unhoused people don’t have access to a consistent address and may not file taxes because of their low income. This makes it difficult for them to access the COVID-19 stimulus checks, which have been a lifeline for many people regardless if they have reliable access to housing or not. Individuals can file a tax return this year (and the deadline was extended until May 15th) to receive the latest payment, so there’s still time to support those in your community using the resources provided above.

Racism and discrimination also shape how our system responds to houselessness. As demonstrated in Echo Park, unhoused people are often criminalized instead of supported, which can exacerbate the trauma and pain of being unhoused. Cities will pass laws banning people from sleeping in public spaces or cars and laws against scavenging through trash for food. Local law enforcement will write citations or charge fines for those “loitering” in public areas. 72% of cities have one or more laws prohibiting camping in public places, and 83% of cities restrict or ban begging in some or all public places. In addition, 55% of cities prohibit storing property in public places, which gives law enforcement legal protection to seize and discard people’s things, including essential items like identification, medicine, food, and shelter (Housing Not Handcuffs 2019, National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty).

This approach to houselessness isn’t effective. First off, it continues to apply individual punishment for systemic failures. It also wastes precious resources – resources that could nourish communities and reduce the situations that lead to houselessness in the first place. These same resources can also reduce incarceration and policing, improve education, and foster employment, a far more generative solution for communities overall than punitive measures. It also contributes to the narrative that houselessness is at fault of the people and not decisions made by local leaders. 

When we consider the belated response of the U.S. government to the pandemic, paired with our existing economic and social issues, I don’t understand how we can insinuate that houselessness is the fault of one person – let alone any justification to treat unhoused people like criminals. The community in Echo Park emphasized that they had created “a sense of security, stability, and safety” against all odds and despite the city’s lack of support. When members of our community are most vulnerable, we must protect their well-being. Policing is not the answer.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Residents of an unhoused community in Los Angeles were forcibly removed from the property after building a space of resiliency despite lack of support from the city

  • Houselessness is an issue likely to increase due to the social and economic impact of the pandemic

  • Criminalization is not the answer to houselessness

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