Have you ever talked to the old trans sex workers? Some of them enjoyed the work, but plenty were in a position where they could either do sex work or they could not work at all. I knew one lady who uh I don’t think had been ok ever since. If you’ve got the time there’s a podcast called Making Gay History, it’s the host playing old recordings he made for the book of the same name. You can hear Sylvia Rivera talk about their childhood in their own voice. Our liberation didn’t come from sex workers because sex workers are these awesome people, our liberation began with sex workers because that’s the only job a lot of people would let a trans person who wasn’t stealth or exceptional pre transition do back in the day.
From my experience as a circus and burlesque performer in nightlife, most safety practices were created by sex workers. They also set the styles that then evolved into drag and burlesque. Sex work is also historically a part of the circus. I owe a lot of what I do to them.
You just made me miss my days photographing the BDSM and alt scene. Some of the most genuinely caring people I ever met who were truly concerned for everyone’s happiness and safety.
I was always torn between my love for preserving these incredible moments and my desire but unwillingness to participate and it became exhausting. Looking back on it, I’m sad that I decided to step away.
Long story short, I’m eternally grateful to people like you and appreciate your contributions to mental health, safety, community, and the arts.
Message me if you’re ever in south Texas! I love a good reason to get behind a camera, and will often make a deal if given a challenge that’s interesting enough.
Not really kink, but look up the three legged dog sideshow. It’s a Texas based circus troupe but they travel a lot. Fantastic people. Dan Block in particular is one of my friends and mentors
In the latter case it’s a correlation not causation situation. When a group of people is disproportionately pushed into either hiding or sex work, then yeah the major pushes for liberation for that group are gonna come from sex workers.
Idk sex work is a job, no good in trying to make the people doing it into working class heroes. Just because I think their job should be safe and legal and I can find them fun to hang with doesn’t make it anything other than that.
I also believe the job should be safe and legal, but trying to argue that all sex workers are community heros is ignorant as fuck. You think people go into the sex industry because they wanna make your pp feel good and they care about depression? Maybe a few have, but most don’t.
I wasn’t the person you were arguing with. Ime most sex workers are doing it either for desperation or as a side gig that meets their capacity. I almost did it once when I was in a bad spot before deciding I wasn’t desperate enough to do sales, and I have an ex who sold nudes before it was cool. In fact I’m pretty sure I tried to make it clear I don’t think of them as community heroes and was more agreeing with you, just explaining one of the person you were arguing with’s points.
Yeah sorry, all the arguing put me in my arguing hyperfocus so I really just wanted to argue with everyone at that moment, it’s a personality flaw me thinks.
Sex workers laid the foundation for so much of nightlife. They also did a ton for trans rights.
Have you ever talked to the old trans sex workers? Some of them enjoyed the work, but plenty were in a position where they could either do sex work or they could not work at all. I knew one lady who uh I don’t think had been ok ever since. If you’ve got the time there’s a podcast called Making Gay History, it’s the host playing old recordings he made for the book of the same name. You can hear Sylvia Rivera talk about their childhood in their own voice. Our liberation didn’t come from sex workers because sex workers are these awesome people, our liberation began with sex workers because that’s the only job a lot of people would let a trans person who wasn’t stealth or exceptional pre transition do back in the day.
Brothels were also critical foundational businesses in most towns in the developing western US.
In what instances?
From my experience as a circus and burlesque performer in nightlife, most safety practices were created by sex workers. They also set the styles that then evolved into drag and burlesque. Sex work is also historically a part of the circus. I owe a lot of what I do to them.
You just made me miss my days photographing the BDSM and alt scene. Some of the most genuinely caring people I ever met who were truly concerned for everyone’s happiness and safety.
I was always torn between my love for preserving these incredible moments and my desire but unwillingness to participate and it became exhausting. Looking back on it, I’m sad that I decided to step away.
Long story short, I’m eternally grateful to people like you and appreciate your contributions to mental health, safety, community, and the arts.
Feel free to come back. As a leatherwoman we still love good and respectful photographers.
Message me if you’re ever in south Texas! I love a good reason to get behind a camera, and will often make a deal if given a challenge that’s interesting enough.
Not really kink, but look up the three legged dog sideshow. It’s a Texas based circus troupe but they travel a lot. Fantastic people. Dan Block in particular is one of my friends and mentors
Thanks for the offer but with any luck I will never go to Texas. Good luck!
Name definitely checks out haha
I feel so validated right now! Most users who find out or guess my username meaning get upset that it has nothing to do with cartography.
I wasn’t asking for your experiences, I was asking if you could provide any evidence to support the claim that was made.
You don’t seem to like the topic so any example anyone provides will be something you don’t like
I find the topic to be acceptable, what makes you believe I dislike the topic?
In the latter case it’s a correlation not causation situation. When a group of people is disproportionately pushed into either hiding or sex work, then yeah the major pushes for liberation for that group are gonna come from sex workers.
Idk sex work is a job, no good in trying to make the people doing it into working class heroes. Just because I think their job should be safe and legal and I can find them fun to hang with doesn’t make it anything other than that.
I also believe the job should be safe and legal, but trying to argue that all sex workers are community heros is ignorant as fuck. You think people go into the sex industry because they wanna make your pp feel good and they care about depression? Maybe a few have, but most don’t.
I wasn’t the person you were arguing with. Ime most sex workers are doing it either for desperation or as a side gig that meets their capacity. I almost did it once when I was in a bad spot before deciding I wasn’t desperate enough to do sales, and I have an ex who sold nudes before it was cool. In fact I’m pretty sure I tried to make it clear I don’t think of them as community heroes and was more agreeing with you, just explaining one of the person you were arguing with’s points.
Wanna keep arguing?
I do still kinda wanna argue tho…
Yeah sorry, all the arguing put me in my arguing hyperfocus so I really just wanted to argue with everyone at that moment, it’s a personality flaw me thinks.