MARCH 3rd, International Sex Workers' Rights Day!

[laurelg@maggies]

WHAT: INTERNATIONAL SEX WORKERS' RIGHTS DAY
Out of the back seat into the streets. Join traffic-stopping
Sex workers to educate and celebrate.
WHY:
Currently the only time we're visible is when a sex worker has been killed, only then do we have a name, a family, a history. We are changing that! Prostitutes are refusing silence & invisibility.
Prostitutes, other sex workers and our allies are welcome & encouraged to join us stop traffic. Wear you're most sexy traffic stopping outfit and help turn up the heat on the Feds! Sex workers will be speaking about work in progress to reform Canadian laws.
WHO:
Sex Professionals of Canada (SPOC) www.spoc.ca
For further info call spokespersons Valerie Scott,(416)364-5603 or Laurel Ronan,(416)469-4464.
WHERE:
In front of Old City Hall, located at 60 Queen Street West (at Bay Street), Toronto.
WHEN:
Thursday, March 3rd, 2005 at 1pm.

[happygrump]

... isn't stopping traffic in downtown Toronto rather counterproductive to your cause? I mean, sure, the scenery may be magnificent, but do you really, really want a SPOC protest to be associated with wheel-pounding frustration and idling cars and trucks spewing even more pollutants into the atmosphere?

[hjwolf69]

or it could be the start of a new Toronto street festival, like Gay Pride Parade

[laurelg@maggies]

... isn't stopping traffic in downtown Toronto rather counterproductive to your cause? I mean, sure, the scenery may be magnificent, but do you really, really want a SPOC protest to be associated with wheel-pounding frustration and idling cars and trucks spewing even more pollutants into the atmosphere?

Lol, we'll be stopping foot traffic more then automobile traffic. Besides, the scenerio you are painting is not much different then any day in Toronto. But, the scenery will be better then usual

[laurelg@maggies]

or it could be the start of a new Toronto street festival, like Gay Pride Parade

I think it would be just as colourful

[HaywoodJabloemy]

...Prostitutes are refusing silence & invisibility
...help turn up the heat on the Feds! Sex workers will be speaking about work in progress to reform Canadian laws.

A little off-topic, but is anyone from any organization such as Spoc, Maggie's, Stella, etc. going to be able to speak to the Subcommittee on Solicitation Laws? They're going to be in Toronto on March 15th.

If they're willing to listen and someone is willing to appear, it would be a good chance to talk directly to them, and tell them what sex workers want. It seems as though all they've heard from so far are university professors and "independent researchers", including at least two who signed this anti-decriminalization petition and advocate a total prohibition like Sweden's, which they claim has been an amazing success. They heard the same things about Sweden when the New Zealand parliament was having their committee hearings, until one sex worker told them what a crock it was.

Nor should we turn to the Swedish model which prosecutes the men who pay for sex. The Swedish experience shows that all this does is drive prostitution underground...

While on the Select Committee we heard evidence from a sex worker in Sweden who talked about the much greater physical dangers she and others now face as a result of the law change there. She reported that some of the worst consequences of the Swedish law have been that there is a lot more underage teenage prostitution, that the mafia bosses have more control, and that workers are too scared to get police help even when friends are murdered because if it gets out that they've called the cops, they lose all their customers.

[laurelg@maggies]

A little off-topic, but is anyone from any organization such as Spoc, Maggie's, Stella, etc. going to be able to speak to the Subcommittee on Solicitation Laws? They're going to be in Toronto on March 15th.

If they're willing to listen and someone is willing to appear, it would be a good chance to talk directly to them, and tell them what sex workers want. It seems as though all they've heard from so far are university professors and "independent researchers", including at least two who signed this anti-decriminalization petition and advocate a total prohibition like Sweden's, which they claim has been an amazing success. They heard the same things about Sweden when the New Zealand parliament was having their committee hearings, until one sex worker told them what a crock it was.

Actually Stella will be talking in front of the committee in Montreal, but on the 15th Maggie's, SPOC, SWAT and a few other Ontario-based orgs will be presenting to this committee. Each group has been given 10 minutes to speak--Val Scott told me they were going to give advocates 5, and she lost it when profs and such got 10 mins, so thanks to her we got 10 mins. That's still not a lot of time, but at least there is quite a bit of advocacy groups that are going to 'have a voice'.

[laurelg@maggies]

bump because it's only two days away

[TheNiteHwk]

I wanted to come out tomorrow and show my support... but found out just today won't be able to get away from the office. I'll be checking the news for sure though Thursday night and Friday morn. Hope all goes well.

[HaywoodJabloemy]

Mike Strobel Toronto Sun column Toronto turning tricks.
Why does the media always mention Amsterdam, and never Sydney?

[laurelg@maggies]

I wanted to come out tomorrow and show my support... but found out just today won't be able to get away from the office. I'll be checking the news for sure though Thursday night and Friday morn. Hope all goes well.

We'll miss you NiteHawk! Thanks for the support

[laurelg@maggies]

Mike Strobel Toronto Sun column Toronto turning tricks.
Why does the media always mention Amsterdam, and never Sydney?

lol, I know. We spent a long time talking about Sydney, but alas, it is not mentioned.

[Marbles]

who all will be downtown for this today? i'll be there.

[laurelg@maggies]

who all will be downtown for this today? i'll be there.

see you at 1pm

[Marbles]

stopped by on my lunch hour ... not too many sps were there ... the ones that were, looked hot from the waist down (fishnet stockings, high heeled boots) but it was too cold not to have a big thick jacket on. they had lots of signs and a megaphone. they handed out pamphlets supporting decriminalization of prostitution rather than legalization. kudos to the young ladies who were there, it was bitter cold or there might have been a better turnout. people wanted to stop and listen but were just too damn cold. global television was there, so was a radio station (couldn't see the microphone or i'd tell you which one). i stayed as long as my lunch hour would allow.

[Hugh G. Rekshun]

Message to International Sex Workers Headquarters:
Please move the Day to sometime from May to September.

[Weekly]

Message to International Sex Workers Headquarters:
Please move the Day to sometime from May to September.

And have a party afterwards.

[HaywoodJabloemy]

lol, I know. We spent a long time talking about Sydney, but alas, it is not mentioned.

In today's column, Bawdy is their temple, he mentions "parts of Australia".

[laurelg@maggies]

stopped by on my lunch hour ... not too many sps were there ... the ones that were, looked hot from the waist down (fishnet stockings, high heeled boots) but it was too cold not to have a big thick jacket on. they had lots of signs and a megaphone. they handed out pamphlets supporting decriminalization of prostitution rather than legalization. kudos to the young ladies who were there, it was bitter cold or there might have been a better turnout. people wanted to stop and listen but were just too damn cold. global television was there, so was a radio station (couldn't see the microphone or i'd tell you which one). i stayed as long as my lunch hour would allow.

Thanks for coming out Marbles! It was too damn cold, quite a few of us just couldn't dress sexy. The ladies who did though are the bravest of us

[laurelg@maggies]

Message to International Sex Workers Headquarters:
Please move the Day to sometime from May to September.

Duly noted...and that motion has my vote as well!

And have a party afterwards.

we enjoy putting those on

In today's column, Bawdy is their temple, he mentions "parts of Australia".

Ya, Mike's getting there. Maybe after a few more.

[Annessa]

Hello all,



Pictures from the March 3rd SPOC event to celebrate International Sex Workers' Day can be found here.

http://www.annessas-angels.com/spoc.htm







Annessa
xoxo

[laurelg@maggies]

http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_0...editorial.html
http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_0...deringeye.html