Another Complicated Step: Legalization in Hungary

In Hungary, sex workers are now part of the tax-paying population:

Hungary Gives Permits to Prostitutes

Legalization is such a complicated issue.:

Hooray for sex workers getting some more equal rights as people who work in other professions. Hooray for some sort of recognition of sex workers.

Though I understand that sex work is not for youth consumption, the ways in which it sex workers are limited in where they can work (which rings of former New York mayor Giuliani’s re-districting laws), and the ‘regular medical check-ups’ can be degrading. Hooray for health-care, and access to health care, but when one is required to get regular check-ups when others are not, it can be problematic. And there is also the cultural question of why don’t the clients get tested? Complicated yes, for those clients to get tested, but maybe if one group is required to get tested, the whole community – that is everyone who is sexually active can be required to get tested. Besides, sex workers are often the leaders in safer sex education – they probably know more than the doctors who are poking them with needles.

While there are problems with legalization – in that it only supports a portion of the sex worker population (what about immigrants, what about other marginalized populations where their relation to sex work is more complicated, and an issue of not being able to find other work, if they wanted to?), the second-wave feminist link of sex work to human trafficking is tiresome. While trafficking is an issue, and definitely a problem, NOT ALL SEX WORKERS ARE FORCED INTO THE TRADE AS SLAVES! Trafficking and sex work are not the same thing.

The article points out, “Human Rights groups have said legalization and decriminalization of prostitution and the sex industry does nothing to address the violence of prostitution and does not help prostitutes”

SOME human rights groups say this. Yes, it is true that legalization does not solve all the problems facing sex workers. However, it does address some of the violence against sex workers, by legally removing some of the stigma from the work.

But arguments against the second-wavers can go on forever.

Let us return to the fact that Hungary has taken a small step towards the cultural need to recognize, honor and respect people who are working in the sex industry.

Go See This Show!

Holy Crap, this show renewed my hope for the value of performance.    It is political, dark, and exquisitely beautiful.  It drew me into a dream-like otherworld that very much seemed to be the subconscious of the people struggling in the world today.  Clowning, areal performance, and other circusy talents are used to tell heart-breaking stories….the many layers, the music, and the imagery are endlessly captivating.

There are only four performances left…

http://www.circozero.org/performances/solniger/index.html

Bits and Pieces…

The hint of  San Francisco cold held the melancholy of the evening.  And tonight, despite the nearly cloudless sky, N and I were reminded of the approaching rainy season, as we noted that it is indeed autumn.

(Who needs to be exact about equinoxes?)

The first people we talked to tonight were a couple.  The woman was taking care of the man, who had experienced some hard times in 850 Bryant and was not doing well.

“Did you know Dorothy? She used to live around here but OD’d a couple of weeks ago.”

I did not but remembered the woman I had talked to a couple of weeks back…Did she?

Yes.

Hours later, another woman who was working in the streets sang, “Life is hard out in the streets.  Can you imagine what it is like?”

Lessons in Harm Reduction

“I hate it when people assume,” said the young man in the wheelchair as N. and I filled a bag with supplies.

“Yeah, he was nosy, huh?” said N, referring to the man in the suit who was trying to see what was going into the bag.

“Yeah.  He doesn’t know what’s going on. I’m going to give these out to my friends – can’t have too much out here.”

N. put the bag into the pocket on the backseat of the wheelchair, and we finished up our night.

Assumptions, not only can be wrong, but also cause an incredible amount of harm.   The act of assuming can be incredibly disrespectful.  And how can one person make assumptions on such little information?  And pass judgement without taking into account the full story?   Harmful policies are created this way.

We have much to learn from the man passing out supplies to his friends…