Visitors to Amsterdam have probably strolled De Wallen, its downtown red light district where female sex workers often stand in one of 300 windows to advertise their services.
According to Boy Culture, Amsterdam is celebrating Pride by putting male sex workers in the red light district windows to help highlight an important cause. It’s not only a much celebrated display of the city’s acceptance of queer sexuality, it’s also an awareness campaign by the non-profit brothel and sex worker advocacy group, My Red Light, and the escort site, HUNQZ.com.
The campaign is meant to highlight the need for greater legal protections for sex workers.
Related: 5 essential insights about human nature from a male sex worker
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“Our view is that sex workers should be able to work freely, safely and in good working conditions and that they should enjoy the same rights as other independent entrepreneurs,” My Red Light writes. “Like in any other labour sector … violence, abuse and exploitation are also sometimes seen in the sex work sector. [We’re] committed to identifying and appropriately addressing [the problem.]”
While the campaign is meant to address issues in Amsterdam, the movement to decriminalize sex work is gaining traction in America.
In March 2018, federal legislators passed the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act and Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (SESTA/FOSTA) which caused the shut down of escort sites and public forums where sex workers shared safety advice.
As a result, some sex workers have been forced back onto the streets where harassment, extortion and abuse can occur by policemen or other passers-by. Arrests and injuries can separate sex workers from their families and economically devastate them. Some states charge sex work as a felony and make arrestees join a “sexual offenders registry” subjecting them to a lifetime of public scorn and discrimination.
Trans women and women of color are more likely to face arrest and violence for sex work.
Selling sex is illegal everywhere in America except in a few Nevada counties. But, “legislation to decriminalize sex work has been introduced in both DC and New York state, and several presidential candidates, including Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, have said they support some degree of decriminalization,” according to Vox.com.
While some countries abroad have opted for Sweden’s “‘Nordic model,’ which eliminates criminal penalties for selling sex but retains penalties for buyers,” advocates say that criminalizing one-half of the transaction still leaves workers and buyers subject to legal harassment.
While both the D.C. and New York City decriminalization bills recently failed, both the World Health Organization and Amnesty International have recommended that countries work toward decriminalization.
Cam
Groups that worship violence but hate sex have caused America to be ridiculous in it’s laws.
For example, the MPAA (Motion picture association of America) has several representatives of religions on it’s ratings board. This group will give a movie a PG-13 rating even with several murders, but will make a movie an R or NC 17 if there is some side-boob, male nudity, or a gay couple kissing.
Nearly everybody will have sex, nearly nobody will commit a murder but these people find murder more acceptable.
In response America is a country where politicians fight to allow people with criminal histories to buy guns, but will arrest an adult for being a prostitute.
RIGay
I want to go to Amsterdam… soooo much more now!
Kathukid
If sex work was legalized in America, maybe we wouldn’t have so many angry, frustrated, mysogynistic straight men who can’t get laid because of their personalities running around making life miserable for everyone.
dean089
Amen!
nm4047
@Kathukid you seem to be ignoring the overwhelming evidence that a misogynists doesn’t pay for sex (except POTUS) and many of the frustrated people most likely couldn’t afford if they’re earning US minimum wage.
reesielover
ABOUT TIME!!!!!!!! Now, if Amsterdam has a street dedicated to TS’s in the trade, I would move there in a minute.
Kaaper
Criminalizing sex work is as stupid as criminalizing marijuana. It’s not going to stop, so make it legal and safer for the workers.
CenterRight
That small European country is morally corrupted and it’s news like this that makes a lot of Americans to be proud of our country which keep prostitution illegal. If they really enforce the laws and arrest the hookers and johns, the US will be a much better country.
sfcarlos65
Exactly! Sex work is work, and deserves the same precautions as any other job.
Catholicslutbox
Not a fan of the whole “legal pot” nonsense.
People in L.A. think that means smoking pot in public places is ok now, when in fact it is 100% illegal.
Keep that off the streets- along with tobacco and vaping.
mykelb
I agree and @centerright as usual, is wrong.
john.k
Are you being serious CenterRight or ironic? If serious I take it you don’t think a country that has over 30,000 gun deaths a year and numerous mass shootings is morally corrupt but a country that allows legal prostitution is. Warped values or what???
fur_hunter
I was there in 1976 and walked on that street. I’m glad that the guys are now getting equal time. EHEHEHEHHEHEHE.
RandomGuy
I agree with decriminalizing sex work but displaying anyone in a window like a slab of meat is still creepy.
Bob
Number 72?? Yes, that’s me. I’d like two pounds of Tony, sliced thin. :>
Jboo
Right? Just slide your c*ck through a hole in the wall, like decent god-fearing men. #Gloryholefeorthewin
HaguePeter
By the way, the Swedish model is not that great either: by criminalizing customers, people are still reluctant to call police to complain.
Look a the New Zealand model, much better for Sex workers. Google it.
glennmcbride
In Mexico as well as in most Latin countries, prostitution is legal between consenting adults. Being a pimp or running a brothel is illegal.
curiobi
Prostitution is legal in the UK as well, and being a pimp and running a brothel is illegal. This makes sense. Whatever two consenting adults do is their own business and not up to the government to police.
It’s only a problem when force or exploitation is involved, THAT is a matter for the law.
If an adult chooses to work in the sex industry of their own free will, it is not a matter for the law. Why is anyone’s business to tell people they can’t work in the sex Industry if they want to or try to make it a crime?
winemaker
Time long overdue to legitimize sex work aka’ prostitution’ once and for all. This BS of keeping this or the most part business between consenting over the legal age illegal. Many people need to do this and often have no other job alternatives. And for those who say it’s immoral’, get with the program and realize a lot of other activities are ‘immoral’ to some people, like legal cannabis etc.. The USA is the only nation to keep sex work illegal with the exception of several rural counties in Nevada. With legal sex work, there will be regulation and sex workers will have to register and take periodic health exams for std’s.. And as a side benefit, they would have to register like any ordinary business, be required to maintain financial records and pay taxes on their earnings like any other business. Gee who da’ thought of such a simple thing