SEX WORK AND THE LGBT+ COMMUNITY IN IRELAND
By Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland
Sex workers have always been in the movement to advance the rights of LGBTQI+ people. It’s a cliche to talk about who threw the first brick at Stonewall, but it’s true that trans sex workers of colour, Martha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera and others were there at the forefront in June 1969. Slowly but steadily, sex workers have been sidelined while the rights of other communities have been realised. Just like trans people, especially trans women, have been excluded from the mainstream LGBTQI+ movement, so have sex workers also been excluded from movements for womens’ and workers’ rights. Even in Ireland, sex workers were written out of the most recent LGBTQI+ Inclusion Strategy, despite the fact that queer people make up a significant portion of the sex work population. In 2017, Ireland took the misguided step in bringing in laws that criminalise the purchase of sex and increased so-called brothel keeping laws that prevent two or more sex workers from working together. These laws were brought in with great fanfare, during a time when other groups were seeing great strides in equality (remember that!), such as the ability to marry a partner of the same sex, and the right to get abortion care here in Ireland. In contrast, these laws have put sex workers safety at risk, resulted in increased violence and have failed in their aim of reducing exploitation. Sex work is an economic activity done by people who tend to be on the margins already, such as trans and other LGBTQI+ people, migrants, undocumented people, drug users, homeless people, single mothers and people with unstable income. For example, trans people have fewer economic opportunities and face systemic oppression. Criminalising the income of those who turn to sex work does nothing to improve their material conditions, and furthers harm. The Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) works with current, former, indoor, outdoor, and online sex workers of all genders, to develop and strengthen their human rights and safety on the
island of Ireland. We are dedicated to the decriminalisation and de- stigmatisation of sex work, community development, and informed awareness of sex work in society. SWAI believes in inclusion, equality, human rights, confidentiality, bodily autonomy, freedom of movement and migration for sex workers, and fights for the decriminalisation of their work. We are anti-capitalist, anti-ableist, anti- xenophobic, trans-inclusive and anti- white supremacy. We believe decriminalisation of sex work is a harm reduction measure. Government policies and inactions have led to the housing and cost of living crisis, and more and more people may turn to sex work to make ends meet. We need to ensure they are as safe as they can be and not continue to uphold laws that mean that sex workers can’t work together for safety, increase surveillance and push them away from paths to justice. Police attendance at Pride is contentious for sex workers. How can they be expected to march with the people who pretend to be clients to gain access to them, costing them income and erasing trust in the Gardaí? How can they be expected to call for their rights beside people who have caused them to be evicted? How can they be expected to party with people who use them as intelligence sources? How can they be expected to march alongside the people who surveil, harass, arrest, deport and jail them? LESS THAN 1% OF SEX WORKERS CONTACT THE GARDAÍ WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF A CRIME, COMPARED TO 85% OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
Combating human trafficking needs anonymous reporting mechanisms and a strong trade union presence. Yet, because of the current legal model, intelligence from clients about suspected victims of trafficking has dried up, as clients are criminalised. Sex workers can not organise in their workplace, because their workplace is being criminalised through the brothel keeping laws. Sex workers are workers, yet trade unions will march at Pride without recognising that the rights of these workers are non-existent. What other workers only have the right to leave their work, and not improve their material conditions? Sex workers have always been part of Pride, but due to pervasive stigma and discrimination they cannot be visible. They cannot take pride in this identity and that should be a cause of concern. SEX WORKERS NEED PEOPLE TO OPENLY AND PROUDLY PRIORITISE THEIR SAFETY AND THEIR VOICES... instead of the moral panic that has led us to where we are today. Sex workers and LGBTQI+ rights have always been connected. We need each other, now more than ever! Supporting the LGBTQI+ community means supporting everyone in it, including sex workers. SOCIALS Instagram: @swaiireland sexworkersallianceireland.org
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