Buzz
10-24-2008, 03:16 PM
This seems worthy of consideration by those eligible to vote in California:
Dear Friends,
There is an important San Francisco ballot measure that should
concern you personally because it's the a crucial step in the broad
decriminalization of consensual sexual expression. Proposition K
which supports sex worker rights, health and safety, would
decriminalize consensual sex work.
The struggle for sex workers rights is crucial to so many
communities. Prostitution laws effect diverse people in the US, but
racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and economic oppression
results in multiple discriminations. The LGBT community in San
Francisco includes many sex workers, and together these communities
have been in the forefront of this struggle.
We know you are well aware of the numerous harms that result from the
criminalization of prostitution. Criminalization deters sex workers
from reporting violence against us, and greatly inhibits our rights
as workers and our ability to organize to improve our working
conditions. As condoms are used as evidence against us,
criminalization actually discourages condom use!
Arrests can be traumatic. Having a criminal record limits our
choices. Convictions (and even arrests) can disqualify us from many
occupations and impact child custody rights.
Although prostitution is criminalized at the state level, enforcement
of these laws is generally carried out by local law enforcement.
This ballot initiative prohibits local agencies from spending funds
on the enforcement, and instead mandates a focus on crimes against
sex workers including sexual assault, coercion, extortion, battery
and rape. We believe Proposition K will be a crucial first step in
efforts towards statewide decriminalization.
Please visit our website to learn much more about Proposition K and
other prostitution law reform issues at http://www.YesOnPropK.org
(Donations at http://www.yesonpropk.org/donate.html )
You are probably aware of the pressures we face from the right-wing
and prostitution prohibitionists in the US. In an effort to
pathologize sex workers, they manipulate statistics about everything
from trafficking to child prostitution. They insist that the
solution to trafficking includes criminalizing sex workers, and they
even support Bush Administration policies such as the anti-
prostitution loyalty oath, which has resulted in an international gag
order (related to USAID funding) on advocacy for sex worker rights.
These anti-prostitution policies are in the same mode as the attacks
on reproductive rights and safer sex programs, especially those
principally targeted to gay men.
The national forces behind these policies are also funding the local
campaign against us. As reported in the SF Examiner on 8/28/08, "Six
of the nine paid arguments against Prop. K were paid by the No on K
Committee Against Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation, whose three
largest contributors are the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women,
Twiss Butler and Gloria Steinem." This is one of the reasons we
urgently need your support.
As you know, Gloria Steinem does not speak for all feminists in her
opposition to decrim. Many feminists understand that criminalizing
sex work hurts women. Many of these issues are new to public
discourse. YesOnPropK.org works to shed light on issues as we
support Prop K.
YesOnPropK.org is focusing on public education. We organize community
education, media outreach and grass roots advocacy. Your endorsement,
volunteer efforts and financial assistance is essential to our success.
Proposition K will improve:
o Sex worker safety, by enabling sex workers to seek safer working
conditions and to report violent crimes without fear of prosecution.
o Public safety by freeing up the critical resources currently used
to enforce prostitution laws.
o Public health by reducing stigma and encouraging sex workers to
seek health care, carry condoms and negotiate for safer sex without
fear of self-incrimination.
There are many ways to get involved with our campaign. Please pass
this email to others who support sex worker rights.
Click this link now to donate through PAYPAL:
http://www.yesonpropk.org/donate.html
Add your name or your organization to our endorsement list or display
a "Yes On K" sign in your window. You can volunteer no matter where
you live, so call us at (415) 751-1659.
To contribute make checks payable to:
Yes on Prop K
Mail to:Yes on Prop K
PO Box 210256
San Francisco, CA 94121
To add your name to the endorsement list please send us the info below
Individuals:
____________________ ____________________
____________________
Name (please print)
Signature Title
Organizations:
__________________________________________________ ________________
Name of organization (for our records, not to
be published) Director/Officer Name, Director/Officer Contact
Sincerely,
Carol Leigh
YesOnPropK.org
http://www.yesonpropk.org/propk4banner.jpg (http://www.yesonpropk.org/)
Dear Friends,
There is an important San Francisco ballot measure that should
concern you personally because it's the a crucial step in the broad
decriminalization of consensual sexual expression. Proposition K
which supports sex worker rights, health and safety, would
decriminalize consensual sex work.
The struggle for sex workers rights is crucial to so many
communities. Prostitution laws effect diverse people in the US, but
racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and economic oppression
results in multiple discriminations. The LGBT community in San
Francisco includes many sex workers, and together these communities
have been in the forefront of this struggle.
We know you are well aware of the numerous harms that result from the
criminalization of prostitution. Criminalization deters sex workers
from reporting violence against us, and greatly inhibits our rights
as workers and our ability to organize to improve our working
conditions. As condoms are used as evidence against us,
criminalization actually discourages condom use!
Arrests can be traumatic. Having a criminal record limits our
choices. Convictions (and even arrests) can disqualify us from many
occupations and impact child custody rights.
Although prostitution is criminalized at the state level, enforcement
of these laws is generally carried out by local law enforcement.
This ballot initiative prohibits local agencies from spending funds
on the enforcement, and instead mandates a focus on crimes against
sex workers including sexual assault, coercion, extortion, battery
and rape. We believe Proposition K will be a crucial first step in
efforts towards statewide decriminalization.
Please visit our website to learn much more about Proposition K and
other prostitution law reform issues at http://www.YesOnPropK.org
(Donations at http://www.yesonpropk.org/donate.html )
You are probably aware of the pressures we face from the right-wing
and prostitution prohibitionists in the US. In an effort to
pathologize sex workers, they manipulate statistics about everything
from trafficking to child prostitution. They insist that the
solution to trafficking includes criminalizing sex workers, and they
even support Bush Administration policies such as the anti-
prostitution loyalty oath, which has resulted in an international gag
order (related to USAID funding) on advocacy for sex worker rights.
These anti-prostitution policies are in the same mode as the attacks
on reproductive rights and safer sex programs, especially those
principally targeted to gay men.
The national forces behind these policies are also funding the local
campaign against us. As reported in the SF Examiner on 8/28/08, "Six
of the nine paid arguments against Prop. K were paid by the No on K
Committee Against Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation, whose three
largest contributors are the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women,
Twiss Butler and Gloria Steinem." This is one of the reasons we
urgently need your support.
As you know, Gloria Steinem does not speak for all feminists in her
opposition to decrim. Many feminists understand that criminalizing
sex work hurts women. Many of these issues are new to public
discourse. YesOnPropK.org works to shed light on issues as we
support Prop K.
YesOnPropK.org is focusing on public education. We organize community
education, media outreach and grass roots advocacy. Your endorsement,
volunteer efforts and financial assistance is essential to our success.
Proposition K will improve:
o Sex worker safety, by enabling sex workers to seek safer working
conditions and to report violent crimes without fear of prosecution.
o Public safety by freeing up the critical resources currently used
to enforce prostitution laws.
o Public health by reducing stigma and encouraging sex workers to
seek health care, carry condoms and negotiate for safer sex without
fear of self-incrimination.
There are many ways to get involved with our campaign. Please pass
this email to others who support sex worker rights.
Click this link now to donate through PAYPAL:
http://www.yesonpropk.org/donate.html
Add your name or your organization to our endorsement list or display
a "Yes On K" sign in your window. You can volunteer no matter where
you live, so call us at (415) 751-1659.
To contribute make checks payable to:
Yes on Prop K
Mail to:Yes on Prop K
PO Box 210256
San Francisco, CA 94121
To add your name to the endorsement list please send us the info below
Individuals:
____________________ ____________________
____________________
Name (please print)
Signature Title
Organizations:
__________________________________________________ ________________
Name of organization (for our records, not to
be published) Director/Officer Name, Director/Officer Contact
Sincerely,
Carol Leigh
YesOnPropK.org
http://www.yesonpropk.org/propk4banner.jpg (http://www.yesonpropk.org/)