Sex Worker Conference in Las Vegas- Register and/or Submit Your Proposal!

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5th Desiree Alliance Conference-The Audacity of Health: Sex Work, Health, and Politics

July 14-19, 2013 Las Vegas, NV   http://desireealliance.org/conference.htm

Registration is Now Open for the 5th Desiree Alliance Conference

Please read the registration details below to begin the process. http://www.desireealliance.org/conference/Registration.htm

Submit proposals for presentations by April 1, 2013 http://www.desireealliance.org/conference/CFP.htm

The Desiree Alliance is a national social justice organization that is led by current and former sex workers in coalition with health professionals, social scientists, educators, and their supporting networks focused on building leadership, capacity-building, organizing and constructive activism for sex worker rights and autonomy.

As we prepare for our 5th national conference, our priority will be centered on health, sex work, human rights, and following-up with the XIX International AIDS Conference (July 2012) and the 9th National Harm Reduction Conference (Nov 2012).

The Desiree Alliance conference is a forum for people who have experience in sex work and sex trade and allies of sex workers.  Sex work includes working as an exotic dancer, hustler, webcam model, street-based sex worker, massage worker, escort, prostitute, tantric practitioner, sexological bodyworker, living with the support of a sugar-daddy or a sugar-mama, having sex for housing / food / clothing, drugs, or having sex to get the money needed to survive.  Our membership base is made up of current and former sex workers as well as activists that do not identify as sex workers themselves, but advocate for sex worker rights. Desiree Alliance is made up of women, men, LGBTQI persons, transgender persons, herm-identity, Other, hetero, etc., and many of our members are from (non)working class low and middle income backgrounds.

Desiree Alliance is committed to bring diversity that aims to provide safe spaces for the most marginalized to the least marginalized sex worker, providing education, networking, and alliance-building opportunities regardless of socio-economic status, color, sexuality, sexual identity, culture, class, race, religion, physical or mental capabilities, gender, gender identities, age, size, political beliefs, or immigrant status.

Based on our limited funding capacities, Desiree Alliance provides a number of scholarships to people from groups that have often been marginalized from organizing for sex worker rights. We invite diverse sex workers to apply including people of color, immigrants, gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans-people, differently- abled/disabled people, senior citizens and others to apply. Visit http://www.desireealliance.org/conference/logistics.htm#scholar

Call for Proposals for individual tracks for the conference are available  at: http://www.desireealliance.org/conference/CFP.htm
Please begin the registration process for the Conference ASAP!

Deadlines
Early Registration Deadline: Nov. 15th thru February 15th, 2013    $150.00
Regular Registration Deadline: February 15th thru April 15th, 2013  $200.00
Late Registration Deadline: April 15th thru July 7th, 2013     $250.00
Please see additional information at:
http://www.desireealliance.org/conference/Registration.htm

Registration Instructions
Please send an introductory email to desiree2013@desireealliance.org with “Introduction for Registration” as the subject and include the following:

Name:
You may use any name or pronoun that you identify with when applying for the conference and while attending. (However, if you receive a scholarship we will ask for the name that is on your ID if we need to book transportation)

Email:

Contact phone number (including best time to call):

How you found out about the conference:

Why you would like to come:

If you are a student (this will enable you to register as a student to get a student discount. If you say you are a student, you must attach a scanned copy of your current student ID with your email to get the discount code):

If you plan to present:

Registration fees for the conference include: Attendance at any or all of the workshops, presentations and sessions; name badge and registration packet;  one continental breakfast or snack daily. (Please note that the conference location will not be disclosed until registration is complete – please make your hotel reservation ASAP as rooms will go fast!)

Registration fees do not include: Transportation (however the hotel provides complimentary airport shuttle); lodging; lunches or dinners; Fundraiser After Party (you will have the option of purchasing a ticket during registration); dinners, souvenirs, extra-curricular activities or personal expenses.

Contacts:

General Inquiries: desiree2013@desireealliance.org

Program Advertising / Tabling / Vending:
http://www.desireealliance.org/conference/tabling.htm#Program_Advertising

Media Team:
http://www.desireealliance.org/conference/mediateamapplication.htm

Volunteer: email volunteer@desireealliance.org for information and to sign up to assist with Pre-conference or conference needs.

Sincerely,

Cris Sardina and Sharmus Outlaw
director@desireealliance.org

Sex Work Policy, the blog

by Cheryl Overs.

Over the last few months I have been reading and writing about sex work and law. I have had the chance to comment on several excellent papers as they are being written and had some wonderful opportunities to work with skilled and knowledgeable activists in human rights, the women’s movement, HIV and sexual and reproductive health.  I have also had some great opportunities to learn from sex workers and hear the conversations that are taking place within the movement.

Of course there is plenty to say about so many aspects of sex work and law globally.  Much of it is being said by far more articulate people than me andthe PLRI website is dedicated to making that information accessible.  http://www.plri.org. Here I want to mention two issues that strike me as high priorities.

1.      A BIG MESS  : Sex workers have almost no say in research  and…

View original post 803 more words

Prop 35, Youth, Sex Trade and Sex Trafficking-Interview with Alexandra Lutnick, Researcher

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Visit Prop 35, Youth, Sex Trade and Sex Trafficking-Interview with Alexandra Lutnick, Researcher  at Indybay to read this interview written in conjunction with SWOP/Bay Area. It’s important to get the word out about Prop 35! Please share the info on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Thanks SWOP, for your support and work to let people know about this dangerous initiative!

Join Us in Washington DC-July 24th March to End AIDS (and support sex worker rights!); July 21st-27th International AIDS Conference

Sex Workers at IAC 2012

July
2012, Washington DC*

(Read below US border laws prohibiting entry
of sex workers and drug users!)

Read and sign the:

Call To Action, a joint declaration,

demanding the end to criminalization of commercial sex, and
demanding that the U.S. enable sex workers to access safe
and healthy working environments and non-judgmental services.

Join the March We Can End AIDS on July 24th, Tuesday at Noon in DC!

See calendar of week’s events here

IAC 2012 – Kolkata: Sex Worker
Freedom Festival


Below are some of the crucial issues
that confront us regarding sex workers
and others in the context of HIV.
Please read these and understand how imperialistic
U.S. policies are adversely impacting people
around the world.


*Denied visa by US, sex workers to hold parallel meet at Kolkata

*2012 AIDS Conference: Criminalized Groups Need Not Apply

PEPFAR’s Violations of the Right to Health of Sex Workers

Medication Costs-Survival Only for The Wealthy-Obama’s Global Health Policy
Undercuts Reform At Home

July 9, 2012-Groundbreaking report
released by the Global Commission on HIV and the Law specifically recommends
the decriminalization of sex work (download pdf).

Call for Healers: San Francisco Sex Workers Film and Arts Festival Whore’s Bath

Whores Bath (urban dictionary definition): The gentle dampening of a rag when one must cleanse oneself to use on vaginal area, usually between fuckin’s.

Whores Bath (21st century definition): A day of self-care, spa treatments, and magical healing  for current and former sex workers.

The San Francisco Sex Workers Film and Arts Festival was established in 1998 to provide a forum for the accomplishments of sex worker film, art, performance and video makers, and to screen works about sex workers and the sex industries from around the world. The Sex Worker Festival provides an opportunity to recognize and honor prostitutes, dancers, porn performers and other sex workers, who have historically been a dynamic part of arts communities.

For the first time, our closing event will be a sex worker healing salon on Sunday, May 29th, 2011. We will be renting a three-story house with a hot tub, and will be turning the five different bedrooms into different healing modality spaces.

We are currently looking for sex workers as healers, participants and recipients. We are seeking  healers who would be interested in offering their services in this space; massage, aestheticians, cosmetologists (still really need a few people to do mani-pedi’s), beauticians, reiki, cranial sacral, yoga, art therapy, acupuncture, herbs, healing foods, and more. We will be offering a small stipend as well as free entry to the event. We will be asking people to work two hours for entrance to the event.

 

Please call 503-348-7666 or email sexworkerfest(at)gmail.com if you are interested in being part of this community building event.

Call for Performers: San Francisco Sex Workers Film and Arts Festival Cabaret

During every Sex Worker Festival we have a cabaret variety show at SOMArts Gallery to showcase sex workers’ live performance. We prioritize a variety of media and encourage diverse participation and especially encourage street-based workers, trans, queer and sex workers of color.

We have a small stipend to pay performers, and are especially interested in showcasing performance artists who have not traditionally performed in the festival or other sex worker arts festivals in the past.

Each act will have a maximum 10 minutes, and performers are required to attend a dress rehearsal two weeks before opening night.

To submit your work, please send us the following:

-A short description of your performance

-Any videos, recordings, or photographs of your act (not required, but if you have any, that would help!)
-A brief explanation why you think your performance is suitable for the Sex Worker Film & Arts Festival

-Any tech, space, or equipment needs you have
Please send your info before May 1, 2011 (especially for promotional deadlines).

If interested in performing, please call 503-348-7666 or email sexworkerfest(at)gmail.com.

Call for Presenters: Workshops at the San Francisco Sex Workers Festival

Call for Presenters: Workshops at the San Francisco Sex Workers Festival

The San Francisco Sex Workers Festival was established in 1998 to provide a forum for the accomplishments of sex worker film and video makers and to screen works about sex workers and the sex industries from around the world. The Sex Worker Festival provides an opportunity to recognize and honor prostitutes, dancers, porn performers and other sex workers, who have historically been a dynamic part of arts communities.

This year, the San Francisco Sex Workers Festival will include a day of workshops, on Friday, May 27th, sponsored by SWAAY (Sex Work Activists, Allies, and You). The general theme will be sex workers learning from each other on topics focused on their personal lives, self-care, skills that apply to all areas of sex work, and activism at the individual level.

Since most of the festival centers on the arts, we are prioritizing non-art submissions for these workshops. The length of this day’s event, as well as the session length, are yet to be determined, and will be finalized after submissions are selected. However, session lengths will likely be either 60 or 45 minutes, depending on the number of accepted proposals, so please keep that limit in mind with the scope of your session idea.

This event takes place in San Francisco, and you must have your own means to travel to the event, as there is not a budget to pay for speakers. However, if you are coming from outside the area, you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck with being able to attend the week- long festival and network with other sex workers.

Your proposal should include:
* A title.
* Your name, affiliation, and a little bit about your background or interest in sex work.
* The style of your proposed session: lecture, group discussion, panel, etc.
* Have you presented on this topic previously? When and where?
* A more detailed abstract of what you would like to cover, less than 500 words.

The deadline for these proposals is April 1st, 2011. You will be notified whether or not your proposal was accepted by April 5th, 2011. There will also be time for short, 5-10 minute lightning talks during the lunch hour. (Lightning talks are brief lecture-format presentations for people who don’t need a full session to cover their material, but would like to quickly get it out there to the audience.) These slots are on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you know you want to do a lightning talk and have a topic in mind, please submit a proposal so we can try to guarantee you a spot. It may also be possible to sign up for a lightning talk shortly before the event or on the spot.

Send your proposals to furrygirl (at) furrygirl.com with the subject line “Workshop proposal for the Sex Workers Festival”