33 charged in the massive raids of the Sedona Temple and the Phoenix Goddess Temple

Posted on September 18, 2011 by surgeon
Dear BnG community.  These raids have hit us hard in Arizona, and we are devastated for the loss of the Temples.  Please stay with us as we will be putting out much more information, calls to action, and ways that you can get involved.  To begin, won’t you please go to http://goddessbless.org and sign their petition?  And will you or your organization consider signing on to this letter of support?
love and rage,
Surgeon
For Immediate Release9/17/2011, Tucson AZ

September 7th, 2011 Yavapai County and Maricopa County Sherrifs raided the Sedona and Phoenix Goddess Temples and arrested eighteen people.  A SWAT Team descended on the two temples detaining practitioners at gunpoint.  To date thirty-three  people have been charged, and the temples are being investigated as brothels.  Temple practitioners were paraded in front of the waiting media, and their mug shots and legal names publicized.

Both Temples hold legal status as churches, and no minors, weapons, or drugs were found on the premises of either Temple.  Tracy Elise, the founder and High Priestess of both Temples is still in jail along with 7 other people and her bail is set at an astonishingly high half a million dollars.

These arrests came after six months of undercover operations by the Yavapai County and Maricopa County Police Departments.  It is the largest sex work related bust in Arizona since 2008, when the Desert Divas prostitution ring was busted, with over 100 people charged, including phone operators and photographers.  There were no minors found in that investigation either.

We believe that these arrests, and all other arrests of consenting adults engaged in healing or sexual practices equate to a modern day witch hunt.   In many cases, the money being spent by the police force to arrest, intimidate, and establish undercover sting operations is coming from large scale anti-trafficking campaigns intended to target child prostitution.  Instead, the money donated by a public horrified by images of young children in cages, and sensationalized stories of sexual slavery is diverted into operations like the so called “Operation Goddess Temple.”

In press conferences, Police spokesmen say that Temple practitioners were engaging in acts of prostitution under the guise of religion.  We say that the Arizona Police are using valuable funds, and unnecessary force to arrest consenting adults under the guise of protecting citizens and saving children.

Whether one believes in the validity of Tantra or sexual healing practices as a religion, it is not the charge of the government to legislate morality.  Sex is legal in this society.  Criminalizing prostitution, massage, and healing sexual practices bears all the injustice and inefficacy of prohibition, sodomy laws, and religious intolerance.

We demand the immediate release of all those arrested in affiliation with the Phoenix and Sedona Temples.  We demand an end to police raids for non-violent crimes.  We demand an end to the persecution of practitioners of sexual healing, and the decriminalization of prostitution.

To support the Goddess Temple directly, please visit http://goddessbless.org
To take action and support decriminalization, please visit http://swop-tucson.org

Sincerely,
SWOP-Tucson (Sex Workers’ Outreach Project, Tucson chapter)

For further information, or to speak directly to a spokesperson from SWOP-Tucson for press or media, please email info@swop-tucson.org

Filed under: Activism, Allies, Arrests, Economics, Ethics, Faith, Human Rights, Injustice, Law Enforcement, Legal, Media, Media Allies, Morality, Politics, Press Release, Protests, Sex Worker Rights, Sexual Freedom | 5 Comments »

86 the violence performance locations!

Posted on March 18, 2011 by surgeon
Check out the FB Event page http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150110705347734&id=515647733&ref=notif&notif_t=wall#!/event.php?eid=169566556428737
And the locations where this action will take place across the country!  Come out and support!
Chicago, IL 2pm
Primary action at Watertower place, proceeding to Millenium Park
Secondary action at Tulip 3448 N Halsted

Tucson AZ, 12pm
Jacome Plaza
101 N Stone Ave

Austin, TX 2pm
9th St and Congress Ave

Denver, CO
Between the main library and the art museum

San Francisco, CA 12pm
UN Plaza

NYC, NY 3pm
South end of Union Square

Los Angeles
location TBD

St Petersberg FL, 3pm
North Straub Park
500 5th Avenue North

Portland, OR, 12pm, Location TBD

 

yours,

surgeon

Filed under: Sex Worker Rights | 1 Comment »

Heat Index: Erotic Photography Exhibit

Posted on June 3, 2009 by surgeon
Heat Index: an exhibition of erotic photography

Heat Index: an exhibition of erotic photography

HEAT INDEX

featuring

Eric Kroll

Richard Steele

Cherrie Stabs

Matthew Yates

Rick Soloway

Opening night, features a live art/bondage static performance.

Rocket Gallery

270 E Congress

Opening reception

June 6th 2009, 7pm

come on down!

Runs through June.

Filed under: Art, Events, Pop Culture | 2 Comments »

In Defense of Craigslist

Posted on May 19, 2009 by surgeon

The dialogue around Craigslist has been raging for months, and in the wake of the announcement that CL will be discontinuing its “erotic services” category in favor of the new “adult services” I have a few points I’d like to discuss.

I believe that we should be responding to the persecution of craigslist, and by proxy all sex workers that use CL regularly, strongly.  I also believe that throughout these proceedings of the last several months, CL has come down resoundingly on the side of reason, and individual rights.

If you read the (many!) recent craigslist blog posts by CEO Jim Buckmaster, the removal of the “erotic services” category and the introduction of the “adult services” category seems to be a reasonable solution to me.  It is unfortunate that posting is no longer free-impacting those who cannot pay the $10 initial fee to post, and those who do not have credit cards.  It is devastating for workers in this category, however those changes had already occurred in the ‘erotic’ section, though to a lesser degree.  Credit cards, or some form or online payment are required, as they are required by many other online listing services.

It strikes me that we should be lending our support to CL through this crisis of prosecution-Jim Buckmaster continually refers to statistics and facts that back up our platform of decriminalization.  Read his most recent blog post here http://blog.craigslist.org/

From a blog post by Buckmaster a while back

“Now, it’s horrible to think of craigslist being used in connection with any violent crime whatsoever, let alone a murder. One crime is too many, and we must do everything in our power to eliminate it.

However, when critics rush to tar craigslist as especially dangerous, it’s important to put things in perspective. craigslist users have posted more than 1.15 BILLION classified ads to date, easily 1000x the combined total ever posted to the print publications involved in all of these “print ad murders”.

Anyone demanding that craigslist use the same protections that print classifieds have employed should be careful what they’re wishing for — because the incidence of violent crime in connection with print classifieds is clearly far, far higher than it is for craigslist.”

On a purely business note, I did notice that with the implementation of payment, a lot of the spam posts in erotic services were eliminated, making it easier for actual sex workers to have their ads seen by potential clients.

Thus far, the postings in the ‘adult’ category seem virtually indistinguishable from the postings in ‘erotic services’ and with Craigslist’s commitment to philanthropy regarding the use of revenue from the ‘adult’ category, I am happy to pay the charge, should I choose to post there.

I would like to support Craigslist in their process through this-it is far better that CL continue to exist, and offer some form of posting for ‘adult’ entertainers, than cease to exist all together.  And CL has  a history of listening to members of the community.  I hope that we can continue to be in direct dialogue with them.  Perhaps we can encourage them to donate some of the revenue from the ‘adult’ category to various decriminalization efforts.

We live in a difficult world, where we are prevented from utilizing normal marketing tactics that any other business is afforded.  However, I believe we ought to give credit where credit is due.  While CL has not taken a bullet for us, it has certainly not completely folded to the appallingly uninformed politicians that would choose to scapegoat craigslist and prosecute sex workers for crimes committed against them.

And in the words of Abbie Hoffman “the first duty of the revolutionary is to get away with it”

May we all continue to get away with it, survive, and thrive, despite the deck stacked against us.

thinking of you,

surgeon

Filed under: Sex Worker Rights | 4 Comments »

TODAY! Meditation remembrance for the DC Madame…and keeping it together.

Posted on May 12, 2008 by surgeon

Hey lovers,

Deborah Jeane Palfrey.  I can’t stop thinking about her. Her death cut me deeper than I ever could have imagined.

Her death has been heavy on the hearts of many a sex worker, indicative as it is of this juggernaut of a system that could grind us into nothing if we get caught up.  For me, I think her death translates into real fear.  A fear that is about fighting the good fight, and still going down.  If we manage to survive and thrive in a crazy industry; if we live ethically as sex workers and use all our faculties to operate our businesses and maintain what we believe is right, we still might end up dead.  Ms. Palfrey was a resourceful woman.  A woman connected, perhaps dangerously, to big players in the government.  And she got royally fucked. Someone, somewhere said, we’re going to bring her down.  We’re going to make an example of this one.  And they didn’t stop until she was swinging from a rope.

“Upon news of her death there was no shortage of those who suggested Jeane Palfrey had been killed by cloaked enemies in the government. They miss the point.

Jeane Palfrey of course had been killed by her government. She’d been unfairly ground down and hounded to death by shameless prosecutors and disinterested robed judges in our judicial branch.”

(Bill Keisling, Yardbirds.com )

I regret deeply now that I, we, did not do something more concrete to support her in her struggle.  It is a bare and unpleasant truth that the moment a sex worker comes under legal fire, s/he becomes untouchable.  Abandoned by clients, friends, etc…how did Palfrey end up in her mother’s home?  Why wasn’t she staying with me?  Where were her friends?  Where was her support network?

This blog was begun as a response to her original arrest.  She has, inadvertently, been an enormous catalyst in the sex workers rights movement.  And now she’s dead.

What the fuck.

There will be no procession, fanfare, or jazz funeral for the DC Madame.  Ain’t no crying in the streets for her, except by us, invisibly.  But I want to hold her up in this moment.

All the friends in Barcelona right now, doing the good work at the International harm reduction assoc. conference are making me remember that we are making progress.  Lateral steps toward a more just system.  And I want to thank Deborah Jeane Palfrey for her part in that.  As a contentious figure, a frustrating spin doctor, or a hero.   Whichever.

So today, beginning at midnight GMT (6pm Central, 4pm Pacific) for 24 hours we’re holding a conscious meditation, vigil, or remembrance of Ms. Deborah Jeane.  Light a candle, say some words, or sit in silent meditation with us.  We’ll be sitting for 1 hour at midnight pacific time (8am GMT) and consciously holding her, and what her death means for all of us,  in our thoughts all day.

Please join us!

thinking of you, with love and respect.

Surgeon and Faffs the Jackal

Filed under: Activism, Announcements, Arrests, Faith, Politics, Spitzer, Wisdom of Whores | 23 Comments »

Wear Red on Halloween to speak up to violence against women.

Posted on October 31, 2007 by surgeon

forwarded from the desk of e. nina. jay:

http://documentthesilence.wordpress.com/

be bold be brave be red stop the violence

Recent events in the United States have moved us to action. Violence against women is sadly, not a new phenomenon in our country or in the world, however, in the last year women of color have experienced brutal forms of violence, torture, rape and injustice which have gone unnoticed, received little to no media coverage, or a limited community response. We are responding to:

* The brutal and inhumane rape, torture, and kidnapping of Megan Williams in Logan, West Virginia who was held by six assailants for a month.

* Rape survivors in the Dunbar Housing Projects in West Palm Beach, Florida one of whom was forced to perform sexual acts on her own child.

* A 13 year old native American girl was beaten by two white women and has since been harassed by several men yelling “white power” outside of her home

* Seven black lesbian girls attempted to stop an attacker and were latter charged with aggravated assault and are facing up to 11 year prison sentences [ now known as the New Jersey 4 ]

In a Litany of Survival, Audre Lorde writes, “When we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak remembering we were never meant to survive.” These words shape our collective organizing to break the silence surrounding women of color’s stories of violence. We are asking for community groups, grass-root organizations, college campus students and groups, communities of faith, online communities, and individuals to join us in speaking out against violence against women of color. If we speak, we cannot be invisible.

Continue reading →

Filed under: Activism, Allies, Announcements, Art, Feminism, Human Rights, Injustice, International, Politics, Pop Culture, Protests, Violence, Workers of Color | Leave a comment »

Barmaid arrested for crushing cans with breasts

Posted on October 31, 2007 by surgeon

An Australian barmaid has been fined for crushing beer cans between her bare breasts.Police also accused Luana De Favari of hanging spoons from her nipples, reports the Daily Telegraph.

De Favari, 31, admitted twice exposing her breasts to patrons at the Premier Hotel in Pinjarra, south of Perth.

She was fined A$1,000 dollars (£440) after pleading guilty to two breaches of the Liquor Control Act.

Off-duty barmaid Tracey Leslie, 43, was fined A$500 (£220) for helping to hang spoons from De Favari’s nipples, police said.

The hotel manager was also fined A$1,000 for failing to stop the pair.

Continue reading →

Filed under: Arrests, Economics, Injustice, International, Labor, Law Enforcement, Legal, Media, Pop Culture, Sex Worker Rights | 2 Comments »

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