Ad campaign shakes up stereotypes

A big hurrah to the Halifax community agency Stepping Stone, which has launched its first-ever awareness campaign reminding us that sex workers are people, too. Here's a news story on the launch this week, and a link to the clever, funny ads that Toronto/Halifax ad agency Extreme Group came up with for the campaign. About time this message got out there!

If Calcutta can do it, can't we?

The Tyee is running a series on co-ops, adapted from the book Humanizing the Economy: Co-operatives in an Age of Capital. Here's this week's segment, about a co-op of Calcutta sex workers that's still thriving after 15 years.

YouTube interview with sex worker

A sex worker gives a frank interview on YouTube, providing some of that intriguing insider information that only a working girl would know.

News from summer sex-work conference

This looks like it would have been a fun time. We'll keep an eye out for announcements around the group's 2011 conference. The Power Point is definitely worth a look.

Sex on sale around the globe

Here's an interesting site that summarizes where the prostitution laws are at around the world. Not sure if we agree with all of this fellow's offside comments - it'd be nicer if he'd just stick to the facts - but it's still a handy resource to have the laws and practices of various countries laid out in one place.

As for his opinions around street prostitution, that's clearly an issue that. in a decriminalized context, would be dealt with as a municipal zoning issue. And let's be honest - the reason we've got people selling sex on the street is because there are customers who buy that way. If it's an end to street work that we want, then we should be taking aim at the buyers on that front. It's not like there's a shortage of indoor venues.

Crazy laws a global phenom

Nice to know we're wacky all over the world when it comes to crazy law around sex work. Here's a story out of Britain underlining that.

Oh, and happy New Year!