Sex Work is Work with Jessica Raven

Strong Feelings

Jessica is the executive director at The Audre Lorde Project and an activist and organizer advocating for sex workers—first with Decrim Now and now with the brand-new Decim NY. Her passion for the work stems from her own experiences with gendered violence, homelessness, and the sex trade. We fell in love with her insight, her voice, and her incredible compassion. You will too.

Those who are most vulnerable to sex trafficking are people who are already in the sex trades, just like any other industry. The solution to ending trafficking in the agriculture industry is not “ban food” or “end demand for food.” That’s not logical. The solution to ending trafficking is by meeting people’s basic needs.
—Jessica Raven, executive director at the Audre Lorde Project and Decrim NY steering committee member
_(Photo by Darrow Montgomery at the Washington City Paper)

We talk about:

• Jessica’s work with the Audre Lorde Project and Decrim NY
• Recognizing that sex work is work
• Sex trafficking, The Mann Act, and the connection to interracial relationships
• SESTA, FOSTA, and how bills and policies like them endanger the lives of sex workers
• Why closing down a website doesn't end sex trafficking
• What a healthy sex industry would look like
• How to be a better ally to sex workers

Links:

• Twitter
• The Audre Lorde Project
• ALP on Twitter
• Decrim NY
• Decrim NY on Twitter
• Decrim NY on Instagram

Plus

Sara and Katel unpack the messages they grew up with about sex work, why it’s becoming a campaign issue for the 2020 election, and why everyone working in tech definitely needs to pay attention to SESTA and FOSTA.
We share our love for podcast BFFs She’s All Fat—an amazing show celebrating body positivity, chill vibes, and—surprise!—friendship. Listen up!