DSW Co-Hosts Anti-Trafficking Event in VT

September 22, 2020

DSW partnered with The Ishtar Collective (TIC), a local sex worker rights organization in VT, to host a luncheon in Montpelier that brought together state legislators, advocates, sex workers, and trafficking survivors from around the northeast U.S. The event, “Sex Work vs. Trafficking,” centered on a recent VT bill (H.568), which TIC and DSW collaborated on with Representatives Maxine Grad (D-Washington 7) and Selene Colburn (P-Chittenden 6-4), who sponsored the legislation.

This bill would provide limited immunity from criminal prosecution for individuals who are a “victim of or witness to a crime that arose from his or her involvement in human trafficking.” Individuals would be able to report such crimes to law enforcement without fearing arrest or other punitive action. It would also create a Sex Work Study Committee that would review the current state laws governing prostitution to modernize them to promote human rights, public health, and safety for all. Although the legislation passed the House in February of this year, it later died in the Senate.

Despite this setback, DSW was incredibly encouraged by the thoughtfulness of advocates and legislators who participated in the event and are hopeful about the bill’s prospects for the next session. J. Leigh Brantly of TIC and DSW spearheaded the event, with TIC’s Henri Tolbert and DSW’s Frances Steele, Melissa Broudo, Crystal DeBoise, and Kaytlin Bailey all joining remotely to facilitate a discussion of how to identify and fight trafficking, build coalitions to support legislation, and more. Organizational allies from NH were also in attendance, and DSW lobbyist Adam Necrason joined to discuss momentum moving forward. Thank you to all who made this special event possible!

(Photo: DSW/Instagram, 2020)

Luncheon attendees gather for a group photo after the event. (Photo: TIC, 2020)

DSW and TIC members enjoy a socially-distanced drink and dinner to celebrate following the luncheon. (Photo: DSW, 2020)

DSW Newsletter #19 (October 2020)

Hero of the Month: Henri Tolbert of The Ishtar Collective

October 14, 2020 DSW’s sex worker Hero of the Month is Henri Tolbert, co-founder and co-director of The Ishtar Collective (TIC), the first Vermont-based anti-trafficking and sex worker rights organization....
Read More
Hero of the Month: Henri Tolbert of The Ishtar Collective

‘The Oldest Profession’ Podcast Returns

October 5, 2020 DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey will be departing the organization at the end of the month to more directly focus her energy on her burgeoning production company, Old Pro...
Read More
‘The Oldest Profession’ Podcast Returns

DSW Welcomes New Director of Communications

October 15, 2020 Ariela Moscowitz is joining DSW as the director of communications. We are thrilled to welcome an incredible nonprofit professional with years of experience advocating for social equity...
Read More
DSW Welcomes New Director of Communications

DSW’s Melissa Broudo Honored by National Trans Visibility March

October 2, 2020 DSW’s Melissa Broudo received the Lou Sullivan Award from the National Trans Visibility March (NTVM) for her outstanding commitment to defending the rights of transgender and gender...
Read More
DSW’s Melissa Broudo Honored by National Trans Visibility March

DSW Co-Hosts Anti-Trafficking Event in VT

September 22, 2020 DSW partnered with The Ishtar Collective (TIC), a local sex worker rights organization in VT, to host a luncheon in Montpelier that brought together state legislators, advocates,...
Read More
DSW Co-Hosts Anti-Trafficking Event in VT
Hero of the Month: Henri Tolbert of The Ishtar Collective Hero of the Month: Henri Tolbert...
‘The Oldest Profession’ Podcast Returns ‘The Oldest Profession’ Podcast Returns
DSW Welcomes New Director of Communications DSW Welcomes New Director of Communications
DSW’s Melissa Broudo Honored by National Trans Visibility March DSW’s Melissa Broudo Honored by National...
DSW Co-Hosts Anti-Trafficking Event in VT DSW Co-Hosts Anti-Trafficking Event in VT

DSW Newsletter Archive

DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey on Sex Work and Police Reform

July 21, 2020

The Cape Cod, MA, chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America asked DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey to present on police reform, accountability, and gendered violence from a sex worker’s perspective. The talk started with a brief history of policing prostitution, and the social narratives we have constructed to allow police abuse to proliferate. Bailey then outlined how decriminalization provides a lens into a critical examination of state-sponsored violence and repression.

The conversation was hosted by Ali Wilkey and Michael Heras, co-chairs of the chapter, as part of Cape Cod DSA’s speaker series on policing, society, and police abolition running throughout the month.

Following her presentation, Bailey led a Q&A in which she fielded questions about gender stereotypes, mutual aid as a support system among sex workers, alternatives to policing, and more. “It was incredibly rewarding to explore these ideas with such a curious group of individuals,” Bailey said. “I felt encouraged by the support we received and look forward to future collaborations!”

Kaytlin Bailey’s presentation was the third in a four-part speaker series entitled “Policing Society.” (Photo: Cape Cod DSA/Instagram)

Bailey describes the critical intersection between sex worker rights, racial and gender justice, and police reform during her July 21 presentation. (Photo: Cape Cod DSA/YouTube)

DSW Newsletter #17 (August 2020)

Hero(es) of the Month: TS Candii, SX Noir, and Gizelle Marie Organize the Largest Sex Worker March in U.S. History

August 1, 2020 More than six hundred activists, community members, and allies, including DSW’s Ceyenne Doroshow and Frances Steele, filled Manhattan’s Times Square on a Saturday at 5 p.m. The...
Read More
Hero(es) of the Month: TS Candii, SX Noir, and Gizelle Marie Organize the Largest Sex Worker March in U.S. History

MA Democratic Senate Candidates Are Listening to Sex Workers

August 4, 2020 U.S. Sen. Edward Markey and U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, rivals in the MA Democratic Senate primary, both voiced their support for the full decriminalization of sex...
Read More
MA Democratic Senate Candidates Are Listening to Sex Workers

NY Senate Fails Trafficking Survivors, Again

July 21, 2020 Through our work with the New York Anti-Trafficking Network (NYATN) and the START Coalition (named for this bill), DSW has been tirelessly advocating for the Survivors of...
Read More
NY Senate Fails Trafficking Survivors, Again

DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey on Sex Work and Police Reform

July 21, 2020 The Cape Cod, MA, chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America asked DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey to present on police reform, accountability, and gendered violence from a sex...
Read More
DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey on Sex Work and Police Reform

DSW Takes Action Against EARN IT

July 22, 2020 In our last newsletter, DSW reported on how the EARN IT Act, a bill that recently advanced out of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, threatens the very...
Read More
DSW Takes Action Against EARN IT

The Stripper Strike Goes National

June 27, 2020 The Philadelphia Stripper Strike, organized by Stilettos Inc., a local organization promoting labor rights for dancers, hosted a rally at Malcolm X Park. Demonstrators gathered there with...
Read More
The Stripper Strike Goes National
Hero(es) of the Month: TS Candii, SX Noir, and Gizelle Marie Organize the Largest Sex Worker March in U.S. History Hero(es) of the Month: TS Candii,...
MA Democratic Senate Candidates Are Listening to Sex Workers MA Democratic Senate Candidates Are Listening...
NY Senate Fails Trafficking Survivors, Again NY Senate Fails Trafficking Survivors, Again
DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey on Sex Work and Police Reform DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey on Sex Work...
DSW Takes Action Against EARN IT DSW Takes Action Against EARN IT
The Stripper Strike Goes National The Stripper Strike Goes National

DSW Newsletter Archive

Black Lives Matter

June 2020

Black people nationwide continue to be harassed and murdered by law enforcement, with little to no consequences. We know that this systemic disregard for Black lives is neither new nor accidental, but rather a symptom of the endemic racism that shapes the society we live in. The movement to decriminalize sex work is all too familiar with how police routinely target and violate Black and brown bodies.

People of color, particularly trans women of color, are overwhelmingly stereotyped by law enforcement, brutalized, and arrested for sex-work-related crimes. We know that the criminalization of sex work fails to protect trafficking survivors, compromises access to resources, endangers public health, and allows violence against sex workers to go unchecked. Black trans and cis women selling sexual services have historically been targets of violence. Police are often the perpetrators of this violence, or they turn a blind eye, labeling the crimes as “NHI” (no human involved).

DSW stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter:

* We are marching in the streets to demand divestment from law enforcement, police accountability, and justice for far too many unjust murders.

* We are supporting incredible community fundraisers to provide aid and space for Black sex workers. These funds include, but are not limited to, a donation page for Gizelle Marie of the NYC Stripper Strike to help create housing and resources for strippers and other sex workers of color nationwide, the G.L.I.T.S. lease fundraiser to provide housing and healthcare for transgender people of color who have been recently released from Rikers Island, and The Black Sex Worker Collective donation drive, which also has a housing initiative.

* We are working with legislators to support bills that defend Black lives, such as the repeal of the ban on loitering for the purposes of prostitution (“Walking While Trans”) in New York state.

When sex work is criminalized, racism thrives. People of color are systematically excluded from harm reduction services, such as healthcare and violence prevention. Instead, individuals are criminalized for trying to survive in a world that fails to make space for them. This month is Pride Month; there is no pride for some of us without justice for all of us.

DSW’s Frances Steele, J. Leigh Brantly, and Melissa Broudo (left to right) march for Black lives in NYC. (Photo: DSW, 2020)

Gizelle Marie — dancer, community activist, and founder of the NYC Stripper Strike — is raising money to support Black sex workers. (Photo: Tasha J. Fierce, 2020)

The G.L.I.T.S. fundraiser raised $1 million to provide safe and stable housing for trans people of color in NYC. (Photo: G.L.I.T.S., 2020)

DSW Newsletter #15 (June 2020)

Black Lives Matter

June 2020 Black people nationwide continue to be harassed and murdered by law enforcement, with little to no consequences. We know that this systemic disregard for Black lives is neither...
Read More
Black Lives Matter

Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice

June 14, 2020 DSW’s Hero of the Month for June is Ceyenne Doroshow — activist, organizer, and a cornerstone of the international sex worker and transgender, gender-nonconforming, nonbinary (TGNCNB) rights...
Read More
Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice

DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont

June 9, 2020 A new sex worker rights organization was co-founded in VT by J. Leigh Brantly of DSW, along with local human rights advocate Henri. The Ishtar Collective is...
Read More
DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont

International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant

June 2, 2020 The 45th annual celebration of International Whore’s Day (IWD) departed from the usual, where sex workers and their allies don red attire and march through city streets...
Read More
International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant

DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News

May 22, 2020 An opinion piece by DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey was published in the New Hampshire Union Leader in response to an opponent’s op-ed published days before. The original opinion...
Read More
DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter
Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow,...
DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex...
International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and...
DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the...

DSW Newsletter Archive

Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice

June 14, 2020

DSW’s Hero of the Month for June is Ceyenne Doroshow — activist, organizer, and a cornerstone of the international sex worker and transgender, gender-nonconforming, nonbinary (TGNCNB) rights movements. Ceyenne, a Black transwoman, is also the founder and executive director of Gays and Lesbians Living In a Transgender Society (G.L.I.T.S.) in NYC.

G.L.I.T.S. helps to address the barriers to health and human rights faced by transgender sex workers through crisis support, health care, housing access, advocacy, and public education. Building off of Ceyenne’s deep network of advocates and service providers, the organization works to improve the safety and equity of TGNC sex workers in NYC.

Ceyenne and G.L.I.T.S. have received widespread acclaim for their recent work, both with supporting sex workers and other communities ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the protests against senseless state-sponsored violence directed at Black people in our country. She has emerged as one of the preeminent figures in the national movement for Black trans lives. For example, Ceyenne helped organize the historic 20,000+ person rally in support of Black trans lives in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, on June 14.

The Brooklyn Liberation Rally was part of the larger Black Lives Matter and police-accountability movement that has been mobilizing across the country. This day of action, in particular, highlighted the pervasive violence, discrimination, and harassment that transgender people of color are routinely subjected to at the hands of law enforcement. The rally was co-sponsored by G.L.I.T.S., The Marsha P. Johnson Institute, The Okra Project, For the Gworls, and Black Trans Femmes in the Arts.

Ceyenne was one of six speakers at the rally, including Raquel Willis of Out magazine, Ianne Fields Stewart of The Okra Project, and the sister of Layleen Polanco, a transwoman who was killed at Rikers Island. The enormous crowd that gathered filled the Brooklyn Museum Plaza, spilling down the Eastern Parkway towards Grand Army Plaza. “I love each and every one of my trans family members. I love you, and I want you to live,” Ceyenne declared to the audience, which cheered so dramatically that she had to pause her speech to wait for the noise to die down. “I want you to breathe and sustain. I want you to stand tall and proud and Black and live. We have always been last, but that’s not going to happen anymore.”

In the march that followed, protesters demanded justice for Layleen Polanco, Tony McDade, Riah Milton, and countless other Black trans people who have been senselessly murdered across the country. Ceyenne and other leaders have been speaking out about these injustices for decades. People are starting to listen.

The event and Ceyenne’s work has been covered by CNN, Jezebel, GQ, Teen Vogue, Vogue, U.S. News and World Report, and other news outlets. To support the work of GLITS and the movement they’re building, please visit their donation page here.

Surrounded by her G.L.I.T.S. staffers, activists, and movement allies, Ceyenne delivered a moving speech to thousands of protesters gathered at Brooklyn Museum Plaza. (Photo: G.L.I.T.S., 2020)

A view from the podium at the rally for Black Trans Lives. (Photo: DSW, 2020)

L to R: Melissa Broudo, Ceyenne Doroshow, and J. Leigh Brantly march to support justice and pride. (Photo: DSW, 2020)

L to R: Ceyenne Doroshow, Ceyenne’s friend Shamar, Melissa Broudo, and J. Leigh Brantly catch some shade before marching.

Shamar, Melissa Broudo, and J. Leigh Brantly join the silent march after listening to Ceyenne’s speech.

DSW Newsletter #15 (June 2020)

Black Lives Matter

June 2020 Black people nationwide continue to be harassed and murdered by law enforcement, with little to no consequences. We know that this systemic disregard for Black lives is neither...
Read More
Black Lives Matter

Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice

June 14, 2020 DSW’s Hero of the Month for June is Ceyenne Doroshow — activist, organizer, and a cornerstone of the international sex worker and transgender, gender-nonconforming, nonbinary (TGNCNB) rights...
Read More
Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice

DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont

June 9, 2020 A new sex worker rights organization was co-founded in VT by J. Leigh Brantly of DSW, along with local human rights advocate Henri. The Ishtar Collective is...
Read More
DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont

International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant

June 2, 2020 The 45th annual celebration of International Whore’s Day (IWD) departed from the usual, where sex workers and their allies don red attire and march through city streets...
Read More
International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant

DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News

May 22, 2020 An opinion piece by DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey was published in the New Hampshire Union Leader in response to an opponent’s op-ed published days before. The original opinion...
Read More
DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter
Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow,...
DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex...
International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and...
DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the...

DSW Newsletter Archive

DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont

June 9, 2020

A new sex worker rights organization was co-founded in VT by J. Leigh Brantly of DSW, along with local human rights advocate Henri. The Ishtar Collective is the first-ever anti-trafficking and sex-worker-rights organization to be based in Vermont. The organization is run by and for current and former sex workers, industry allies, and survivors of human trafficking local to VT. Through advocacy, direct services, and community education, the collective supports the intersectional issues of sex work, LGBTQIA+, race, class, gender, and disability equity.

The organization’s launch party was a five-hour-long, live-streamed music festival that raised money for sex workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lineup included musicians from around the world, as well as presentations on timely policy issues by activists and service providers. Mosaic Vermont, one of the state’s only sexual violence prevention and response organizations, co-sponsored the event. Johanna De Graffenreid, one of its directors, spoke about the importance of decriminalizing sex work in creating a world free of sexual violence. DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey led an irreverent and informative discussion about sex work and the history of Ishtar.

“The Ishtar Collective is the only organization made up of current and former sex workers and survivors in the state of Vermont,” said Brantly following the launch. “We are here to support our communities, both rural and urban. We are working directly with state legislators and anti-violence organizations to have our voices heard and fight against labor exploitation.” The Ishtar Collective is collaborating with state Reps. Selene Colburn (P-Burlington) and Diana Gonzalez (P-Winooski) to pass a bill to create a study commission on the impact of different decriminalization models on the health and safety of sex workers. After that bill is passed, the organization will collaborate with Rep. Colburn on another piece of legislation — repealing the criminalization of adult, consensual sex work in VT.

To support the work of The Ishtar Collective, please visit their donation page here.

Henri (left) and J. Leigh Brantly, co-founders of The Ishtar Collective, introduce the collective’s Coming Out Livestream Music Festival and Fundraiser. (Photo: DSW, 2020)

J. Leigh Brantly and Kaytlin Bailey discuss Kaytlin’s presentation on the history of sex worker rights and Ishtar.

The Ishtar Collective’s launch raised funds for sex workers who have lost their livelihoods because of the COVID pandemic.

Closing out the event, state Reps. Selene Colburn (left) and Diana Gonzalez (right) led a discussion on the intersectional realities of how laws related to sex work impact our lives.

DSW Newsletter #15 (June 2020)

Black Lives Matter

June 2020 Black people nationwide continue to be harassed and murdered by law enforcement, with little to no consequences. We know that this systemic disregard for Black lives is neither...
Read More
Black Lives Matter

Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice

June 14, 2020 DSW’s Hero of the Month for June is Ceyenne Doroshow — activist, organizer, and a cornerstone of the international sex worker and transgender, gender-nonconforming, nonbinary (TGNCNB) rights...
Read More
Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice

DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont

June 9, 2020 A new sex worker rights organization was co-founded in VT by J. Leigh Brantly of DSW, along with local human rights advocate Henri. The Ishtar Collective is...
Read More
DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont

International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant

June 2, 2020 The 45th annual celebration of International Whore’s Day (IWD) departed from the usual, where sex workers and their allies don red attire and march through city streets...
Read More
International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant

DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News

May 22, 2020 An opinion piece by DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey was published in the New Hampshire Union Leader in response to an opponent’s op-ed published days before. The original opinion...
Read More
DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter
Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow,...
DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex...
International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and...
DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the...

DSW Newsletter Archive

International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant

June 2, 2020

The 45th annual celebration of International Whore’s Day (IWD) departed from the usual, where sex workers and their allies don red attire and march through city streets across the country. This year, the IWDNYC Coalition collaborated with Kink Out Events to launch an online rally and social media takeover honoring protests for sex worker rights around the world. The live stream featured NYC-based sex workers, organizers, and activists who spoke about survival, community, and resilience in a criminalized industry.

Speakers included Ceyenne Doroshow of G.L.I.T.S. and DSW, who highlighted her organization’s harm-reduction work, providing relief to sex workers amidst the pandemic; Aneesha and Alisha of the Black trans-led organization, SWOP Bronx; Bianney Garcia of Make the Road, a formerly undocumented, Mexican-born, trans human rights activist who survived 18 months on Rikers Island after a transphobic attack; and so many more inspirational figures.

IWD commemorates an eight-day occupation by over 100 sex workers at Saint-Nizier Church in Lyon, France, in 1975. The strike called attention to the increasing violence against sex workers perpetrated by the French government. They demanded an end to fines, stigma, and police harassment — and the release of 10 sex workers who had been imprisoned a few days earlier for solicitation. The movement was widely covered by international media, prompting support from labor and feminist organizations. Eight days after the occupation began, the police forcibly removed the protesters from the church, but their mark had already been made.

DSW tuned in to the NYC event, along with hundreds of other participants. Attendees also participated in the social media rally, flooding feeds with stories of survival and expressions of respect for sex worker communities. We were honored to be part of this incredible event — led by sex workers and supported by allies — utilizing the power of art and storytelling to spread public awareness around the issues facing our community.

International Whore’s Day 2020-Virtual-and-Vibrant

This year’s digital rally was streamed in four languages, including ASL. (Image: IWD, 2020)

Protesters pictured inside Saint-Nizier Church in 1975 during the eight-day strike. (Photo: Carole Rousopoullos / Centre Audiovisuel Simone de Beauvoir, 1975)

Demonstrations for International Whore’s Day filled the West Village of Manhattan in 2018. (Photo: Danielle Blunt, 2018)

DSW Newsletter #15 (June 2020)

Black Lives Matter

June 2020 Black people nationwide continue to be harassed and murdered by law enforcement, with little to no consequences. We know that this systemic disregard for Black lives is neither...
Read More
Black Lives Matter

Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice

June 14, 2020 DSW’s Hero of the Month for June is Ceyenne Doroshow — activist, organizer, and a cornerstone of the international sex worker and transgender, gender-nonconforming, nonbinary (TGNCNB) rights...
Read More
Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice

DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont

June 9, 2020 A new sex worker rights organization was co-founded in VT by J. Leigh Brantly of DSW, along with local human rights advocate Henri. The Ishtar Collective is...
Read More
DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont

International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant

June 2, 2020 The 45th annual celebration of International Whore’s Day (IWD) departed from the usual, where sex workers and their allies don red attire and march through city streets...
Read More
International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant

DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News

May 22, 2020 An opinion piece by DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey was published in the New Hampshire Union Leader in response to an opponent’s op-ed published days before. The original opinion...
Read More
DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter
Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow, Celebrating Pride Through Justice Hero of the Month: Ceyenne Doroshow,...
DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex Worker Group in Vermont DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly Co-founds Sex...
International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and Vibrant International Whore’s Day 2020: Virtual and...
DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the News DSW Debates Human Trafficking in the...

DSW Newsletter Archive

Lobbying in the Time of COVID?

May 7, 2020

DSW participated in Equality New York’s LGBTQI Virtual Day of Action. Community experts led panels and webinars on the movement’s policy priorities for this legislative session to improve the lives of LGBTQI New Yorkers and their families. After opening remarks from elected officials, including Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), state Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) and Assemblymembers Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn), Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan), and Harry Bronson (D-Rochester), webinars were held on the loitering repeal (“Walking While Trans”) bill, the Transgender Prisons and Jail Protection bill, and a law regarding comprehensive sexuality education.

Lobbying meetings for these pieces of legislation, along with the LGBTQI Long-Term Care Facility Residents Bill of Rights, took place in the afternoon. DSW’s Melissa Broudo facilitated a legislative meeting with Assemblymember Joseph Lentol (D-North Brooklyn). Along with DSW’s Frances Steele, the group advocated for the passage of the Repeal of Loitering for the Purpose of Prostitution, a dangerous and discriminatory law used overwhelmingly to target transgender people of color in New York state.

The day of action was a resounding success under unprecedented circumstances. The following day, the lieutenant governor voiced her official support for repealing the loitering statute, stating, “We have to repeal the ban on walking while trans. It’s a buzz word but it is also just people exercising their human right to be who they are, where they want to be and they should not be harassed by that … [it’s] something that legislatively we need to take up, absolutely.”

Thank you, Lt. Gov. Hochul, for your support on this critical initiative to ensure that no individual is criminalized on the basis of their identity.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul (bottom right) gives opening remarks. Also pictured (from left to right, top to bottom) are Amanda Babine, executive director of Equality NY; Assemblymembers Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn), Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan), and Harry Bronson (D-Rochester); and Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) [from left to right, top to bottom]. (Photo: DSW, 2020)

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul released her statement of support for the “Walking While Trans” repeal bill following the LGBTQI Day of Action. (Image: DSW, 2020)

DSW Newsletter #14 (May 2020)

Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies of COVID-19

May 5, 2020 This month, DSW honors Jaime Montejo, one of the founding members of the Elisa Martinez Street Brigade to Support Women; the sex worker support organization can be...
Read More
Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies of COVID-19

DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY

April 21, 2020 The New York State legislature is following social distancing protocol, and advocacy groups have organized virtual lobbying meetings to continue their activism. Through their work with the...
Read More
DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY

DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts

April 25, 2020 DSW’s Melissa Broudo and J. Leigh Brantly were featured in the latest edition of New Pride Agenda’s virtual town-hall series, titled “Let’s Talk Sex & Sex Work.”...
Read More
DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts

Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility for Federal Funds

May 1, 2020 A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in favor of four Wisconsin strip club owners who were denied eligibility to apply for SBA loans through the CARES...
Read More
Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility for Federal Funds

Lobbying in the Time of COVID?

May 7, 2020 DSW participated in Equality New York’s LGBTQI Virtual Day of Action. Community experts led panels and webinars on the movement’s policy priorities for this legislative session to...
Read More
Lobbying in the Time of COVID?

‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex Wagner Features J. Leigh Brantly

May 14, 2020 DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly was a guest on the Crooked Media podcast “Six Feet Apart with Alex Wagner,” discussing sex work amidst the pandemic. “Six Feet Apart”...
Read More
‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex Wagner Features J. Leigh Brantly
Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies of COVID-19 Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies...
DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day...
DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With...
Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility for Federal Funds Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility...
Lobbying in the Time of COVID? Lobbying in the Time of COVID?
‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex Wagner Features J. Leigh Brantly ‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex...

DSW Newsletter Archive

DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts

April 25, 2020

DSW’s Melissa Broudo and J. Leigh Brantly were featured in the latest edition of New Pride Agenda’s virtual town-hall series, titled “Let’s Talk Sex & Sex Work.” The webinar brought together activists, policy experts, and community members to explore the economic and cultural impacts of social distancing for LGBTQ+ people in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

LGBTQ+ communities are feeling the effect of social distancing in innumerable ways in response to COVID-19. Those who express themselves sexually, as well as those who work in the sex industry, face significant challenges, ranging from loss of work to social isolation. These realities can resurface past experiences of homophobia and transphobia, creating barriers to accessing health and safety resources.

The webinar was hosted by Cecilia Gentili, co-chair of NEW Pride Agenda and founder and CEO of Trans Equity Consulting. Experts who spoke on the panel also included Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, deputy commissioner for the Division of Disease Control of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; Ceyenne Doroshow, DSW consultant and founder and executive director of G.L.I.T.S.; and Jose, an HIV+ sex worker and advocate. The discussion combined the varying expertise of panelists to highlight gaps in services, explore potential solutions, and provide a space to share resources.

View the full webinar here.

The New Pride Agenda hosted a virtual town hall series on issues facing the LGBTQ+ community during the pandemic. (Image: The New Pride Agenda, 2020)

DSW Newsletter #14 (May 2020)

Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies of COVID-19

May 5, 2020 This month, DSW honors Jaime Montejo, one of the founding members of the Elisa Martinez Street Brigade to Support Women; the sex worker support organization can be...
Read More
Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies of COVID-19

DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY

April 21, 2020 The New York State legislature is following social distancing protocol, and advocacy groups have organized virtual lobbying meetings to continue their activism. Through their work with the...
Read More
DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY

DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts

April 25, 2020 DSW’s Melissa Broudo and J. Leigh Brantly were featured in the latest edition of New Pride Agenda’s virtual town-hall series, titled “Let’s Talk Sex & Sex Work.”...
Read More
DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts

Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility for Federal Funds

May 1, 2020 A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in favor of four Wisconsin strip club owners who were denied eligibility to apply for SBA loans through the CARES...
Read More
Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility for Federal Funds

Lobbying in the Time of COVID?

May 7, 2020 DSW participated in Equality New York’s LGBTQI Virtual Day of Action. Community experts led panels and webinars on the movement’s policy priorities for this legislative session to...
Read More
Lobbying in the Time of COVID?

‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex Wagner Features J. Leigh Brantly

May 14, 2020 DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly was a guest on the Crooked Media podcast “Six Feet Apart with Alex Wagner,” discussing sex work amidst the pandemic. “Six Feet Apart”...
Read More
‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex Wagner Features J. Leigh Brantly
Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies of COVID-19 Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies...
DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day...
DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With...
Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility for Federal Funds Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility...
Lobbying in the Time of COVID? Lobbying in the Time of COVID?
‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex Wagner Features J. Leigh Brantly ‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex...

DSW Newsletter Archive

DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY

April 21, 2020

The New York State legislature is following social distancing protocol, and advocacy groups have organized virtual lobbying meetings to continue their activism. Through their work with the New York Gender Diversity Coalition and other organizations, DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly helped organize an historic day of activism. Transgender, Gender-Non Conforming, Non-Binary (TGNC/NB) Advocacy Day is an annual event where activists, community members, and policy experts from across the state travel to Albany to fight for legislative action on behalf of the TGNC/NB community. This year, thanks to the hard work of movement organizers like J, the community still met, albeit from a distance.

The event began with an address on the state of TGNC rights in New York State. Panels spanned topics of “Sex Work and COVID-19,” “TGNC Healing and Grief,” and lobbying. Brian Romero from the Walking While Trans Coalition taught a webinar on the legislative process in New York State. Jason Walker from the New York Transgender Advocacy Group (NYTAG) led a Twitter town hall in which participants used social media to advocate for two of the most critical active bills supporting TGNC/NB rights this session: the Gender Recognition Act (SB0056/A3457) and the Loitering for the Purpose of Prostitution repeal bill (SB2253/A654), also known as the “Walking While Trans Ban.”

DSW’s Melissa Broudo facilitated the webinar panel, “Beyond the Transaction: TGNCNB Sex Work and COVID-19.” Panelists included Ceyenne Doroshow, from GLITS and DSW consultant; J. Leigh Brantly of DSW, NYTAG, the Sharmus Outlaw Advocacy & Rights (SOAR) Institute, and Gays and Lesbians Living in a Transgender Society (GLITS); TS Candii of The Walking While Trans Coalition; and Kiara St. James of NYTAG. The discussion explored how COVID-19 has significantly impacted the sex-worker community; the ways this community has used mutual aid and emergency organizing to mitigate vulnerabilities; and the unique stress this puts on TGNC/NB sex workers.

Kiara St. James, Executive Director of the New York Transgender Advocacy Group (NYTAG), gives opening remarks to participants.

DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly speaks on the webinar, “Beyond the Transaction: TGNCNB Sex Work and COVID-19.”

DSW Newsletter #14 (May 2020)

Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies of COVID-19

May 5, 2020 This month, DSW honors Jaime Montejo, one of the founding members of the Elisa Martinez Street Brigade to Support Women; the sex worker support organization can be...
Read More
Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies of COVID-19

DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY

April 21, 2020 The New York State legislature is following social distancing protocol, and advocacy groups have organized virtual lobbying meetings to continue their activism. Through their work with the...
Read More
DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY

DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts

April 25, 2020 DSW’s Melissa Broudo and J. Leigh Brantly were featured in the latest edition of New Pride Agenda’s virtual town-hall series, titled “Let’s Talk Sex & Sex Work.”...
Read More
DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts

Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility for Federal Funds

May 1, 2020 A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in favor of four Wisconsin strip club owners who were denied eligibility to apply for SBA loans through the CARES...
Read More
Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility for Federal Funds

Lobbying in the Time of COVID?

May 7, 2020 DSW participated in Equality New York’s LGBTQI Virtual Day of Action. Community experts led panels and webinars on the movement’s policy priorities for this legislative session to...
Read More
Lobbying in the Time of COVID?

‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex Wagner Features J. Leigh Brantly

May 14, 2020 DSW’s J. Leigh Brantly was a guest on the Crooked Media podcast “Six Feet Apart with Alex Wagner,” discussing sex work amidst the pandemic. “Six Feet Apart”...
Read More
‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex Wagner Features J. Leigh Brantly
Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies of COVID-19 Leader of Mexico Sex-Worker Group Dies...
DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day in NY DSW Participates in TGNC/NB Advocacy Day...
DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With Movement Experts DSW Joins Virtual Town Hall With...
Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility for Federal Funds Wisconsin Judge Grants Strip Clubs Eligibility...
Lobbying in the Time of COVID? Lobbying in the Time of COVID?
‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex Wagner Features J. Leigh Brantly ‘Six Feet Apart’ Podcast With Alex...

DSW Newsletter Archive