DSW Newsletter #5 (August 2019) Archives

DSW Supports the Continued Legal Fight Against FOSTA/SESTA

Next month, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear the appeal of Woodhull Freedom Foundation et al v. The United States of America, a case that seeks to challenge the constitutionality of the Fighting Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA). FOSTA modified the Communications Decency Act Section 230 to permit civil and criminal suits against third-party platforms/websites that promote or permit prostitution or trafficking. DSW, along with many other sex workers’ rights, civil liberties, and human rights organizations vehemently oppose this law. Woodhull Freedom Foundation’s initial challenge to FOSTA was denied in U.S. District Court in 2018 on the grounds of standing, and they have since filed this appeal. DSW General Counsel Melissa Broudo co-authored an amicus brief on behalf of a dozen allied organizations in support of Woodhull’s challenge to the law back in February of this year.

Plaintiffs are asking the court to issue a preliminary injunction and put a halt to future enforcement of FOSTA, meaning no one could be arrested and charged until the case is decided. The chilling effect is undeniable and has already threatened the livelihood of sex workers and pushed many to work in less safe conditions. This is a bad and dangerous law.

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DSW Participates in Woodhull’s 2019 Sexual Freedom Summit

DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey attended the 10th annual Woodhull’s Sexual Freedom Summit hosted in Washington, DC. She connected to sex worker rights activists and sexual freedom advocates from all over the country. Attending panels, presentations, and performances, Kaytlin was able to get a broad perspective on the issues plaguing sex workers and their allies in different states.

Kaytlin was especially moved by DC’s Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive (HIPS) and the transgendered women willing to speak to the systemic issues that bar them from fully participating in some advocacy organizations. She connected with criminalized sex workers in Nevada, got to hang out with living legend Carol Leigh, participated in an incredibly informative discussion about using a human rights framework to advocate for sex workers’ health and safety led by Dr. Jill McCracken, and had many conversations about strategy and pushing for a better future for all of us.

Sex workers are not a homogenous group. We come in all colors and creeds, we come to this work for different reasons, and we have wildly different experiences—but allies from across the political spectrum can work together toward a future where our lawmakers listen to sex workers and stop the arrests.

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DSW Makes Its Case at National Conference of State Legislatures

Melissa Broudo, DSW’s general council and RI coordinator, and Kaytlin Bailey, DSW’s communications director, met with state legislators from all over the country at the National Conference of State Legislatures annual meeting, which was hosted this year in Nashville, TN.

DSW handed out fliers, t-shirts and buttons, and we started conversations with lawmakers pressing the point that the best way to end violence and exploitation within the sex trade is to stop arresting consenting adults engaged in sex work. To demonstrate the difference between trafficking and sex work, we compared the high-profile cases of Jeffrey Epstein—a serial predator who preyed on children and should have been stopped years ago—and Robert Kraft, a single 70-year-old man who payed a 40-year-old legally licensed masseuse to rub a different part of his body.

DSW was very well received. We ran out of t-shirts within the first hour and ran out of buttons on the first day. Legislators from across the political spectrum and country were ready to talk about decriminalization. Many lawmakers seemed to understand that this is not a problem we can arrest our way out of. Several legislators pledged to begin forming coalitions and pressing their colleagues using the information we presented.

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Tiffany Cabán Concedes Queens DA Race

Tiffany Cabán came within 60 votes of winning the Queens DA race, running on a platform of decriminalizing and decarcerating nonviolent offenders such as sex workers. She specifically pledged her support to the sex work community. After a lengthy recount process, she conceded on August 6.

Despite her loss, Cabán was able to push sex workers’ message of destigmatizing, decriminalizing and decarcerating. She pushed her opponent Melinda Katz and all Queens residents to rethink how we police our communities.

DSW General Counsel Melissa Broudo and one of our legal consultants, Marguerite Schauer, volunteered their time to oversee the extensive recount process of this extremely close and important election.

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Nevertheless She Existed: Kaytlin Bailey Presents a Sex Worker From History

DSW’s Kaytlin Bailey participated in Nevertheless She Existed, a live show and podcast produced at Caveat Theater. She told the story of Phryne, a famous courtesan in the classical Greek period who defended herself against blasphemy charges by disrobing in front of the all-male jury and declaring her perfect body a gift from the gods. She won her case.

This show specifically highlighted the contribution sex workers have been making to their communities for literally all of human history. Junior Mintt reminded us what an undeniable powerhouse Josephine Baker was in her lifetime. Solange Azor talked about one of the founding mothers of the sex worker rights movement, Margo St. James, who created COYOTE, and Anna Bianco talked about the incredible achievements of Theodora, who became empress of Rome in 527 after spending some time in a brothel in the Roman Empire.

August 23, 2019

DSW General Counsel Melissa Broudo co-authored an amicus brief on behalf of a dozen allied organizations.

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August 18, 2019

Kaytlin Bailey smokes a cigar with Ceyenne Doroshow, strikes a pose with Carol Leigh, and hangs out with Amber DiPietra & Ceyenne (clockwise from L, August 15-18, 2019).

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August 6-8, 2019

Kaytlin Bailey & Melissa Broudo mind DSW’s booth at the National Conference of State Legislatures meeting in Nashville (August 7, 2019).

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August 6, 2019

NY elections committee reviews all ballots cast in the DA’s race (July 25).

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July 31, 2019

Kylie Holloway, Kaytlin Bailey, Junior Mintt, Anna Bianco, Solange Azor & Molly Gaebe at Caveat Theater perform for Nevertheless She Existed (from L to R, July 31, 2019).

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