Reason Hosts San Francisco Event With Elizabeth Nolan Brown and Decriminalize Sex Work

Decriminalize Sex Work (DSW) co-hosted an event in San Francisco with Reason on the decriminalization of sex work. The event was a fireside chat with Elizabeth Nolan Brown, a senior editor at Reason magazine who covers sex, technology, bodily autonomy, law, and online culture. The chat was moderated by DSW Political Director Rob Kampia, who introduced Brown to the audience and led her in a discussion on the difference between legalization and decriminalization, the impact of FOSTA/SESTA, and what the public gets wrong when it comes to preventing trafficking. Two philanthropists graciously hosted the event at their house in San Francisco.

Reason is an American libertarian monthly magazine published by Reason Foundation that produces independent journalism that they describe as being “outside of the left/right echo chamber.” Libertarianism is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. The American Libertarian Party strongly opposes government interference in personal, family, and business decisions. In other words, libertarians believe that Americans should be free to live their lives as they see fit as long as they do not cause harm to another person. Due to these tenets, libertarians support the decriminalization of consensual adult sex work.

In recent years, discussions surrounding the approach to sex work in the United States have increasingly permeated mainstream media. Notably, Elizabeth Nolan Brown of Reason stands out as one of the rare journalists who approaches this complex issue with intellectual rigor, relying on data and research rather than moral bias. We encourage you to read Reason’s latest coverage on sex work and subscribe to Elizabeth Nolan Brown’s biweekly Sex & Tech Newsletter for the most comprehensive reporting on issues relating to sex work.

DSW would like to thank the team at Reason for their leadership in planning this enlightening and wonderful event, Elizabeth Nolan Brown for lending her time and expertise to the discussion, and our gracious hosts who opened their home to us for the evening.