For the past few months, I have been honored to be part of a team of activists and researchers engaging in dialogue with the State Department about human rights abuses against U.S. sex workers, in response to a UN review of the human rights record of the United States. In light of International Sex Workers’ […]
Prostitution or Sex Work
Sex work or prostitution is the selling of sexual activity for payment, which can be dangerous if coercive or unregulated.
What’s More Effective: Closing Your Purse or Your Legs?
A sex strike recently proposed in Belgium has ignited a debate about the efficacy of sex strikes. Proposed by parliament member Marleen Temmerman, the strike would be intended to break the eight-month political deadlock caused by a feuding Dutch-speaking North and French-speaking South. Though half-joking in her suggestion for spouses to withhold sex until their […]
Yes, Comment! Skins, Google Art, and High School Feminists
For us Ms. editors, by far the most rewarding part of the Ms. Blog has been reading the comments. Since we’re used to sending out a magazine into the void every three months and waiting with bated breath for letters to the editor, it’s been revelatory to hear back directly–instantly!–from Ms. readers. To be sure, […]
Sex and Sexism and “Skins”
MTV, you’ve come a long way baby. In six short years you’ve gone from pimpin’ rides to pimpin’ girls, starting with the recent premiere of Skins, a remake of the hit British program by the same name. Immediately labeled “the most dangerous show for teens,” by the Parents Television Counsel and lambasted for gratuitous sex […]
Terrorism Against Sex Workers: It’s Time to Take a Stand
For the past 7 years, December 17th has been recognized by sex workers and their allies as a day to recognize that violence against sex workers is endemic to many societies. It is also a day to commit energy toward making the cultural and working conditions of sex work safer. This is very different from […]
Meet the Blogger: Anushay Hossain
Anushay Hossain began her feminist career as an intern in her native country, Bangladesh, at the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) where she worked on microfinance and primary education programs for women and girls. As global programs director for the Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF), Anushay analyzes the effect of U.S. foreign policy on the health […]
UN Considers Rights of U.S. Sex Workers
Today, November 5, for the first time, the United Nations will, under its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) system, review the human rights record of the United States. That’s a pretty big deal period, especially since the process is comprised not only of self-assessments by the nation being reviewed, but also reports by civil society organizations. […]
Still Much Ado About Craigslist
Though Craigslist’s Adult Services section is offline for good, the debate about its role in trafficking continues. Most recently, Michelle Goldberg weighed in on The Daily Beast with an article that uncritically embraces claims about what the closure of Adult Services will do for underage girls. In doing so, she inadvertently confirms many of the […]
Newsflash: Canadian Court Strikes Down Anti-Sex-Work Laws
The provincial court of Ontario, Canada, struck down several key provisions that limit sex workers’ ability to work safely, a victory being hailed by sex workers’ rights activists. On September 28, three anti-sex-work laws were deemed “unconstitutional” and a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Justice Susan Himel, a high-level Ontario court […]