Column: Erotic laborers and sex workers speak up

Hawaii’s checkered and colonialist approach to prostitution is questionable. Researching Honolulu’s history shows police and authorities practically sequestering women and transgendered to “protect the community.” Sex workers were secured in agreed-upon areas and made “safe” for the military clientele servicing their sexual desires.

After war times, the safety aspect gave way to peoples’ morals as the priority in society. The fact that all this was subduing us — the sex workers — our clients, our friends and our community wasn’t considered. But servicing sexual desire is what we do. History has shown that we cannot escape this part of society, no matter how much it’s taken away or hidden.

Some of us have made a choice for this work, and are not all victims to rescue. We can tell you what will help us. We, who can speak in public, are most certainly the voices of the privileged; we acknowledge this. We agree the most vulnerable cannot “out” themselves to weigh in. This is why we speak; we don’t face the societal harm they experience. They are our friends and family. We give our voices to them.

It is risky to be connected to the sex trade only because of state-backed commissions and entities that try to implement research that misrepresents what we do and who we are (“Hawaii residents dominate in buying sex online, study says,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 16, 2018).

We ask people to open your minds and hearts, to sit down with us at our coffee socials (@SWOPHawaii) and get to know us.

What we want, is decriminalization. New Zealand is a successful example of community action (and removal of harmful legislation) that works to protect and will allow the most marginalized to thrive.

Many articles and research show sex trafficking to be exag- gerated; there is not enough evidence.

After SESTA-FOSTA (Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act and Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act) was signed into federal law, the Democratic Socialists of America released a statement condemning the legislation and put out a call to work in solidarity with sex workers toward decriminalization. The statement recognized that decriminalization of sex work is part of liberating the working class.

Sex workers were pushed into vulnerable positions when online safeguards were reduced. A review system that allowed the security of screening clients, advertising that allowed them discretion and safety from “pimps” and outdoor working conditions, and ironically, a place that allowed law enforcement full view of traffickers’ movements, has been demolished.

We continue to bear the brunt of societies’ overly moralistic attitudes against sex. Questionable research that propels us backward and state commissions that seem to denigrate others’ lived experiences don’t work. Unfortunately, foundations and grant money are prolific in those missions and increase the dubious research that harms sex workers.

Sex sells, but when people of color, women, trans and the marginalized use it to survive and thrive, it’s incriminated. Erotic labor lifts us out of a system designed to entrap. Sex work, for some, is our gift. We do not need rescuing. Our clients (“sex buyers”) deserve the same respect and privacy. Subjective morals about sex should not determine how others live their lives. Decriminalization is what we want; rights are what we are owed.

We can agree a system that doesn’t allow marginalized workers and women to prosper when inflation ruins their lives and makes it impossible to flourish in this colonialist world, does not work. Sex work is a way to survive, thrive and for some privileged few, a skill we choose to excel in, just as an athlete or musician.

We want to tackle the system that takes away freedom of choice and lacks security or enrichment. We ask to be included in the conversation about our needs. We ask that our voices be considered in how and what can actually help.

Alivia Leveaux, an escort/activist, is the founder of SWOP (Sex Workers Outreach Project) Hawaii.