Hi Friends!
Late start to the month… but I had a lot going on and we’re here now so— onto the news.
Louisiana is now requiring age verification (with your GOV ID!!) to access adult entertainment, the most notable platform affected being Pornhub. This is bad news for civilian privacy, the extension of the hyper surveilled state, and the seemingly successful sexual moral panic conservatives have been cooking up for decades using children as a compassionate vehicle to manufacture the further subjugation of the masses.
Are You Ready to Be Surveilled Like A Sex Worker? (One of my fav articles about why tech/surveillance sucks every time as it relates to sex workers and civilians)
The TikTok I made explaining why initiatives like this are dangerous and a horrible fucking idea
A cop was fired for sleeping with over six of her coworkers, (allegedly) and it’s causing a huge stink in the La Vergne, TN police department, mostly because the officer’s husband, Jedidiah (I wish I was making his name up 💀) has vowed to stick by his wife. #rideordie
Sex Education was under attack in Florida as conservative groups flooded the Hillsborough County School District with petitions and public proclamations wanting to scrap the 7th grade to 9th grade sex ed material which is comparatively lighter to other state’s standards and not on par with comprehensive sex ed in general. After deliberation, the school district opted to keep the current materials but this should not be written off as it is a part of a larger push to abandon sex ed in favor of fear/abstinence based teachings cause they’re making rather successful efforts to strengthen the White Christian National Ethno-state! [*This also serves as your reminder that Florida is one of the 35 states that does not require sex ed be medically accurate, does not bar cultural or religious bias and does not require consent be discussed or taught in the sex education curriculum. Really makes you wonder what is left for them to contest. 💀]
Even though it came out last year, I have to re-share this article. I had it on my end of year list— I mentioned it in a few TikToks as well because it was seriously one of the best pieces written by a civilian on sex worker safety and community I read in a long time. Please give it a read, especially considering a few days ago was National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. It’s important to discuss where harm is most prevalent and what communities are at highest risk with the least amount of both legal recourse and protections. Most civilians will not face the Big Bad™️ they’re afraid of but SW’s do… and this piece does a fine good job of detailing what mutual aid and security looks like.
Illinois expanded reproductive healthcare rights which is the right thing to do! This is coming off a wave of very stringent anti-abortion legislation after the Dobbs decision in neighboring states such as Indiana, Missouri & Iowa.
Anti-Abortion movements are global and legislation is cementing everywhere, as is evidenced in Spain where folx would be required to receive 5-D ultrasounds and listen to “heartbeats” (a misleading, common pro-life tactic as there is no fully developed heart that early in gestation) prior to seeking abortions and would create further protections for doctors wanting to refuse patients abortion access. This is in collaboration with the Far-Right/Right-Wing government AND the Left-Wing government, because bi-partisanship/electoral politics under capitalism is a death machine.
Being Anti-Sex Worker & very publicly Anti-Porn, harms Sex Workers! And those of us who are current or former sex workers have been saying that for years but it doesn’t hurt to reiterate. Hallie Lieberman who wrote Buzz, one of my favorite books about the history of the vibrator and sex toys just wrote a great piece about how civilians (which you probably are) being very anti-sex worker and porn is a political stance and one that impacts the material realities of our community, but if you won’t listen to the sex educator and former pro-heaux, maybe you’ll listen to a nice civilian so… read her piece!
That’s it for this month! I’m working on a piece that should be out for all tiers as well as a second one for my paid subscribers. I’m hopping back on the podcast mic soon so find one of my social accounts (or just leave a comment on this post) if there’s anything about sex work(ers), politic, history or education you’d like to hear this year.
Be good and I’ll be seeing you soon!
Nia Òla 💓