A conversation with a sociopath (with M.E. Thomas)

1. Advocate for Decriminalization

Support decriminalization of sex work to improve public health outcomes, as it encourages sex workers to seek healthcare, be honest with providers, and use protective measures like condoms, unlike criminalization which pushes practices underground.

2. Implement Sex Worker Safety Protocols

For sex workers, adopt specific, multi-layered safety measures such as asking for multiple industry references, verifying employment ties, checking ID, and informing a trusted contact of your whereabouts and expected check-in time to mitigate risks.

3. Challenge Gendered Purity Narratives

Critically examine ‘purity’ narratives that disproportionately devalue women based on sexual activity, recognizing their historical link to women as property rather than genuine public health concerns.

4. Feminist Solidarity with Sex Workers

Feminists should foster solidarity with sex worker rights movements, understanding that shared struggles against censorship and control over women’s bodies are interconnected and crucial for broader women’s rights.

5. Support Decriminalization, Not Legalization

Advocate for decriminalization of sex work, which removes criminal penalties and allows for privacy and autonomy, rather than legalization models that often impose restrictive, coercive controls and do not increase worker negotiating power.

6. Distinguish Eroticism from Exploitation

Reframe discussions around sex work to clearly distinguish between consensual erotic labor and genuine exploitation, advocating for labor rights and protections across all vulnerable professions instead of censoring sexual content.

7. Understand Pimps and Criminalization

Recognize that the existence of pimps and associated violence is largely a consequence of sex work criminalization, as it creates vulnerabilities that exploitative intermediaries can leverage, rather than being inherent to the work itself.

8. Oppose Mandatory STI Testing

Oppose mandatory STI testing for sex workers, as it is ineffective at reducing disease transmission and instead drives sex work underground, hindering access to care; instead, support policies that make healthcare accessible and non-punitive.

9. Recognize Prohibition’s Ineffectiveness

When considering policy, understand that criminalizing activities like sex work, gambling, or drug use historically fails to eliminate them and instead creates unsafe black markets, advocating for alternative approaches that prioritize safety and regulation.

10. Learn from History of Moral Panics

When evaluating current social or policy issues, especially those related to morality or sexuality, research historical precedents to understand past failures and avoid repeating missteps driven by moral panics.

11. Challenge ‘White Slavery’ Narratives

Critically evaluate media portrayals and narratives about sex trafficking, recognizing that they often sensationalize and misrepresent the issue, diverting attention from the true sources of exploitation within communities.

12. Understand SESTA-FOSTA’s Broad Impact

Be aware that laws like SESTA-FOSTA lead to widespread censorship beyond just sex work, affecting sex educators and general freedom of expression online due to platforms’ fear of liability.

13. Recognize Sex Work Stigma

Shift your perspective on the diverse nature of sex work by understanding that various forms (escort, stripping, erotic content, BDSM) share a common stigma, which is the root cause of detrimental laws and policies.

14. Consider Grandmothers in Sex Work

To combat stigma, reframe your perception of sex workers by considering them as ordinary, contributing members of society, including potentially your own ancestors, to challenge ingrained biases.