So if you could give a short list to us civilians about how to be a good ally what would be on it?
1. Don’t use slurs such as whore, prostitute, hoe, hooker, etc. Ever.
2. Don’t try to speak over actual sex workers.
3. If a post says “sex workers only” “strippers only” etc, do not reblog or otherwise interact with that post unless that particular sex worker has given you permission to.
4. Do not reblog cam and porn workers’ promos with the caption deleted or changed. Leave captions intact at all times.
5. Do not comment on our posts giving us your opinions on how we should dress, act, dance, promote ourselves, or talk about our work.
6. Do not out us if you know us irl and find our blogs.
7. If we make a post discussing negative aspects of our work, do not tell us to just find another job or otherwise imply that the negatives mean we would be better off not doing sex work. In fact you’re probably best off not saying anything at all.
8. Do not pretend to want to be a sex worker because you find it “cool” or “edgy” or think that it’s easy money. Do not tell sex workers how lucky we are. Do not tell us how you wish you could do it. Don’t tell us how empowering it is. Also stay away from saying things like “I could do that” or “I’m just gonna quit school and become a stripper/porn star!”
9. If you see or hear your friends using slurs against sex workers or doing any of the other things I mentioned, call them out! Use your privilege as a non sex worker to call out your friends and family and defend us (especially workers with no legal protections who often can’t speak up for themselves, I’m thinking mainly of FSSW here.) Don’t let jokes about sex work slide.
10. Get educated on sex worker politics and if you get a chance to write to a legislator or vote on a bill regarding sex work, help us out in that way. Don’t support laws that criminalize sex work. Don’t support abolitionist groups. Call them out too and explain to your friends why organizations like that hurt us more than they help us.
