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Author Topic: Seeking Stories and Information  (Read 6493 times)

ClaudiaL

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Seeking Stories and Information
« on: 30 June 2015, 11:43:48 am »
Hey all,

I'm in the process of writing a book about sex work and am seeking people to talk their experiences and opinions on sex work. I seek to paint a portrait of sex work in the UK in 2015 with a focus on the question 'Is there an 'acceptable' face of sex work?' I want to present a more complex picture of the industry than the stereotype of a woman working outside with drug dependency issues whilst highlighting that there should be no stigma to any facet of the industry.

It strikes me that a lot of people have strong opinions of sex work without knowing anything about it and that's what I am seeking to address.

I can travel to interview you in person (I'll buy you lunch if you like!) or conduct a conversation via email, whichever you are most comfortable with.

ABOUT ME: Twenty-something aspirant-intersectional feminist and sex worker ally campaigning for decrim based in the SW and London but happy to travel anywhere in the UK.

Thank you and feel free to message me if you have any questions!

CL

amy

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #1 on: 30 June 2015, 12:20:38 pm »
I think we'll post questions here, actually.

Question 1 is Are You A Sex Worker? The above would suggest not, and the reason I ask is that you have previously made a vague post in our Buddy section asking people to contact you, but without saying why or clarifying your status.

Deceiving our members (which includes deliberately omitting this information to avoid being challenged) is not acceptable on this board, and you may not post outside this thread unless you are a sex worker too.

SelenaLondon

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #2 on: 30 June 2015, 12:37:30 pm »
Are you a sex worker ??!

Lucie268

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #3 on: 30 June 2015, 03:05:51 pm »
No matter how well-meaning you may be, your voice is not important if you're not a sex worker. Trust me, there are more than capable people here who can write their own books on this topic (and there've been many in the past).

You're first job as an ally is to prioritise our voices, not push yours!

UK-Milf

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #4 on: 01 July 2015, 01:24:30 pm »
Both Amy and Selena-London have asked a very straightforward question, and one vital to your success..."Are you a sex worker"?
People reading this thread are awaiting a reply; and this will more than likely determine the response you get to your research.

Before writing a book it is vital to know your subject. That's why I'm not writing books on cricket, golf or how to grow prize winning leeks today. I know next to nothing about these subjects.

There are many sex workers who have an in depth knowledge of the industry, who personally know other sexworkers and who understand the dynamics of our day to day working life. These woman are best placed to write about the industry. It is these woman who shatter the perceptions of sex-workers as largely victims. It is these woman who effectively campaign, write blogs, contribute to national and international publications and indeed write books. And it's these women, people like Laura-Lee that most sexworkers would be prepared to communicate with.

Buzzwords can look impressive. Take you "Aspirant-Intersectionality".  Aspirant we can all get!!! But "Intersectionality" the latest feminist buzzword. And it had even a journalist in the Telegraph asking 'what the hell does that mean?'

It simply means a person (yes including us prostitutes) have multi-layered facets in life that we have to deal with. (I only know that because I've just looked it up on Google!!!)

If you are looking for honest and open dialogue you will have to contribute by giving members of this forum as much details about yourself as possible.

We would like to know if you are or have ever been a sexworker. We need to know about you. We'd like a link to any websites or blogs you may contribute towards.  We'd like a list of your previous publications.

For your potential publication to be a success you will need to be as transparent as possible.



MsDee

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #5 on: 01 July 2015, 04:38:48 pm »
So basically a non sex worker wants to make money out of our experience!?!?

UK-Milf

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #6 on: 01 July 2015, 10:55:04 pm »
Yes Fluffy Bunny!!! Or it could even be a man posing as a female researcher for his kicks!!! Imagine that scenario ??? ???

People who ask for help in their professional research via public forums are expected to give forum members some basic background information. We need to know these people are real before we engage with them.


amy

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #7 on: 02 July 2015, 12:17:29 am »
One foundationless troll-calling post removed, and the one left above is only remaining because of the far more relevant and useful part following it.

There is nothing about the OP's registration to suggest that she is a man, and members are advised to remember that we can see things they can't. Even if we couldn't, the report button is there for a reason.

Likewise, there's nothing to suggest that she is a sex worker, so lets wait for her to come back and clear that up before anybody wastes any more of their valuable time on this thread. There's bound to be some shit websites in Spamming for anybody who's struggling with the heat to get stuck into.



EDIT: Since the OP has logged in this morning for a read but couldn't be bothered to respond even with a yes or no, locked.

EDIT 2: OP started new thread on same topic, merged and reopened.
« Last Edit: 02 July 2015, 10:36:18 am by amy »

ClaudiaL

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #8 on: 02 July 2015, 10:31:55 am »
Hi,

Apologies for posting a new thread - I was in the process of replying before the thread was locked.

Thanks for your replies and apologies for my caginess/inaccessible terminology. I engaged in sex work briefly (in a sugar baby capacity that I wasn't aware was sex work until my sponsor told me - that was in my late teens. I have sporadically used AW but since moving from a city to the countryside I struggled to find suitable clients and was terrified of being outed in a tiny town so found a minimum wage job instead.) I'm not going to talk about that in the book, which may seem hypocritical.

I have struggled for months about whether I should write about this topic. (This in particular struck a chord with me: [link removed - describing what you mean will do fine] My baseline is that I want decrim and sex worker labour rights. Anything I write is pushing that agenda. I don't want to fetishise sex work or misrepresent people, I want to gather opinions and present them in a way that a middle-aged, middle-class white man who thinks Caitlin Moran epitomises feminism is like "OH RIGHT. Sex work is a job that people do."

Currently I'm a postgraduate writer coming to the end of my course. Afterwards I intend to write and edit freelance and continue my own writing. I'm not sure else what to say! I first became interested in sex work decrim after meeting people at Gender and Sexuality talks in London after finishing university.

If you still think it's a terrible idea please say - the last thing I want to do is suppress or speak over more relevant voices and that is not my intention in my research. I'd be grateful for any suggestions on what someone in a position of privilege can do (I know 'shut the fuck up and let us speak' is probably a big one). I hope I don't come across like an entitled OkCupid oaf asking easily researchable questions.

Thanks,
CL
« Last Edit: 02 July 2015, 10:34:37 am by amy »

Lucie268

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #9 on: 03 July 2015, 12:27:41 pm »
Actually I think if you mentioned your own experiences with sex work you might find your book more accepted by sex workers. If not you'd just look like an outsider hijacking our experiences.

Hadley

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #10 on: 03 July 2015, 04:31:50 pm »
Hi,

Apologies for posting a new thread - I was in the process of replying before the thread was locked.

Thanks for your replies and apologies for my caginess/inaccessible terminology. I engaged in sex work briefly (in a sugar baby capacity that I wasn't aware was sex work until my sponsor told me - that was in my late teens. I have sporadically used AW but since moving from a city to the countryside I struggled to find suitable clients and was terrified of being outed in a tiny town so found a minimum wage job instead.) I'm not going to talk about that in the book, which may seem hypocritical.

I'm sorry but yes it does seem quite hypocritical that you wouldn't be willing to reveal the details of your own sex work in your publication, but would be willing to make money off the back of ours (for no more the price of a free lunch, and possibly not even that)!

I would also question your credentials re. authoring a book on sex work, given that you admit yourself that you have no awareness of what constitutes sex work and what doesn't, and even had to be told by a third party that you were a sex worker when you were one.

"Why do people say "grow some balls"? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding."

-Betty White

victoryrose

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #11 on: 03 July 2015, 04:58:10 pm »
Melissa Gira Grant wrote in her book that she had experience within the industry, but still managed to go the whole way through without once mentioning anything to do with her own work. She does the same in interviews/events as well, focussing on decrim and deflecting any questions about her own involvement, but still making it clear that she isn't a stranger to this. I do understand where your reluctance to mention it comes from, but ultimately I think it would help us and the movement more than it hinders you. If at the end of all this you decide that coming forward about your involvement is not worth it, then you don't truly want to write a book about sex work. I'm going through a somewhat similar thing, contemplating any likely research I end up conducting in this field, without actually mentioning my own involvement. I came to the conclusion that should I ever conduct such research, I would do it whilst being totally honest about my sex work, if only to make it clear where any biases lie (in the name of integrity). If I never get to the point where I feel free to out myself, I won't do the research.

Curvygal

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #12 on: 05 July 2015, 12:23:32 pm »
There's bound to be some shit websites in Spamming for anybody who's struggling with the heat to get stuck into.


Amy - I love you!   ;D

I'd logged on to post about a wankery text I got first thing on this Sunday morning, now I'm too busy laughing at that comment!

Kimberly-x

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #13 on: 05 July 2015, 02:33:31 pm »
Hey all,

I'm in the process of writing a book about sex work and am seeking people to talk their experiences and opinions on sex work. I seek to paint a portrait of sex work in the UK in 2015 with a focus on the question 'Is there an 'acceptable' face of sex work?' I want to present a more complex picture of the industry than the stereotype of a woman working outside with drug dependency issues whilst highlighting that there should be no stigma to any facet of the industry.

It strikes me that a lot of people have strong opinions of sex work without knowing anything about it and that's what I am seeking to address.

I can travel to interview you in person (I'll buy you lunch if you like!) or conduct a conversation via email, whichever you are most comfortable with.

ABOUT ME: Twenty-something aspirant-intersectional feminist and sex worker ally campaigning for decrim based in the SW and London but happy to travel anywhere in the UK.

Thank you and feel free to message me if you have any questions!

CL

Ill have a interview where are you based im in cambridge
i think there needs to be a book about the good side of it rather than the horror stories
my mum found out recently id like to say my peace 
Never regret anything because at one point it was what you always wanted

Shewolf

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Re: Seeking Stories and Information
« Reply #14 on: 05 July 2015, 03:23:58 pm »
I am interested in why it seems to be generally thought that in order to create a piece of research (in the form of a book for example) which sheds a different light on prostitution today, the author has to have been a prostitute herself.

If you look at the work of a drugs counsellor as a comparison, in order to be an expert at this career, they do not have to be drug addicts currently in remission. You have to have a genuine interest in why human beings cultivate such coping strategies and a desire to help them cope in less self destructive ways. This could stem from all sorts of life experiences the counsellor has had. They could have had an addictive personality in other ways.

Maybe instead of accusing the OP straightaway of not being worthy of writing a book on prostitution if she has not had extensive experience of it, we should realise there will be reasons why she feels driven to write about this sector.

I think it's far more complex than what has been raised so far. For example, you could argue that prostitution is an addiction and so somebody with an sex addiction is just as capable of producing valuable research in this area.

Now I shall go put my helmet on and await the replies.