SWOP-Boston’s Know Your Rights and Self-Defense Training

Tuesday, 02 March

2:30 – 5:30

Community Church of Boston

565 Boylston Street

We would like to express our gratitude to Lucy Parsons Center for being so welcoming and accommodating, to Dan and the other LPC volunteer for setting up chairs and tables and working the front desk, to everyone who bravely stepped forward to share their stories in the speak-out, to our hardy marchers who walked a long way through unbelievably cold weather for our cause, to our new friend from the neighborhood who had the brilliant idea to walk through the Prudential Mall, and to our anonymous benefactor for footing the bill for emergency hot drinks from Dunkin Donuts.

In 2003, communities internationally came together to observe what has become the first annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. The day was conceived by parent organization SWOP-USA in response to the conviction of serial killer Gary Ridgway, known for his comment that he “picked prostitutes as victims because…I thought I could kill as many of them as I wanted without getting caught.” This year, four sex workers have been murdered in Massachusetts.

A memorial observance for these and other victims will be held at the Lucy Parsons Center. The event will include excerpts from the Sex Workers Internet Radio Library, commentary by Tara Hurley of the documentary “Happy Endings?” that explores the Asian Massage Parlors that were, until recently, legal in Rhode Island, and a reading of the names of each sex worker who was murdered this year. Following, we will take a meditative walk with red umbrellas, a common symbol of sex worker rights and safety, and will observe a brief moment of silence. Afterwards, we’ll gather back for coffee, tea, snacks, and a chance to network and socialize with the community.

Check out more information on the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

Thank you to Lucy Parsons Center for hosting our event and F NICE RECORDS INC. for printing our flyers.

In addition to December 17th, there will be a December 18 Call To Action in Arizona for Marcia Powell of Arizona at the AZ Dept. of Corrections, and while Bostonians won’t be able to travel there, we will be there in spirit and solidarity.

Unfortunately, it is time to plan another day of mourning. December 17tH is the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers and we are organizing an event to honor sex workers killed this year and to celebrate and rejuvenate the resistance of sex workers to violence and discrimination Please contact us to join in creating Boston’s first organized observance of December 17th.

_______________________________________________________

The 11th Annual International Transgender Day of Remembrance

Today there is a group of us marching with red umbrellas. We are the Sex Workers Outreach Project-Boston, and we carry the red umbrella as a symbol of our beauty, strength, and resistance to abuse, violence, and discrimination.

We are here today because many of those murdered this year experienced multiple forms of discrimination as they were also people of color and sex workers. We are concerned by the heightened threat of oppression experienced by those judge for multiple reasons such as gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, race and type of employment.

Another concern is that the sex industry is often marginalized, dangerous, or criminal. Because of discrimination in the workplace (not to mention society at large), members of the trans community often get denied their employment choices, and come to work in industries such as sex work for lack of other options. We want to see safety and rights granted to all sex workers – those in the industry by choice as well as those in the industry who want out. And we want to see an end to the violence that society so often tolerates against both sex workers and the trans community, all because of stigma and myths attached to our identities.

Only until these falsehoods are corrected and our identities are legitimized will we be able to effectively prevent and minimize the pervasive violence that we often experience. Until we are truly free: safe from all forms of physical, sexual, and emotional harm, we will stand in solidarity and strength with our red umbrellas, and we will unite for justice. Because only rights will end the wrongs.

It’s the 11th Annual Transgender Day Of Remembrance and SWOP-Boston will be marching in solidarity with red umbrellas.   This is a symbol for our beauty, strength, and resistance to abuse, violence and discrimination.  This march is a memorial for the many transgender people murdered this year, the majority of whom were sex workers on the job at the time of death.  The event is a non-worship, non-denominational program of invited speakers, including a statement from SWOP-Boston.  The march stops in Union Square for a candlelight vigil where it will be read aloud the names of those murdered this past year.

THE DATE:  November 20

THE TIME: 7PM

THE PLACE:  St. Luke’s & St. Margaret’s church in Allston at 5 St. Luke’s Rd.