Intersectionality of Sex Work
Trans Resistance Vigil and March in Boston on June 13, 2020
A crowd marches at the Trans Resistance Vigil and March in Boston on June 13, 2020. This march was one of the many Black Lives Matter protests that took place in the summer of 2020.
Sylvia Rivera was a Latina transgender woman who played a large part in the gay liberation movement. Rivera had a rough childhood and ended up running away and becoming a child prostitute. [1] Along the way, she found Marsha P. Johnson, an African American trans sex worker. Rivera and Johnson became very close, and they are famous for being present at the popular gay bar, Stonewall Inn, on June 28, 1969. [2] When police raided the Inn, Rivera and Johnson resisted arrest, which eventually led to the Stonewall Riots, the start of the gay liberation movement. Not only did Rivera fight for LGBTQ+ rights, but she also supported the Black Liberation and anti-war movements of the 1960s and 70s. Today, Rivera is still revered for her activism and bravery even when she was often silenced because of her trans identity. [3]
Transgender sex workers, like cisgender sex workers, often have many different identities besides their gender. Many transgender sex workers are people of color, and many are also undocumented immigrants from other countries. [4] These different identities play into their trans identity, as well as their decision to become sex workers. Legal citizenship status is a large factor in trans women working in the sex trade, mostly due to the fact that they are unable to work other jobs. [5] Ethnicity and race are a large part of trans identities. 79% of trans people who are murdered are people of color, and racial profiling has played a major part in the incarceration of these individuals. [6] There is often more stigma around trans women of color, mostly due to the multiple oppressed identities. [7]
Trans women often take part in movements for other non-dominant groups’ rights. Sylvia Rivera’s fights for Black Liberation, the anti-war efforts, and gay rights are a perfect example. Many transgender women, especially trans sex workers, fight for the rights of others because they know what it is like to be oppressed, either because of their gender identity, race, occupation, or other non-dominant identity. [8]
References:
[1] Devaney, Susan. “Who Was Sylvia Rivera? Marsha P. Johnson’s Best Friend Was A Fellow Pioneer.” British Vogue, June 13, 2020. https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/who-was-sylvia-rivera.
[2] Devaney, Susan. “Who Was Sylvia Rivera? Marsha P. Johnson’s Best Friend Was A Fellow Pioneer.” British Vogue, June 13, 2020. https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/who-was-sylvia-rivera.
[3] Devaney, Susan. “Who Was Sylvia Rivera? Marsha P. Johnson’s Best Friend Was A Fellow Pioneer.” British Vogue, June 13, 2020. https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/who-was-sylvia-rivera.
[4] Sausa, Lydia A., JoAnne Keatley, and Don Operario. "Perceived Risks and Benefits of Sex Work among Transgender Women of Color in San Francisco." Archives of Sexual Behavior 36, no. 6 (12, 2007): 768-77. doi:http://dx.doi.org.mutex.gmu.edu/10.1007/s10508-007-9210-3.
[5] Fitzgerald, Erin, Sarah Elspeth Patterson, Darby Hickey, Cherno Biko, and Harper Jean Tobin. Rep. Meaningful Work: Transgender Experiences in the Sex Trade. National Center for Transgender Equality, 2015.
[6] Sanfoka, Jasmine. “From Margin to Center: Sex Work Decriminalization Is a Racial Justice Issue,” December 12, 2016. https://www.amnestyusa.org/from-margin-to-center-sex-work-decriminalization-is-a-racial-justice-issue/.
[7] Sausa, Lydia A., JoAnne Keatley, and Don Operario. "Perceived Risks and Benefits of Sex Work among Transgender Women of Color in San Francisco." Archives of Sexual Behavior 36, no. 6 (12, 2007): 768-77. doi:http://dx.doi.org.mutex.gmu.edu/10.1007/s10508-007-9210-3.
[8] Fedorko, Boglarka, and Lukas Berredo. Rep. The Vicious Cycle of Violence: Trans and Gender-Diverse People, Migration, and Sex Work16. Vol. 16. Transgender Europe, 2017.