If You Don’t Know Your Rights You Don’t Have Any

You have the right to be treated well as a uniquely special person,  and as a sex worker!

Desiree Alliance is committed to nonviolence. DA  creates support systems and  safe space for sex workers. 

Comprised  of members who work to end violence against sex workers, believing that violence against any human is violence against all humans.

Nonviolent principles seek to re-humanize those who have been dehumanized, and in the process bring humanity back to those who dehumanize (for they, too, have compromised their own humanity by allowing themselves to use the tactic of dehumanization). Desiree hopes that by adhering to the principles of nonviolence, we can bring about the fundamental change in each person needed to achieve the justice we seek for those among us who may have ideas about the use of their bodies which challenge others’ beliefs.

coyoteri Bella Robinson acted as communication liaison between Cris Sardina
Desiree Alliance Coordinator  and M. Dante in Philly.

1.  Do you believe is it important for us to step out of the comfort zone and speak at colleges, community events, and other – often not sex work friendly or sex savvy – situations?

I actually don’t do many written or face-to-face interviews. I have found that it’s usually counter-productive and my time has been used for the purpose of the author’s successes and opinions, and not sex worker rights. Because Desiree Alliance is a national organization, I receive many opportunities to ally and educate communities that are not necessarily anti-sex work, but aren’t familiar with our work. When I attend events or am speaking, networking skills are the most valuable resource a person in sex workers rights activism can have. If you have people’s attention that sex workers’ rights cross over to their issues, we find that allies are receptive to what we are doing.

A good example of this is Colorado HIV advocates got the felony prostitution enhancement law for working while positive, brought down to a misdemeanor. That was directly from our work with allies.

I don’t work with the anti’s as the majority of our time is spent countering whatever bullshit they are putting on us. I’m not wasting my valuable time trying to sway them to “our side”!

2. How do you decompress from the stress of working with all the arrests in the media, along with knowing the risks of violence?

You never decompress. We have certain dates such as TDOR and December 17th to honor those whose lives were taken by violence. In reality, those lists of names are every day. It breaks your heart in ways that make you get up every morning and do the work that needs to be done.

3. Has it been worth it to become a public activist as opposed to staying a private working woman?

Yes! FYI, you can be an activist and work too! Thank you.

Supporting  Non Violence Efforts 

Is your organization interested in becoming a member of the Alliance?

Please email us: info@desireealliance.org

Membership means you and/or your organization believe in our mission statement below:

The Desiree Alliance is a diverse, sex worker-led network of organizations, communities, and individuals across the US working in harm reduction, direct services, political advocacy, and health services for sex workers. We provide leadership and create space for sex workers and supporters to come together to advocate for human, labour, and civil rights for all workers in the sex industry.