An Open Letter to Hollywood Women

Hi,

Anne Hathaway, Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep, Lena Dunham, I'm trying really hard but I get it. To all of you misinformed people, I get that you're trying to protect women, but let me break this bullshit petition down: It is wrong, and I can show you how.

There are two main types of sexwork - voluntary and survival. Survival sex work is what many types of people are forced to do, despite their own morals and whether or not they agree with it, because of capitalism. This is to put food on the table.

Voluntary sex work is very different. I am a voluntary sex worker. I can speak only for myself, but generally I have very respectful clients who show up on time, pay me, we enjoy ourselves and he leaves. Two consenting adults, doing something for pleasure. I see nothing wrong with that.

However, the law and how it is written have skewed the language, much like your language. Don't talk about us as "prostituted women," we are sex workers, we have agency, and we generally enjoy our lifestyles. Similarly with "pimps." If an escort hires a bodyguard, or has security, or a safecall, they are counted as a so-called "pimp," even if they are a significant other or a spouse who is living off the avails of sexwork, they are considered a pimp.

This is essentially like me saying to you, "I am high powered and people listen to me and my views. I enjoy movies, but because I don't want anyone to KNOW I enjoy movies I am going to criminalize ALL of the people who make movies AND especially moviegoers. I won't criminalize you, because you naturally need to exit this horrible field of living in a fantasy world, and this is how we help you to do it, by trying to END DEMAND for your service. Besides, you're WOMEN, and women are just generally infantile and need to be rescued from their own life choices."

Women are taken advantage of, and everybody has their own situation in life. However, that is generally called coercion, and that is no more OK than it was already, which is NOT AT ALL. Consensual sex work should be decriminalized, Amnesty International has talked with the sexwork community, and if you could all keep your mouths shut regarding what you do not understand, the world will be a safer place to live for everyone.

Xoxo,

Olivia