Barbarella Karpinski In the 2020 Mardi Gras Parade, queer sex workers celebrated with the awesome Queer Sex Worker float – “Soliciting for Change”.
But things have not always been so fabulous. Back in 2012 Queer Sex workers were not queer enough. Cameron Cox, CEO of SWOP, and out and proud queer sex worker, remembers: “Sex workers were not rejected from the parade entirely.
We were told that we could enter to march as community allies only. Sex workers found this unacceptable and insulting. We have fought for LGBTIQ rights and at times led the struggle.” Sex workers, especially gender diverse sex workers, have always been at the forefront of LGBTIQ rights – look at the Compton’s Cafeteria and Stonewall riots in the 1960s USA.
Read more on starobserver.com.au