[IPSM] IPSM statement regarding recent posts about sex work

[Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movment - Montreal]

November 1st 2005.

**Please note that the IPSM collective requests subscribers of this list
to discern which messages are appropriate to post. This is underscored by
the fact that this list is not currently moderated.

A recent post by Martin Dufresne ("Prostitutuion - From repression to
responsabilization" sent on October 14, 2005) was felt by many to be
offensive and hurtful.  The post reminded us of similar problematic posts
by Martin ("Prostitution,Trafficking and Traumatic Stress - Melissa Farley
,in Montreal Thursday, Sept. 22", sent on September 17, 2005) and "Usman
X" in the past.

Although the IPSM collective has not yet formally discussed nor
articulated a position on sex work, we felt it important to openly and
publicly distance ourselves from the presumed positions held by Martin
Dufresne, Usman X and others.

The IPSM collective recognises the "anti-prostitution agenda" to be
typically regressive and harmful for most sex workers, and moreover
acknowledges that such an agenda is often deceitfully hidden under the
supposedly progressive cloaks of anti-colonialism, anti-racism and
pro-feminism.  While victimising all sex workers - particularly womyn - as
though they were without agency, and by ignoring the more important task
of concretely dealing with structural and systemic oppression, such an
agenda typically neglects the wide range of realities of sex workers and
undermines their agency in multiple ways.  This being said, we recognize
the importance of opening up discussions about anti-colonialist,
anti-racist and pro-feminist perspectives in a way which is not anti-sex
workers. However, in the sense that such perspectives are opposed to the
commodification and exploitation of all labour that takes place in a
capitalist economy, they may in fact be considered anti-sex work (though
not anti-sex worker).

The IPSM collective unequivocally recognises the importance of sex workers
fighting for their rights to earn a living with dignity. This includes sex
workers from various backgrounds (including class, ethnicity, gender,
national identity, status, etc.) who exercise their agency in choosing to
do sex work in a global economic system where wage slavery is the norm.

The IPSM collective also recognises that globally, mostly womyn and girls
-particularly those of colour and those living in imposed poverty - are
exploited by capitalist globalisation. This newest phase of capitalism,
which still relies on age-old colonialist and imperialist policies, causes
massive displacement and migration of peoples while restricting options
for earning a living of one's choosing.  In recognition of the fact that
some sex workers would engage in other forms of work to earn a living if
they had more choices available to them, IPSM recognises the importance of
sex workers who fight for alternatives which would allow them to determine
how and when they will leave sex work.

Ultimately, the IPSM collective seeks to respect the autonomy and
self-determination of all sex workers.

Although a constructive discussion (and we do make a distinction between
healthy debate versus inciting controversy that can be disrespectful and
hurtful) about sex work is an important one to have, we are not presently
in the position to be able to host such a discussion on this list.  At
present, this list is not moderated, but the IPSM collective will be
re-visiting this matter to avoid situations where offensive and hurtful
material is posted on the list.

We sincerely regret if the recent posts were hurtful or offensive to those
who subscribe to this list.


-- the IPSM collective


the INDIGENOUS PEOPLES SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT is a Montreal based collective
whose primary goal is to ally ourselves with indigenous peoples in the
active fight for mutual self-determination and decolonization

Info: ipsm at resist.ca
http://ipsm.nativeweb.org
To subscribe to our mailing list, please visit:
https://lists.resist.ca/mailman/listinfo/ipsm-l