[SWAF-Potluck] Virtual 8th Annual Red Umbrella March for Sex Work Solidarity

Tue Jun 9 19:13:52 PDT 2020

Good points, Chenoa! Ah, the hyporcrasy....

On Tue, Jun 9, 2020 at 2:57 PM Andrew Sorfleet <a.sorfleet at gmail.com> wrote:

> Awe. Thank you! I understand what you are saying. It was close, we thought
> about handing out masks and hoola hoops for physical distancing! But,
> normally I start planning RUM in February by notifying VPD traffic
> authority and creating posters, and things were really uncertain then.
>
> In the end, we believe that it is very important to show that sex workers
> are very concerned about following public health guidelines. We already
> have such an uphill battle when government departments like Public Health
> Agency Canada continue to list “involvement in commercial sex” as high risk
> for STIs and HIV. (My pet peeve.)
>
> I believe we made the right decision.
>
> In solidarity,
> Andy
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jun 9, 2020, at 2:42 PM, Chenoa Johnston <chenoadj at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Awe. Lockdown protest march ok.
> Black lives matter protest march ok.
>
> Sex worker solidarity March.
> Not ok.  I guess Sex worker injustices are not an equivalent public issue.
> :(  though I don’t always go I support the march every year.
>
> Thank you for all you do Andy. It’s appreciated!
>
> On Jun 9, 2020, at 12:24 PM, Andy Sorfleet <a.sorfleet at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> 
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> Tuesday, June 9, 2020
>
> VIRTUAL
> 8th ANNUAL RED UMBRELLA MARCH FOR SEX WORK SOLIDARITY
> Sex Workers, Allies, Family and Friends Stand Together
>
> RED UMBRELLA MARCH
> Following the advice of B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer in response to
> the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and in accordance with
> restrictions imposed by the Province of British Columbia’s May 22, 2020
> Order on Mass Gatherings which limits public gatherings to no more than 50
> people, the organizers of the Red Umbrella March for Sex Work Solidarity
> have cancelled the in-person component of the event for 2020.
>
> This year, the Red Umbrella March celebrates 20 years of history with the
> release of a video slideshow which traces its origins from the 49th
> International Venice Biennale Arte in 2001, and recalls the past eight
> years of sex workers’ public protests against Canada’s unjust prostitution
> laws in Vancouver, BC.
>
> The right to protest is protected by fundamental freedoms in Canada's
> Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1986) and the International Covenant on
> Civil and Political Rights (1966). These are: freedom of peaceful assembly,
> freedom of association and freedom of expression.
>
> FREEDOM OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY IS SPEECH IN ACTION
> In 2020, our ability to lawfully exercise our freedom of peaceful assembly
> has been curtailed by public health order. In a democratic society,
> government restrictions on exercising peaceful assembly may only be imposed
> in the interests of: national security, public safety, public order, public
> health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
>
>
> CODE:RED
> Origins of the Red Umbrella March for Sex Work Solidarity
> VIDEO: 20 YEARS OF HISTORY!
> VENICE, BRUSSELS, SKOPJE, VANCOUVER
> WATCH AT: TRIPLE-X.ORG
>
> Red Umbrella March organizers are proud to present this video slideshow
> which traces the origins of our march and the use of the red umbrella as a
> symbol of sex workers’ rights.
>
> Venice: 2001
> Comitate per I Diritti Civili delle Prostitute from Pordeon organized the
> World Congress of Sex Workers in collaboration with Sovenian artist Tadej
> Pogačar for the 49th International Venice Biennale Arte. On June 8, the Red
> Umbrellas March crossed through the centre of Venice creating a colourful
> interruption through the public space, drawing attention to the geography
> of the social history of sex workers. The art installation was part of a
> series of collaborations with sex workers by Pogačar about parallel
> economies and self-organization, entitled CODE:RED (1999-2019).
>
> Brussels: 2005
> European Conference on Sex Work, Human Rights, Labour and Migration
> brought together 200 sex workers and associates from 28 European countries
> to create and present a manifesto to the European Parliament on October 17.
> Based on her memories of the march in Venice, Giulia Garafalo organized a
> "Manifestation dans la rue." The hour-long parade of red umbrellas – "a
> symbol of beauty and the resistance to humans’ and sky’s attacks" – began
> at the Place de la Bourse crossing through Brussels following the press
> conference.
>
> Skopje: 2008
> In 2007, Tadej Pogačar collaborated with health and anti-violence
> organizations and a small group of high school students. CODE:RED Skopje
> focused on education; "Sex Workers' Rights Are Human Rights." STAR-STAR the
> first sex workers’ collective in the Balkans began in 2007 to improve and
> promote rights for sex workers. STAR-STAR organized their first Red
> Umbrella March as a symbol of solidarity in 2008 in front of the national
> TV station in a district known for streetwalking. Support for the march –
> held annually on December 17 to mark International Day to End Violence
> Against Sex Workers – continues to grow.
>
> Vancouver: 2013
> In 2012 a group of former sex workers and associates formed the Triple-X
> Workers' Solidarity Association of B.C. On June 8, 2013, a day of protests
> across Canada was planned to show support for Supreme Court of Canada
> challenge of Canada’s unjust prostitution laws. Based Based on his memories
> of the red umbrella march through Brussels, Andrew Sorfleet, president of
> Triple-X, in partnership with other sex-worker advocacy groups, organized
> the first Red Umbrella March for Sex Work Solidarity. Held annually on the
> second Saturday in June, the march has become a popular Vancouver event for
> sex workers, their allies, family and friends.
>
> Partners in organizing: Triple-X Workers’ Solidarity Association of B.C.,
> Downtown Eastside Sex Workers United Against Violence (SWUAV), Pivot Legal
> Society, PACE Society, B.C. Coalition of Experiential Communities, FIRST:
> Feminists Advocating for the Decriminalization of Sex Work, SWAN Society
> Vancouver.
>
> -30-
>
> For more information visit http://triple-x.org, or contact
> info at triple-x.org.
>
> Event hashtag: #RUM2020
> Connect on social media:
> Twitter.com/xxxworkers
> Instagram.com/triplexworkers
> Facebook.com/triplexworkers
>
> Media inquiries:
> Andy Sorfleet
> a.sorfleet at gmail.com
> 604-488-0710
>
>
>
> <pr-RUM2020.pdf>
> <RedUmbrellaAd-3.1x3.0.jpg>
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