It may be 2022 but, when it comes to sex work, we’re still fighting the same stigmas and bad laws that have existed for decades. When Megan Barton-Hanson appeared on Love Island in 2018, her background as a stripper and glamour model became instant tabloid fodder, and she continues to receive abuse today for her work on OnlyFans. So, to kick off a new year of her column with VICE, Megan provides a guide to being a better ally to sex workers – from ousting online trolls to shouting about sex worker’s rights. You can read her previous column here.
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Report trolling and nasty comments on social media
Don't get angry when strippers follow the house rules
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Don’t ask someone if they have a “price”
Don't be a tight arse
Advocate for better sex education
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It's always sex workers who are shamed for providing the service, and never the customers and clientele, who are predominantly men, who drive the demand for it. Men are rarely asked to explain why they want to see women's feet, or pay thousands and thousands of pounds to be dominated, or rinsed because they want to be someone’s paypig. Even OnlyFans and webcam [platforms] are very discreet for the client. It’s very easy for them to not have to explain their desires to anyone, while the people fulfilling them for money get the shit. We just need to accept that sex work is just a job like any other, and that’s fine.There's a common assumption that all women are victims who need to be “rescued” from the sex industry, but that’s not true. I’ve had partners say things like “I wish I knew you when you were too young to be stripping”... like, I’m a very headstrong stubborn person. My mum cried when I told her I was stripping and that wasn't going to stop me! People think that women in the sex industry have no other choice, which for some people is sadly is the case, but for a lot of women it’s a side hustle that they do alongside uni or running a business. We’re all just making money in a quicker way than we would from a nine to five. Everyone wants to be the hero, but if they really want to help they’d be better off fighting against poverty and fighting for sex workers’ rights so more people can protect themselves in the meantime.
Stop trying to ‘rescue’ us
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