http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G_7CzddUR4Ok, so I know I just posted for today, and this is only my third post (EVER! no pressure, right?...), but: This upcoming election is so chock-full-o'-exciting/potentially explosive stuff, that I can barely keep my little booties on.
We may have the very first black president in U.S. history. We have tons of people rallying against Prop 8 and Prop 4 in an effort to protect the right of gays and lesbians to marry in the state of CA, and to prevent the stymying of abortion rights, respectively. (http://www.feministing.com/archives/011848.html);(http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/18/EDFC12VPTR.DTL); and if you want completely unbiased information: http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/
And in San Francisco only (not statewide), we have Proposition K, a measure that would decriminalize prostitution (check out this website--if you want unbiased info, just read the text of the proposition: http://www.yesonpropk.org/). Hence, the giant picture of Sadie Lune at the top of this post--Sadie, you rock my socks off! She won a Tony Labat sponsored contest at the SFMOMA to have this poster up all over SF a few days before election day. This measure is a landmark--it takes up recommendations from the Final Report of the San Francisco Task Force on Prostitution (1996). Regardless of what you may think about the morality of prostitution, this measure would give power back to sex workers by allowing them to (legally!) speak up and out against violence that is done to them and their communities (most are currently afraid to go to the police to report assaults against them, because they fear being arrested themselves; and may I remind you of this ridiculous case: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/31/america/NA-GEN-US-Prostitute-Rape.php I hope Judge Deni rots in hell...); work and collaborate independently without pimps; form labor unions to ensure safe working conditions; have safer sex without fear of prosecution (condoms have been used in court against prostitutes as evidence of their criminal activity...!!! How fucked up is THAT?); allows for a clear distinction between sex work and sex trafficking, so that we can focus on real problems of exploitation and coercion. Awsome sauce.
Will it pass? Who knows, but I'm rooting for it. Hats off to all the women, men, and trans workers who have been fighting for your right to be treated equally under the law; you are my heroes!
I will be voting:
For Obama.
No on Prop 8.
No on Prop 4.
And although I'm not in SF, I am going to bully all of my SF friends into voting YES ON K!
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