02/06/2025
Fifty years ago today, more than 100 s*x workers occupied a church in Lyon, France. They weren’t there to pray. They were protesting — against police violence, criminalization, and the daily harassment that came with doing their jobs. It was June 2nd, 1975. And it sparked a movement.
Berlin might seem like a liberal playground, and on paper, s*x work here has been legal since 2002. But legality doesn’t mean liberation.
Workers in Germany are required to register with the state, attend mandatory “health” counseling, and carry a “prostitution ID” — a system critics have compared to tagging or surveillance. Some report being outed when trying to book a hotel or apartment. Others avoid registering altogether and risk fines.
Even Amnesty International has taken a clear stance: decriminalization of s*x work is essential to protect the rights, health, and dignity of s*x workers.
They’re not calling for glorification. They’re calling for basic human rights. The right to work safely. To report abuse. To access healthcare without shame. To exist without being erased by algorithm or law.
So when you see platforms disappear, performers pushed out, or governments like Sweden using words like “rescue,” ask: who is actually being saved?
Full article is now up.