Selfcare & Sexual Wellness

It’s time to build the LGBTQ+ Community’s Future

Pride Month is a time to reflect on the history of the LGBTQ+ community, a term we use to include a wide and diverse range of individuals, including those who are non-binary and gender non-conforming. Apart from all the celebrations happening this June all around the world, it’s very important not to forget the specific needs of the community and to consider addressing them for building a better future.

Pride gatherings are rooted in the arduous history of minority groups who have struggled for decades to overcome prejudice and be accepted for who they are. The original organizers chose this month to pay homage to the Stonewall uprising in June 1969 in New York City, which helped spark the modern gay rights movement. Most Pride events take place each year in June, although some cities hold their celebrations at other times of the year.

Who celebrates it?
Pride events welcome anyone who feels like their sexual identity falls outside the mainstream, although many straight people join in, too. LGBTQ is an acronym meaning lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer.
The term sometimes is extended to LGBTQIA, to include intersex and asexual groups. Queer is an umbrella term for non-straight people; intersex refers to those whose sex is not clearly defined because of genetic, hormonal or biological differences; and asexual describes those who don’t experience sexual attraction. These terms may also include gender-fluid people, or those whose gender identity shifts over time or depending on the situation.

How did it start?
In the early hours of June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village, and began hauling customers outside. Tensions quickly escalated as patrons resisted arrest and a growing crowd of bystanders threw bottles and coins at the officers. New York’s gay community, fed up after years of harassment by authorities, broke out in neighbourhood riots that went on for three days.
The uprising became a catalyst for an emerging gay rights movement as organizations such as the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance were formed, modelled after the civil rights movement and the women’s rights movement. Members held protests, met with political leaders and interrupted public meetings to hold those leaders accountable. A year after the Stonewall riots, the nation’s first Gay Pride marches were held.

The criminalization of sex work and the LGBTQ+
The LGBTQ+ community still faces many challenges, including their disproportionate likelihood to face violence, harassment, and abuse. Here are the facts:

Members of the LGBTQ+ community often face hate crimes, and sexual assault was one of the most commonly reported hate crimes by LGBTQ+ individuals, according to studies collected by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
Almost half of all transgender people have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives, and these rates are even higher for trans people of color and those who have done sex work, been homeless, or have (or had) a disability.
Black trans women in particular face violence at disproportionate rates due to intersecting racial prejudice, sexism, and transphobia, according to the Harvard Civil Rights – Civil Liberties Law Review.
Sex workers aren’t always a part of the conversation about police brutality, but they should be. Police regularly target, harass, and assault sex workers or people they think are sex workers, such as trans women of colour. The police usually get away with the abuse because sex workers fear being arrested if they report. If we lived in a world that didn’t criminalize sex work, sex workers could better protect themselves and seek justice when they are harmed.

Protecting sex workers from police violence is just one of the reasons we need to decriminalize sex work. It would also help sex workers access health care, lower the risk of violence from clients, reduce mass incarceration, and advance equality in the LGBTQ community, especially for trans women of colour, who are often profiled and harassed whether or not we are actually sex workers. In 2020 the call for decriminalization has made progress, but there are still widespread misconceptions about sex work and sex workers that are holding us back. Some even think that decriminalization would harm sex workers.
Sex workers deserve the same legal protections as any other people. They should be able to maintain their livelihood without fear of violence or arrest, and with access to health care to protect themselves. We can bring sex workers out of the dangerous margins and into the light where people are protected and not targeted by the law.

Internet technologies have also enhanced sex workers’ safety by shifting work indoors and providing them with tools to screen their clients through background checks and consultations with other sex workers. Of course, internet technologies are not accessible to everyone and they also come with risks. Internet access is costly, and thus affluent sex workers are more able to access and benefit from online technologies than their less affluent peers. Alongside and linked to class disadvantages, there is growing evidence of racial stratification in online sex work, as those with white bodies are often more privileged and profitable, particularly in emerging sub-sectors of the industry like webcam modelling.

Arab nations go rainbow hunting
This June, several Arab nations launch campaigns specifically seeking to find and quash any support for the LGBTQ community. Lebanon was the latest nation to join the crackdown, with Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi issuing a letter a week ago to Lebanese security forces ordering them to break up any events that “promote” homosexuality.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry put out the message on social media last week that citizens should inform the government about any products adorned with a rainbow flag, so that officials could remove the offending products.

To avoid confusion, the ministry issued a guideline to differentiate between a “normal rainbow” and the LGBTQ rainbow. The “normal” rainbow has seven colors, it said, while the one that “violates public morals” has six colors, it said in its post, which carried a “participate in censorship” hashtag.
Saudi Arabian officials launched a nearly identical campaign earlier in June.
The Ministry of Commerce posted a video (below) on social media showing officials seizing rainbow-colored products, including toys, handbags and accessories, which they said carried “symbols and connotations that encourage homosexuality and contradict nature.”

The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association’s 2020 report on “State Sponsored Homophobia” around the world noted that Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon were among 69 nations that have laws banning homosexual acts.
Saudi Arabia, the report noted, was among six United Nations member states where “the death penalty is the legally prescribed punishment for consensual same-sex sexual acts.”
Helem (Arabic for Dream), an NGO that works in support of LGBTQ people across North Africa and Southwest Asia, said in a statement that it was “perplexing why, in a country whose citizens have no electricity, no medication, no access to clean water, and no social security, and 30% unemployment the minister thought to prioritize LGBTQ events as the biggest threat to national security.”
“The deliberate act of inciting moral sexual panic and targeting LGBTQ individuals is a very old, superficial, and commonly used tactic by failed regimes to draw attention away from economic and political disasters,” the organization said.

Selfcare & Sexual Wellness

TikTok: Influencer Valeria Márquez Shot Dead During Livestream, Investigations Point to Femicide and Possible Cartel Link

The brutal killing of 23-year-old beauty influencer Valeria Márquez during a livestream has sent shockwaves through Mexico and across social media, highlighting once again the country’s deep crisis of gender-based violence — and possibly revealing ties to organized crime.

Márquez, who had more than 100,000 followers on Instagram and a growing presence on TikTok, was live on camera from her beauty salon in Zapopan, Jalisco, when someone arrived at the door with a small parcel. Smiling, she opened the package on stream, revealing a stuffed animal. “He’s a little piglet!” she exclaimed, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder and addressing her fans with cheer.

Moments later, she was shot in cold blood. Viewers witnessed her slump over in her chair, blood pooling on the desk in front of her as the broadcast continued. The stream only ended when another person picked up her phone, their face briefly appearing on screen.

According to the Jalisco Attorney General’s Office, the attack is being investigated as a suspected femicide. A spokesperson stated that the suspect had arrived at the salon earlier that day, asking specifically for Márquez. He returned later, when she was present, and carried out the shooting.

Although the Prosecutor’s Office emphasized that the crime is not officially being investigated as cartel-related, other reports suggest a possible link. According to Milenio, authorities are also considering a revenge motive tied to Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, alias “El RR” or “El Tripa,” a leader in the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). Sources claimed that Márquez had previously been in a romantic relationship with “El RR,” and that the cartel figure became jealous over the luxury gifts she was receiving from fans on social media. This alleged personal conflict may have escalated into deadly violence.

The mayor of Zapopan, Juan José Frangie, confirmed that Márquez had never filed any complaints of threats or requested protection, including through Zapopan’s “Pulso de Vida” alert system. “There is no record of her requesting help — not from us, nor from the state prosecutor,” he stated to Informador MX.

Security officials are currently reviewing surveillance footage from the salon, and while information remains limited due to the ongoing investigation, authorities urged the public to allow time for due process.

The killing comes amid a disturbing wave of violence against women in Mexico. Just days before Márquez’s death, a mayoral candidate in Veracruz was also gunned down during a livestream, along with three others. According to Amnesty International, a quarter of all female homicides in Mexico are investigated as femicides, and every one of the country’s 32 states reported at least one such case in 2020.

Official data shows 847 femicides in 2023, and 162 more in just the first three months of 2024. In 2022, over 4,000 women were killed — 12% of all homicides in the country — yet Human Rights Watch reports that only 67% of cases result in a verdict, pointing to widespread impunity.

The suspect in Márquez’s case remains unnamed, and no formal cartel charges have been filed so far. But the tragic loss of another young woman, caught live in front of her audience, once again highlights the deadly intersections of misogyny, fame, and unchecked violence in Mexico.

Selfcare & Sexual Wellness

Imperfectly You Announces Free Membership Platform for Adult Industry Workers

United Kingdom, 02/04/2025 – Imperfectly You, an independent online platform dedicated to the well-being and professional growth of adult industry workers, has officially launched its free membership, available to all women and queer professionals working in the adult industry—online or in person.

Created by and for those in the industry, Imperfectly You brings together community, support, education, and events under one roof—creating a safe, empowering space where members can connect, thrive and grow.

Imperfectly You provides two membership options:

Free Membership – Provides access to the Community Hub and Industry Hub, offering a judgment-free space with peer support, trusted resources, industry-specific tools, and monthly community events.
Thrive & Grow Membership – A premium subscription at $14.99/month, including expert-led workshops, group coaching, exclusive events, and an extensive library of educational content. A 30-day free trial is available, with no credit card required.

“Our mission is to unite adult industry workers globally by providing a safe, supportive space for connection, resources, and growth.” said Emma, Founder of Imperfectly You. “We recognize the unique challenges faced in this industry, and our membership model ensures we can continue providing high-quality support and resources tailored to their needs.”

Imperfectly You collaborates with aligned brands, charities, and professionals that support adult industry workers to co-create a safer, happier, and more successful industry. All partnerships reflect the platform’s core values of connection, kindness, and support.

Membership is open to verified adult industry workers aged 18+. For those unable to verify, Imperfectly You Connect offers a way to stay informed through curated updates, services, and open events.

A safe space to be Imperfectly You – because perfect is boring!

To learn more, join or work with us, visit www.imperfectly-you.com

Name: Emma Martin

Email: [email protected]

Selfcare & Sexual Wellness

Legal to Sell, Illegal to Buy: The Paradox of France’s Prostitution Law

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on Thursday ruled that France’s criminalization of the sale and purchase of sexual acts/prostitution does not constitute a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Case Overview

The case, M.A. and Others v France was ruled unanimously. 261 applicants complained against Law no. 2016-444 of 13 April 2016, which aimed at criminalizing prostitution in France. This law intended to “strengthen the fight against the prostitution system and provide support to prostituted individuals.” Applicants relied on Articles 2, 3, and 8 of the ECHR for their case. These individuals argued that criminalizing the purchase of sexual acts affects the physical and mental integrity of individuals who commonly participate in prostitution and violates their right to private life, personal autonomy, and sexual freedom.

Legal Reasoning

The Court judged the applicants’ complaint principally based on Article 8 ECHR, which refers to the right to respect for everyone’s private and family life. According to the official document, interference with this right is unacceptable except when done “in accordance with the law and as is necessary for a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being.” The French Government submitted that the aim of Law no. 2016-444 was “combatting prostitution rings and human-trafficking networks,” which the Court considered a legitimate aim within the meaning of Article 8 ECHR.

Ethical Considerations and International Consensus

During the judgment, the ECtHR also referred to the moral and ethical “sensitivity” of the problems linked with prostitution. It specified the lack of consensus among the European and international community on how to address prostitution correctly. Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, in 2023, commented on French Law no. 2016-444. The Special Rapporteur argued in favor of the comprehensive approach taken by the law, stating:

“Far from ensuring access to the rights guaranteed by articles 2, 3, and 8 of the ECHR, the potential repeal of the criminalization of the purchase of sexual acts would further expose the most discriminated women and girls, who are the overwhelming majority in the sex trade, to the control, violence, and inhumane and degrading treatment of trafficking networks and sex buyers.”

Legal to Sell, Illegal to Buy

French law presents an unusual dynamic where it is legal to sell sex but illegal to buy it. This approach aims to reduce demand for prostitution while protecting those who may be forced into selling sex due to economic hardship or coercion. The logic is that by targeting buyers, the law reduces the market for prostitution, thereby decreasing the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

Ongoing Debate

Despite this ruling, the criminalization of prostitution remains a heated debate with conflicting opinions. The ECtHR held that France had not overstepped its discretion and did not violate Article 8 of the Convention. However, it emphasized the duty of the French Government to constantly review its legislation and amend the law as European and international standards evolve on the matter.

Conclusion

The ruling underscores the complexity of addressing prostitution through legal means. While France’s approach aims to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable individuals, it also faces criticism and demands for ongoing scrutiny and adjustment. The dichotomy of legalizing the sale but criminalizing the purchase of sex continues to be a contentious and ethically sensitive issue, reflecting broader global debates on the most effective and humane ways to handle prostitution.

Source: jurist.org