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

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

Selfcare & Sexual Wellness

Le Shaw teams up with Woodhull Freedom Foundation to champion sexual rights and freedom

Le Shaw, the International Sexual Health and Wellness Research Institute, is thrilled to announce its new collaboration with the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, an organization dedicated to advocating for sexual freedom as a fundamental human right. Named after suffragist Victoria Woodhull, the foundation focuses on challenging sexual repression and advocating for the rights and freedoms of all individuals.

Through this partnership, le Shaw will support Woodhull’s mission with its research capabilities and commitment to sex-positive principles. Their joint efforts will advance the dialogue around sexual rights, promote a culture of sexual liberation and human dignity, and help build a more equitable and informed society.

Bobbi Bidochka, Director of le Shaw, was excited to start working together: “The Woodhull Freedom Foundation’s commitment to sexual freedom resonates deeply with our mission at le Shaw. Together, we will work to dismantle the barriers of sexual repression and promote a more inclusive and respectful understanding of sexual rights as fundamental human rights.”

For more information about le Shaw and its partnership with the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, please contact bobbi.bidochka@byborgenterprises.com.

Latest News

Etsy Bans Adult Toys and Accessories

Etsy, the popular e-commerce platform, will no longer allow the sale of adult toys and sexual accessories. The company announced this policy change in a recent memo, sparking frustration and anger among its loyal vendors. Starting July 29, Etsy will remove listings for sex toys such as dildos, vibrators, and similar products, as well as items depicting sexual acts, genitalia, or sexually charged slogans related to familial relationships like “daddy” or “mommy.”

Alice Wu, head of Etsy’s trust and safety team, stated the policy was updated to “keep our users safe.” However, vendors have criticized the decision as “lazy” and a “crushing disappointment.”

“The ban will essentially close the doors of many handmade makers in the adult toy realm like ourselves,” said Preston Stevenson, an Etsy vendor, in an interview with The Guardian. For small shops like his, which have invested significant time on Etsy, the 30 days’ notice is insufficient to transition to a new platform with similar traffic and exposure.

Stevenson and his partner Laura Norden, who have been selling handmade sex toys since 2018, expressed concern that their site traffic will not recover if they move to another platform. “Bans like this one further the idea that sexual health and pleasure are taboo or something to be ashamed of,” he added. “It has broader impacts on society as a whole.”

Alexandra Houston, founder of the UK-based fetish apparel platform Charmskool, criticized Etsy for catering to the mass market instead of remaining loyal to its users. “Etsy wants anything creative as long as it is beige and middle of the road. It doesn’t want anything risqué anymore,” Houston told The Guardian, noting an increase in former Etsy vendors migrating to Charmskool.

Simply Elegant Glass, another affected vendor, penned an open letter to Etsy on Twitter, condemning the company for its “lazy solution” under the guise of community safety. “Protecting children from adult content is a noble interest, and we agree it should be pursued. But that’s not what you’re doing here, is it?” the vendor wrote, arguing that a blanket ban is an easy fix for non-compliance issues Etsy created. “It’s a solution that targets buyer retention and appeases investors and advertisers.”

The transition to other platforms is complicated by many payment processors’ refusal to work with vendors advertising adult toys. Anna, founder of Simply Elegant Glass, told the BBC she feels “betrayed” by Etsy’s new policies. “As creators who have helped make Etsy what it is and remained loyal for years, we feel betrayed,” she said, advocating for explicit labeling of sexual products rather than an outright ban.

According to Anna, a large portion of their profits came from Etsy sales, and moving to a new e-commerce site would be like starting from scratch. Other vendors echoed her concerns, worried that new platforms may not generate enough income.

“It’s like having your house burnt down,” Houston said, reflecting on the difficulties of establishing a new business presence after relying on Etsy for years.

This decision by Etsy is not only a business challenge for vendors but also raises questions about societal views on sexual health and pleasure. Many see the ban as a step backward, reinforcing outdated taboos and stigmas.
This decision by Etsy is not only a business challenge for vendors but also raises questions about societal views on sexual health and pleasure. Many see the ban as a step backward, reinforcing outdated taboos and stigmas.

Source: BBC