(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #235 - Prostitution: The Rhinestones, union or lobby? (fr, pt)

Strass Union (sex work) derives its popularity among large sections of the radical left of 
the name of the union. Is it enough for many to name and for practices that come close? 
Let us take one side relative to the ideological debate that opposes the abolitionists - 
including AL - to wonder about these practices and what they have - or not - a union. ---- 
A syndicate of prostitute-es, it seems to fall under the senses. Organize in a union, it 
is the first act that people can take to resist exploitation they suffer in the activity 
from which they derive their income. This is indeed a concrete answer, pragmatic and class 
struggle oppression, repression, stigma and violence that prostitute es suffer. Hence the 
popularity of Strass in circles of the radical left.

Militate Strass, a matter of ideas

Without returning to the debates opposing the Strass and abolitionists - including AL - 
struggling against the abuse of prostitute-es, by the State, pimps and customers, while 
aiming at the abolition of prostitution, it s 'here is the question of practice. Strass is 
the union continuity of the association The Hookers, founded by activists came es Act Up. 
Strass, as the Hookers before it, therefore excels in this Act Up does best, namely 
agitprop: impose the inclusion in the public sphere on the basis of denunciations flood of 
a problem or a stigmatized population. This makes it a union, as he proclaims?

On its website [ 1 ], and is found mostly to start a lot about his political positions: a 
Charter, rules, statutes, the "positions Strass" ... When the organization presents 
itself, it is also to focus on his ideology, before ending by stating briefly: " ? We 
inform directly travailleurSEs sex on their rights and how to assert them, going to meet 
them and in making available in different languages, fact sheets. We strive to advise and 
support them in their efforts ? . " The site has indeed an address to contact in case of 
violence, including to receive support in legal action, and a section on "Our Rights" - 
but what is surprising for a union, n is not longer provided.

Activists of Rhinestones are primarily known for their hyperactivity on the internet press 
releases, work on social networks ... most often to tackle the abolitionists (es nicknamed 
"abos") assumed es responsible for all the evils of the prostitute-es. The organization is 
also involved in many feminist and LGBT unit initiatives and practiced fluently ultimatum 
vis-?-vis abolitionist organizations: Strass not sign if its slogans are not included in 
the call, even when the subject of the application is not that of prostitution.

In its current form, the practices of Strass identify more with those of a lobby leading a 
battle of opinion - in this case, given the current, against the criminalization of 
customers - as it is for union, concrete tool for workers.

Customers or bosses?

Strass could answer that it is only when the prostitute-es have the same rights as workers 
they will take industrial battles to make. But it is his choice of targets is troubling. 
To make an analogy, is that trade unionists who direct their protest strategy around 
improving working conditions believe that their first enemies are those who prefer to 
discuss now the abolition of wage labor? No, because in both cases, the target, are the 
bosses. In contrast, it took customers reveal their true colors through the "Manifesto of 
the 343 bastards" published in Talker, against the criminalization of clients, with a bevy 
of reactionary figures for the Strass provide a clear analysis of the position of 
customers vis-?-vis the prostitute-es. Until there is little his site had a section "Our 
customers love us" with messages of clients - we could hardly find on the site of a 
workers' union trade. Today Strass replies, " your opportunity to be customers is proof 
of economic and symbolic power you have in this patriarchal society and capitalist "[ 2 ] ...

Who speaks Strass?

The Strass is a small segment of those who officiate in "liberal" and are not under the 
control of a pimp or a network - not all prostitute-es. From this point of view, the 
notion of "sex workers" on which it relies mask two realities. First, it puts the sale of 
his body in assimilating the sale of its labor force. Then it treats the activity of 
employee-es that persons exercising their account. This does not mean that people who are 
not employed would never exploited, nor should organize to defend themselves - one thinks, 
for example, the movement of peasants. But this requires the definition of the source of 
this operating differently. In this case, it comes from the dictates imposed by those who 
purchase, and the balance of forces that is built with them. In this context, the battle 
against the criminalization of clients is amazing, and returns to join in rather a defense 
of free enterprise.

This, Strass conceals a set of tricks sleight communicative. Howl at the murder of 
prostitute-es when typing on the client, the consum-actor, for example. Or do we believe 
combines feminism and prostitution defense system with a speech about freedom. The radical 
verb and attitudes come here maintain a confusion between free enterprise liberal and 
libertarian freedom.

For us libertarians, there is no question of condoning the lives of prostitute-es, and as 
regards violence against women it is clear that protective legislative framework falls 
under emergency. At the same time, demand laws often used in the feminist movement to 
compensate for the lack of a real collective dynamics, and we do not intend to either 
maintain the illusion that this will put an end to prostitution. What remains to be built, 
there are collective struggles over feminism, but also on the question of income, access 
to care, paper, etc..

Ella (AL Saint-Denis) & Pierrot (AL Tours)

[ 1 ] www.Strass-syndicat.org

[ 2 ] Tribune Morgane Merteuil, secretary general of Strass, published on October 30, 2013 
lexpress.fr.