In recognition of Sex Worker Appreciation Day (July 21st), SWOP-Seattle will be hosting several events, one of which is a panel discussion entitled Sex Workers In Society: The Unsung Wisdom & Societal Contributions of Erotic Services Providers. It is critical to us that we share the perspectives of people who experience the services of sex workers, as a discussion on this topic is incomplete without this side of the story.

Clients of Sex Workers: We Want to Hear From You!
If you are currently or have been a client of strippers, webcam models, escorts, sensual touch providers, sacred intimates, Pro-Dommes, or other types of sex workers, we would like to invite you to share your perspectives in our upcoming panel. In a time when all clients are being painted as monstrous, abusive “Johns”, we are hoping to dispel harmful stereotypes, and shed the light of humanity on this misunderstood topic.

There are two ways you can participate:

1. In Person as a Panelist (panel will be July 20, 21, or 22…exact date TBD)
Ideally, we would have at least one client who will speak to their experience. We will do everything we can to make this a safe space for you, including forbidding recording of any kind, and planning questions or statements with you ahead of time. We are accustomed to protecting our sex worker community members who come out to speak, and we will do the same for you. If you would like to discuss this opportunity with us, please contact Savannah at events@swop-seattle.org,

2. With a Written Statement (deadline for submission July 19th)
To show the diversity of people and reasons why people solicit sex workers, we are accepting written statements from people, which will be read throughout the panel by the moderator. If you would like to send in an anonymous statement, please choose to answer one or several of the questions below, and email them to Savannah at events@swop-seattle.org.

If you choose to do a written statement, please make it no longer than 200 words. These will be read out loud, and we want to make sure to have time for everyone’s statements.

Questions (answer as many or as few as you like)

— What is your experience with sex workers, and how have these experiences effected you?
— What has been your motivation for seeing sex workers?
— How are you effected by the laws and societal views surrounding prostitution and other forms of adult entertainment?
— If you were not able to engage in the adult industry anymore, how do you think you would be effected?
— Tell us about yourself. What type of person are you? How do you identify?
— Is there anything else you would like to say?

Email your answers to to Savannah at events@swop-seattle.org

Thank you to everyone who chooses to participate in the project. Thank you to everyone who forwards this to a potential participant. Together, we can help change stereotypes, and educate the public on this complex issue.

About the Panel
The exact date of the panel has TBD, but will be on July 20, 21, or 22.
The time of the panel will hopefully be 7-9pm
The exact location of the panel is still being secured, but it will be in a public venue and advertised to the public. We accept donations at these events and sell books, hand out educational materials. All donations got to SWOP-Seattle.

The audience will likely be a mix of sex work supporters, college students, people seeking to expand their understanding of sex work, current and retired sex workers, and people who have overlapping interest in LBGTQ, labor, and human rights as well as sexuality. We will actively reach out to a handful of journalists who have been interested in covering sex work in their writing, as well as any civic officials who we think could benefit from the conversations.

Below is a working panel description, which may be tailored slightly depending on who the panelists end up being: