On a Spoken Word Kick

I've kinda been on a spoken word kick lately. I really don't know what has gotten into me. I've had crazy bouts of creativity with various things that slowly fizzle away. I remember being on a drawing kick in my early 20's but haven't been able to find that in myself again since. I also went through a small period of painting. Oh well. I'll squeeze all I can out of this. Maybe this one will stick.




This one entitled, "You & Your So Called Freedoms" was inspired by someone I happened to be sharing internet space with when they said,

"illegals are a threat to our freedoms."

Of course; as a Mexica woman, I recognized this for what it was right away.

This one is about the street harassment every woman has to put up with at some time in her life.

Well when it rains it pours. Next, I was inspired to write about "Modern Female Sexual Frustration."

This one has definitely been the been the closest to my heart. I learned a little about myself and what it is about feminism that appeals to me.

This was actually the first one I wrote but wasn't sure about it till I uploaded the others. At one time sex workers were respected and their goddess; Ishtar, was loved. Will she ever reign again?

Scarlet Road A Sex Workers Journey

I uploaded a documentary about Touching Base; an organization of sex workers who provide sexual services to the disabled. The description from their website is as follows: Our Principles

In 1979, the decriminalisation of sex work in New South Wales (NSW) Australia recognized sex work as a lawful occupation. The Sex Industry has a wealth of practical knowledge in dealing with a wide range of sexual issues and has the right to be respected and consulted as the primary stakeholders in any matters relating to the provision of sexual services in NSW. As the initiators of the Touching Base Project, sex workers in NSW are actively pursuing this right.

People with a disability have an intrinsic right to sexual expression. This right enables people to develop relationships, have sex, explore and express their sexuality and achieve intimacy without personal or systemic barriers. Furthermore, necessary personal and systemic supports must be provided for the expression of this right.

Please enjoy the four part series below and if so inspired, DONATE!









I'm going to close this post with a the song, "Tell Him" sung by Esperanza Spalding. I find myself inspired to listen to it when I am moved by the compassion of others or feel the need to inspire such compassion in myself. Thank you for visiting my blog.

Whores aren't insults, THEY'RE PEOPLE!

Well Cenk Uygur of TheYoungTurks flipped his lid the other day and; in my opinion, insulted sex workers in the process by calling Grover Norquist "a filthy scum WHORE!"


(See video below)





Whores are not insults

THEY'RE PEOPLE!

Good people with lives and loved ones. They have children, husbands, wives and dreams. I am shocked at how out of their way people will go to defend using a word that describes so many people I care about as an insult to others. I can understand this position coming from someone who DOESN'T claim to support sex worker's rights but coming from someone who does, NO!

(Please follow Milissa Gira Grant on twitter)

This fight isn't just about policy it's about stigma. Part of the battle is convincing the average person that NO a whore WON'T do anything for a buck. This belief has been the basis of court cases like this one, where the rape of a sex worker was ruled as simply theft of services. The rational behind rulings like this is that if she was given enough money there would have been nothing she wouldn't have done anyway so it's just a theft. But it's NOT theft! IT'S RAPE! Thinking like this is what keeps sex workers who are raped from reporting it or seeking justice. I will also add that the common anti (antis are people who take a prohibitionist stance on prostitution and/or support full criminalization or the Swedish Model) practice of co-opting sex worker's stories and using them to push laws that are counter to sex worker's rights is another.



So why the protectiveness of using "whore" as an insult? Well, for one people seem to think I don't understand that the word "whore" has many meanings...which is laughable.

Some of them come off as if I'm attacking Freedom of Speech. Did I attack Freedom of Speech? No. I CHALLENGED speech and it is within my Freedom of Speech to do so. People say the meanings of words change over time and yet expect me not to make a conscious effort to be a part of this process. It's as if they expect me to submit to the way things are in society. Well I have news for them. I am a sex worker's rights ADVOCATE! It is not within my nature to just submit to the way things are in society. I will continue to challenge anti-sex worker legislation. I will continue to challenge the stigma connected to sex work and sex workers themselves. And I will continue to challenge uses of the word whore that empower that stigma. If you are someone who intends on following my work you should probably get used to that...or go elsewhere.

I'm A Whore...

Don't approve of me...I must be a whore

Don't agree with me...I must be a whore

Can't have me...I must be a whore

Or maybe you can...then I'm definitely a whore


You're smarter then me...I'm a dumb whore

But I proved that you're not...”Whatever whore!”

And men like me...unquestionably a whore

And to the ones that don't...I am always a whore.


“Whore”
to put me at odds with myself.


“Whore”
to make me hate myself.


“Whore”
the only weapon of a world who's control over me is slipping away.

A weapon to shame.

to blame.

A weapon to silence
& stigmatize.

Men calls me a whore
when they can not control or enjoy my pleasures for free.

Woman call me a whore
when I will not bow the the agenda she has for me.

“Whore” gets its power only from my fear.

Whore.....Whore.....Whore.....Whore

.....Whore................Whore

...becomes just a strange sound with no meaning.


Call me what you will.

Your words have no power over me.

I refuse to live in fear of the judgments you pass on me.

I AM A WHORE

I AM A WHORE

I AM A WHORE

And I'm not going to fear your words anymore.

Stigma This...Stigma That

Stigma (noun) 1. a mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain or reproach, as on one's reputation.


With elections soon underway there are the usual dirty tactics, attack adds & using various forms of stigma against political opponents. This I'm sure comes as no surprise to anyone reading this but two cases of stigma shaming have stood out to me in particular.


First, 28-year-old, Democratic Congressional hopeful Krystal Ball of Virginia has been experiencing a great deal of "slut shaming" lately. Pictures were released on the internet of her sucking on a reindeer dildo that was on her then husbands face at a Christmas party as well as leading him around on a leash.


These pictures are not explicit, just a young married couple being flirtatious and playful the way young couples do. Yet, such a big deal has been made about them by conservative pundits and her opposition alike you'd thing she was blowing the football team! "The stigma of Whore" I call this. Making a woman out to be lustful and over sexualizing her in order to discredit anything she does or stands for.


Then there is Rand Paul. Don't get it twisted! I do NOT support Rand Paul's politics but I do support him in this. An attack add came out trying to paint him as a (better have your kids leave the room)

GODLESS ATHEIST!

Which horrible tool of the religious right would do such a thing you ask? Well, shamefully it's Democrat, Jack Conway. I couldn't be more disappointed & neither could Claire McCaskill. She said

"This ad is a very dangerous ad because it reaches back to college."

You know what I HAVEN'T seen? I have yet to find a popular publication that stated what I'm sure anyone reading this who is an Atheist is thinking...

So what if he WAS an Atheist?!?

Anybody ever think of THAT? I'm thoroughly disappointed with the supposed "Liberal Media" for failing to take that position. It seems like everyone is so busy trying to get elected and not alienate the religious masses that they are afraid to call this what it is.

Stigmatization of "Godless" people.

Which is why it is so fitting that another definition for stigma is



2. marks resembling the wounds of the crucified body of Christ, said to be supernaturally impressed on the bodies of certain persons, esp. nuns, tertiaries, and monastics.