Women Power

This was originally written in Spanish and posted on August 08.

The conference seemed divided into two camps: the "serious" and cientific one and the social and community oriented one. It the bus I heard that there are many reaserchers that say they don't want to return to these conferences because "they are too social and not that scientific". For me thats the problem with researchers: they wish to separate a disease from those who have it and that is why I think there isn't more suport to microbicides and new means of protection. In fact, the posibility to connect with people from all over the world, activists and hear about prevention and education was what I liked the most about the conference. I spent most of my time in the cultural and social area, known as the Global Village. And at the Global Village I spent most of my time listening to a team of women who taught me very much about equity, human rights, prevention and self-esteem.

Among the sex workers what I saw was a cult to women: to their ability to choose what is best for her, and not just chose what society decides is good for them. Every day they face prejudices that determine that women need to escape sex work and "learn other trades"... while other job opportunities don´t pay the same, women from all over the world will continue to choose risking their lives as illegal workers than face the absurd exploitation in sweatshops, where not only will they be mistreated, but also will receive starving wages.

The most amazing moments for me were specifically 3: in the DASPU fashion show of the Brazilian prostitutes, in the theatre performance of Honey Bee Special and in the closing event where Mariko Passion sang. These sex workers and Brazilian prostitues come in all forms, shapes and sizes. It goes against everything that we as women are taught: that to attract men we have to be thin, blonde, big breasted and seen and not heard as well as dressed to impress. And well, no. They are sexy and pretty and they don't conform to any standard. They live on offering their sexual services, people pay them for their company, for their skills and to spend some hours with them. On top of that, they are activists constantly educating their peers and the community on information regarding human rights and health. They laugh in the face of conventions that constantly reminds women what our place in society is: always as a second class citizen and in the shadow of others, alient to what happens to our bodies, with men in power deciding what is best for us: whether abortion, contraception, sexual education, whether we are allowed or not to use miniskirts in public and in government offices. I admire them.

I admire the strength by which they defend their work, their life choices and they fight to decriminalize their work. Because not only is their job tough, they have to fight against discrimination, police, the stigma because of what they do, and no one ever points a finger at their clients. I also admire my newfound trans friends, because they are victims of even tougher discrimination on top of what biological women receive. Because if there is something I learned during these days are that human rights are for all. For all. All.

Diversity

06/08/2008

Originally posted on August 06th 2008.

It was like being at a gay disco. Condoms and margaritas, music, drag queens, transexuals, sex workers and every once in a while a plate with appetizers to dilute the tequila. Only that it was a party organized by the Open Society Institue of the SOROS foundation for the grantees of their program.

A musical group with harp and mandolins and guitars livened up the party, and I guess I could assume that it was the strangest party where these musicians had played, with Cambodian activists breakdancing to the rhythm of rancheras.

This conference has been a series of new discoveries. There are things about HIV-AIDS that I had never thought were important. There are also attitudes that are hard to understand about people who are at this conference: one would assume that an ally to the HIV-AIDS cause would have a broader mind when listening to sex workers speak out on their own about how they consider sex work just that... another job and not about exploitation and sex trade. One thing is one thing and another is another. But you can also find prudes here who can't understand how to deal with that situation.

For example: at the Hotel Sevilla where I am staying, they segregated the area in the dining room for conference delegates. The reason they gave? "Other guests are feeling uncomfortable with delegates for fear of catching something." This was told third hand, because I haven't even gotten close to the dining room and I haven't experienced this myself. This afternoon I feel I should go and ask to see what happened and what reasons they'll give. But what did happen is that the conference guests who faced this changed hotel. They made that decision in a city where there isn't a single room available in any hotel, so I don't think it was made lightly. [Edit: I asked around and other guests didn't feel any discrimination, so it could've been bad luck and a misinformed employee]

Now that I was walking into the Global Village, the laid back and personal area of the event, there was a protest right on the walkway. On one side, a handful of youth with signs stating that condom usage had not diminished the rates of HIV infection, but abstinence had. At the other end of the walkway, the youth groups, the sex workers and other allies where yelling out that they were responsible for their bodies, no one else, and yes to condoms and protection. The first group didn't take long to go on their way and try to find another area where they could manifest.

On the other hand, I experience my own prejudices when I see so much activism in favor for human rights for drug addicts living with HIV, or the rights of HIV positive people to have children in spite of the risk of passing it on. Their arguments are absolutely valid when stating that having this disease doesn't take away their humanity, nor their wishes, dreams and aspirations of their lives, and that they don't wish to be defined by a factor like their decision. And well, everyone, regardless of the decisions they make are human, and have rights that should be protected. And so it happens that many times people with HIV-AIDS have no access to medication for palliative care and pain management.

Still, I walk into these talks with skepticism, but I walk out convinced that they are right. Only that one never hears about these issues. Is like the problem is someone elses. Something that has become very clear about this conference is that ALL of us are at risk. ALL. Those of us who are monogamous and have a stable partner as well. Because one never knows. One believes one knows a person until one realizes that they gave you something. But at least know I know better to think that getting HIV is the end of the world. Because what I´ve seen while here are so many positive role models for positive people. So many people who work really hard for other people's rights, so that everyone can have access to life-saving medication, to health, to a decent job, free of discrimination. So many people who haven't let themselves go because of a diagnosis. People who have looked for a way out to being able to live with a condition that has yet no cure. And I can't help but admire them.

AIDS Conference 2008

02/08/2008

Originally posted in Spanish on August 2nd 2008

Well, here I am, in Mexico City receiving an impressive amount of information which I digest little by little. There are so many facets to the HIV-AIDS issue that I didn't even imagine. I'm in some kind of informational shock, I listen, write, think and talk.

One of the topics that have interested me the most from what I've heard is regarding sex workers and the work they do regarding HIV-AIDS prevention. Sitting here it is hard to think of anyone remaining with any sort of prejudice. These women are hands on, informed, brave and making their jobs get recognition.

It has been a few years since I met one of Sweetie's friends (character in this blog circa the end of 2006) who worked in one of the hotels downtown, hitting on gringos for hefty amounts of money and travel to touristic destinations in our country. This first contact with prostitution that close and told first hand removed several of the cobwebs in my mind, and today they were absolutely erradicated.

The priceless moment was when a woman from Kenya asked Gabriela Leite, sex worker from Brazil and founder of the clothing brand Daspu, why she was in prostitution. She simply replied: that question is never asked of people who work as lawyers, engineers or psychologists. It is only done to us. You ask if we were to receive enough money to maintain ourselves if we wouldn't prostitute ourselves, but we work as any other professional. Of course it is for the money, as any trade is. There is no one working out there to give away their money to others, they all do it because they need money to maintain themselves. And it is also for pleasure, just as any other job. Ask any engineer if they have days when they don't feel like working, or they feel so many years of study were worth it, and they probably have. We have good days as well. What we want is to remove the stigma related to this job, and that which makes people feel justified to ask us why.

Hats off.