Together with Verein maiz, we look back on 2 October of last year, when we organized the conference “Thoughts on Sex Work: Perspectives on Self-Determination and De-stigmatization”, funded by CIVITATES – The European Democracy Fund. Within this framework, our annual LEFÖ educational seminar also took place.
The 12-hour conference included workshops on proactive media coverage of sex work in Austrian media, on the interconnections between migration and (structural) violence, and on raising awareness of the realities faced by trans* sex workers. The program was complemented by a panel discussion with representatives from PiA – Information and Counseling for Sex Workers, Red Edition Migrant sex workers Group Austria, AIDS Hilfe Wien, Verein maiz, and LEFÖ; a keynote address by Irena Fercíková Konečná, Member of Parliament for the Czech Green Party and former ESWA Senior Policy Consultant; as well as artistic interventions by the author and activist Ruby Rebelde and The Incredible, Edible Akynos.
The conference brought together sex workers, professionals from the healthcare and social services sectors, educators, and artists. Its aim was to promote knowledge exchange, awareness-raising, and networking. The discussions highlighted structural marginalization and stigmatization while simultaneously underscoring the need to continue existing struggles with consistency and determination.
Building on this conference, we jointly developed a fanzine together with Verein maiz, summarizing key themes and questions addressed during the event. The fanzine is available in German, English, and Spanish.
We warmly invite you to read the publication and to share it further!