Sapho Lesbian Party, South Australia, 2006

In January 2006 Scarlet Alliance recieved a complaint from a sex worker who was excluded from a lesbian party in South Australia on the basis of her sex work status. Scarlet Alliance takes issues of discrimination very seriously and urges any sex worker who has experienced discrimination to consider reporting it. Anti-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Commissions exist in all states and territories, and we advise sex workers to also inform their local sex worker organisation and Scarlet Alliance (link to our contact details) about any complaints that are lodged. If you feel unable to make the complaint yourself due to confidentiality or privacy issues, you can anonymously inform Scarlet Alliance of incidents of discrimination and we shall pass the information onto the relevant commission, without any identifying features, to ensure your privacy is protected.

Photo of Scarlot Harlot, Prostesting for Equal Rights, at the San Fransisco Sex Worker Cultural and Film Festival, 2005. Photo by J. Fawkes

----- Original message -----

Xxxxxxx X Xxxxxx wrote: I am a south australian lesbian, not so active on the dyke scene these days, and have just split up from a long term relationship. I am really hoping to meet some other lesbians and make a new social circle, because the relationship I have come out of was all consuming and I have been left quite devastated and without many lesbian contacts.

I would really like to come to the Sapho party, please send me more information. I am aware that it will be "tight knit" so to speak (word is that it is only being passed on by word of mouth!) and wanted to say up front that I am a sex industry worker and hope that that will be ok.

I do not expect everyone there to welcome me, but wanted to email yourselves as organisers first to make sure that you would be accepting of an out sex worker to attend your lesbian event.

Many thanks, please email me more information,

XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX xxxxx@xxxx.com.au

------ Reply ---------

From: "Sappho sappho" To: "Xxxxxx X Xxxxxx" Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2006 23:58:10 +1100 (EST) Subject: Re: lesbian event in south australia

I am sorry Xxxxxxx, I don't think this is an appropriate event for you, where you would be welcomed. you could try contacting Befriend, details will be in Blaze,as a way to make new lezzo contacts in adel. sappho needs wimen she doesn't know to be recommended to her by someone she does know. i wish you all the best

From Sappho with love

The Scarlet Alliance Executive are in the process of writing a letter to the South Australian Equal Opportunity Commission about Sapho. Watch this space for more developments!

Links

updated 14 March 2006