willambelli:

smithya1333:

when it’s the end of the night and u already drunk af and u just wanna go home but ur group orders another round of shots

a new never not reblog for me

thorgyorgy:

ifuckinglovestvincent:

St. Vincent

By Maarten de Boer

For American Way Magazine

nemesissy:

workingitinportland:

gayberniesanders:

I don’t see a lot of post here about this so I’m writing one hastily. Basically a bill called FOSTA just passed in the House today. The bill is supposedly to punish websites that knowingly or unknowingly host content promoting sex trafficking. However they changed the language to allow the federal government to prosecute any website that hosts content promoting prostitution/sex work. 

That means:

*No advertising platforms like Backpage that allowed us to work inside, stay safe, and spend more time with our children
*No bad date lists or screening websites like VerifyHim
*No peer platforms like Tits and Sass 
*No sharing information on how to screen and stay safe. That includes giving referrals. We won’t be able to ask for or give other workers referrals!  
*Mainstream platforms like Twitter preemptively banning sex workers

And no, this does not keep trafficking victims safe either. Backpage and other online platforms have been crucial tools in identifying trafficking victims. This bill is to fuck over sex workers and to chill free speech. 

Sex workers and allies, we’re fucked as shit if this bill passes and Trump signs it (he tweeted in support of the bill and so did Ivanka). We MUST stop this bill in the Senate. To do that, we need to call our senators NOW. 

- Get your senators’ numbers here: https://callyourrep.co/ And use this script from Support Ho(s)e:

“Hi, my name is ___and I live in ___(city in district). I’m calling to urge Congressperson ______to vote NO on #FOSTA, House Bill 1865 because it infringes on online free speech and community harm reduction practices.”

- If you’re lazy (like me) you can even text RESIST to 50409 and the RESIST bot will deliver your message to your senators

graphic from National Center for Transgender Equality

See this article from Broadly for more information on FOSTA: https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/7x7m3x/controversial-online-trafficking-bill-will-endanger-sex-workers-advocates-say

@workingitinportland @sexworkerhelpfuls

Thanks for writing this! I keep spacing on posting about it but it’s REALLY important, my friends and followers. PLEASE call!

Again: a good tack to take is to stress the free speech/chilling effect component, and EFF has good talking points on that here

(You can also stress, if it doesn’t make you sick to your stomach, that a lot of anti-trafficking experts are also not happy about this bill)

androgyne-enjolras:

bangawang:

anxietyparty:

I hate when straight people talk about how we “should never assume anyone is gay!!” based on appearance/mannerism/behaviour/anything

But they never talk about how assuming everyone is straight is harming people!!!

Not letting us talk about gay aesthetics and traditions and culture is just another way to silence and isolate us :)

It’s so disingenuous, too. Like…I know I look gay, okay? I get called out and harassed by strangers all the time over my appearance. And I do most of it on purpose! This isn’t some high school movie ugly duckling narrative; lesbians aren’t awkward wallflowers wishing desperately that they could look like straight girls, if only they’d ever learned how. As if we could escape being taught! I’m a grown adult and I choose to look this way.

If you really don’t think there’s anything wrong with being gay, why do you think it’s the polite thing to pretend you don’t see it, especially since it’s how I wish to be seen?

This is such a good post, my god. Sometimes I feel so guilty for recognizing other queer folks by picking up the signals - aka, “assuming based on stereotypes” - but the reality is that most of us who do have those signs and signals are intentionally coding to find each other and be ourselves visibly and loudly.