10 Reasons for the sex workers to talk about sexual and reproductive rights|10 Razones para que las Trabajadoras Sexuales hablemos sobre derechos sexuales y reproductivos

Abstract

Despite SEX WORKERS, being women, found ourselves protected and sheltered by this wide range of rights, many times we are considered "impelled" to decide about ourselves and don’t have access to basic services (such as health care) or we face so much stigma as we face discrimination. This is why sex workers ask ourselves who are the people that can decide freely, when our decision to be sex workers is plagued with prejudice, pre-concepts and stigma. What about quality health care, when we are pointed out and discriminated against when we try to get medical attention? Why other people control the exercise of our sexuality? Do they know what the consequences are in our daily life because of the lack of regulation in our job? What is the acknowledgement of our autonomy for the people who think we are confused or lack capacity to choose what we want in our life? Why do they insist in condemning our work to secrecy? Public policies that include our speci c vindications, they do it from stigmatization or just focalizing in our genitals or the possibility to get or pass around STDs. In RedTraSex we understand how important it is to talk about sexual rights with an integral look, which includes not just consentuous sexual relations but full knowledge of our bodies, emotions and feelings. We want to vindicate our capacity to take care of ourselves, feel pleasure in different spaces, including the exercise of sexual work. When we carry out sexual work, we are exercising our right to liberty at the same time we exercise our sexual and reproductive rights. This means we have the right to a violence-free life and not being subdued to unsolicited medical treatments or interventions, as well as enjoying and preserving out intimacy.