A Defense of Prostitutes' Self-Organization

The article advocates for the decriminalization of prostitution as a necessary step toward empowering sex workers to self-organize and improve their working conditions. Drawing on personal experiences as a union organizer in the 1970s, the author highlights the shared struggles of women workers, including prostitutes, under exploitative capitalist systems. The article emphasizes the importance of recognizing prostitutes as workers deserving of labor rights and union representation, rather than viewing them solely as victims. It critiques the exclusion of sex workers from traditional labor organizing and argues that decriminalization would enable them to collectively address their exploitation and deconstruct oppressive conditions.