The Women’s March has gone around the bend. You might be thinking, “You just noticed?” but they’ve staked out a position that makes the hats look like a good idea. Many of you will know that Backpage.com was seized by the FBI last week amidst allegations of pimping and money laundering. For those of you not familiar with such things (and I assume that is most of you), Backpage.com is alleged to have been the leader in online ads for prostitution. And where there is prostitution there is human trafficking, our antiseptic 21st century euphemism for slavery.
The allegations against Backpage.com are at their most sordid when they describe the ads for children, sometimes sold by their parents. There are also the murders. Ashley McGuire does a good job describing the wincingly ugly story of Backpage and the world of sex trafficking here. But that’s not the point of this post. It’s the Women’s March’s response. They could not leap to Backpage’s defense fast enough, seemingly ignorant or indifferent to the reality of prostitution and human trafficking. What they call “sex work” is not “dignified” or “empowering.” It’s degrading, it’s dangerous, and more often than not it’s slavery.
. The shutting down of #Backpage is an absolute crisis for sex workers who rely on the site to safely get in touch with clients. Sex workers rights are women’s rights. Follow @SafeSpacesDC @melissagira @swopusa @KateDAdamo @supporthosechi @anaorsomething for more info. https://t.co/S3Orx3aM8Z
— Women's March (@womensmarch) April 7, 2018
Remember when feminists like Gloria Steinem and Bella Abzug rallied thousands of women against pornography?