1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha. I'm welcome to stuff 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:20,440 Speaker 1: I never told your protection of iHeartRadio, and today I'm 3 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: going to be running through something that just I was 4 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: curious about, caught my eye, saw it in headlines. But 5 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: quick content learning. We are talking about some sex work 6 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: stuff and some weirdness people have around sex work stuff, 7 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: but nothing too serious at all. The date, because this 8 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: is a changing situation, is April seventh, twenty twenty three. 9 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: And Samantha, if you don't mind, I'm just gonna run through, 10 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: let's go. I need, I need, I need to be updated. Yes, 11 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: all right, So you might have heard about the sex 12 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,319 Speaker 1: workers strike in Amsterdam, and we are going to break 13 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: it down here briefly, but I think we should do 14 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: a whole episode exploring the history of what brought us here, 15 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: and definitely if anyone has more information, is there works 16 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: in the industry, please reach out, because that's one of 17 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: the key things is often missing from these conversations is 18 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: the voice of the sex workers who are actually going 19 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:23,039 Speaker 1: to be impacted. So just let us know. But here's 20 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: the basics of what's going on. So, in an effort 21 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:31,479 Speaker 1: to rebrand from their go wild reputation, Amsterdam's go wild reputation, 22 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:35,119 Speaker 1: going as far to tell drunk British tourists to quote, 23 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: stay home. Amsterdam is putting in place new rules around 24 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: things like travel, like especially like short term travel or 25 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: cheap travel, lodging, alcohol, cannabis, and sex workers. So here's 26 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: a quote. According to CNN, new rules for sex workers 27 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: come into force on April first, according to officials, requiring 28 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 1: Amsterdam's sex work businesses to close their doors at three 29 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: am other than six am, to combat what local authorities 30 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: describe as nuisance behavior by people visiting the red Light district. 31 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: And just because I was like, huh, that's interesting, here's 32 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: another quote from CNN from that same CNN article about 33 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: their ad campaigns. The ad campaigns coming out of Amsterdam. 34 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: The City Council has also introduced several campaigns, including the 35 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: Stay Away campaign, which initially targeted young British men by 36 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: triggering a video advertisement that warns of antisocial behavior if 37 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: they search for terms such as stag party Amsterdam, cheap 38 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:40,119 Speaker 1: hotel Amsterdam, or pub call Amsterdam. A spokesperson for Amsterdam's 39 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: Deputy mayor, Sofion mcbarkie, I'm so sorry if I butchered 40 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: that and the campaign said the campaign started in the 41 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: UK because quote part of this group is strongly represented 42 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,839 Speaker 1: in the nightlife in the city center, accompanied with more 43 00:02:54,880 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: than average nuisance behavior. So this whole thing is a 44 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: part of a move to relocate sex workers to a 45 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: quote erotic center outside of the city. Government officials have 46 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: said things like the moves are to make the city 47 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: more quote livable, but sex workers argue that they are 48 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: being unfairly discriminated against and being used as a scapegoat 49 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: for the city's issues around mass tourism. A former Amsterdam 50 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,679 Speaker 1: sex worker and current chairperson of red Light United, which 51 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 1: is a union for window workers in the red light district, 52 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: says that the lost hours being proposed here will reduce 53 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: income for these sex workers, which in turn will make 54 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: it harder to afford renting window rooms and taxi ride homes, 55 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 1: which is a question of safety because they brought up 56 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: a lot of points about around, like walking home versus 57 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: riding home, leaving at three am when it's dark there 58 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: are people around, versus leaving at six am when there 59 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: are more people around. The business being largely cash based, 60 00:03:57,840 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: so many workers are carrying a lot of cash on 61 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: them and they're kind of a target because of that. 62 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: Most window workers don't start working until midnight when the 63 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: bars are shutting down, which gives them only a few 64 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: hours to work under these new regulations. Another sex worker, 65 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: who is also a coordinator for the Prostitution Information Center, 66 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: says that the move will disproportionately hurt the trans community 67 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: since many of the clients who come in from three 68 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 1: to six am specifically request trans workers. And as always, 69 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: as I mentioned, one of the big issues here, especially 70 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: when it comes to sex workers, we've had a lot 71 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,039 Speaker 1: of episodes about this is that these regulations are being 72 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: made without having serious conversations with the people who will 73 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: be affected. And yes, on top of this, the city 74 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 1: council is making moves to shut down window establishments entirely 75 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: in the Red Light District and relocate them to what 76 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 1: they're calling in an erotic center. At a meeting where 77 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: they were discussing location options, a group of protesting sex 78 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: workers interrupted. One of them handed the mayor petition signed 79 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: by two hundred and sixty six sex workers requesting more 80 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,799 Speaker 1: security in the Red Light District as opposed to reduced 81 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:11,559 Speaker 1: hours work hours for sex workers. The mayor has argued 82 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: previously that tourist see window workers in the Red Light 83 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: District as a tourist attraction only, and that the Erotic 84 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: Center would in fact be a safe space for sex 85 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: workers to do their work safely and without harassment. But 86 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 1: many sex workers disagree. They argue that the Erotic Center 87 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: will further stigmatize sex work and instead promote quote shadier 88 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: behavior including crime, and that moving it to a more 89 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: closed off area as opposed to the Red Light District 90 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 1: where there are people, there are spectators, that the safety 91 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: of the workers will be impacted. In fact, it was 92 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: kind of heartwarming to read a lot of the the 93 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 1: quotes from sex workers who were like, no people in 94 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 1: Amsterdam will shut down really toxic behavior. Its kind of 95 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 1: makes us feel bit more safe. Here's the quote from 96 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: the previously mentioned chairperson of Red Light United. Wholes agree 97 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:04,039 Speaker 1: that the no rule's attitude needs to shift, but they say, 98 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,679 Speaker 1: you can have several campaigns telling people to stay away, 99 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: but people are not going to stay away. You need 100 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 1: to teach people how to behave you don't do that 101 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: is never ever going to change. This is not a 102 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 1: zoo come to the Red Light district, but behave right. 103 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 1: I feel like that's that's fair and common sense. And yeah, 104 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: putting them in isolating them feels like it's definitely somehow 105 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: almost like caging them. Yeah, it's it's definitely a lot worse. 106 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: And I wonder like police response, emergency response, like is 107 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 1: it there? Will they come out? I'm just thinking about 108 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: how if you have an area and you dedicate that 109 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 1: as a specific thing, how easily it can be ignored 110 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 1: and or how easily it can be bad, like just 111 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 1: the situation is turning bad, And like again that ignoring 112 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: about the idea of like what if police don't want 113 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: to show up, what if you know you do, only 114 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,359 Speaker 1: have the bad players come through and because they know 115 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: there's no one around to really hold them accouble, right exactly. 116 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,919 Speaker 1: It definitely I agree with the whole point of like 117 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,280 Speaker 1: it feels like it's stigmatizing it more is putting it 118 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: outside further away, which again impacts like the brides getting there, 119 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: the security getting there, getting home, people who will come, 120 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: like the all of that. And I I think this 121 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: goes again to so many conversations we have around things 122 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: like rape culture, where it feels like we're constantly targeting, 123 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: like we're looking at the symptoms and not the problem 124 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: we're roll These British guys are causing us so much. Mayhem, 125 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 1: get rid of the sex workers, like right, correct the 126 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: behavior right exactly exactly. Well again, listeners, if you have 127 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: any experience in this, if you're in this area, anything 128 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 1: to add to it, we would love to hear from you, 129 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: because again we're kind of reading from outside perspective right 130 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: about this. You can email us at stephaniea Mom stuff 131 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: at iHeartMedia dot com. You can find us on Twitter, 132 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: I'm also a podcast or on Instagram and TikTok at 133 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: stuff One Never Told You. You can also find us 134 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: on YouTube. We have a book coming out that you 135 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: can pre order on Stuff You Should Read Books dot com. 136 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you, Thanks as always to our super 137 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: producer Christina, our executive producer Maya, and our contributor Joey. 138 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: Thank you very much, Yes, and thanks to you for 139 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: listening Stuff I Never Told You this production of iHeartRadio. 140 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, you can check 141 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: out the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or whever you listen 142 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.