INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PROSTITUTES' EMPOWERMENT is a symbolic day to challenge the society's treatment of prostitutes and to counter the view that abuse of women (children, trannies, men) is inherent or inevitable within the prostitution economy, because such position undermines the tireless work of many sex work activists and allies seeking to empower ourselves and secure our human rights as workers trying to survive an increasingly hostile world.

We are particularly outraged at those self-identified "radical feminists" whose simplistic objection to prostitution actually threaten or harm lives of prostitutes they purport to protect. The idea for IDPE came in response to their event, "International Day of No Prostitution" (in which they ask consumers of adult entertainment to just give money without having sex on the IDNP), but it grew into something more: it is a day for ourselves, prostitutes and our allies, to come together in defense of prostitutes everywhere.

We are holding a teach-in at San Francisco LGBT Community Center on October 5 from 8-10pm featuring a presentation about international prostitutes' empowerment movements by Carol Leigh (a.k.a. Scarlot Harlot), a performance + talk combo by Emi Koyama, and much much more.

For more information, email emi@eminism.org.