The Nordic Model has come to Massachusetts.

The proposed bill, H.3499, would remove some penalties for prostitution while focusing the attention on our clients. It means that things might get slightly better for one party in the transaction, but either way, whether it passes or not, it means that decriminalization—or partial decriminalization, as in this bill—is on the radar screen and on the wish lists of at least a couple of people in the statehouse. We are going to lobby our best to get them to consider the factors that make the Nordic Model bad for sex workers (harder to obtain information about the safety of a potential client, clients are more reluctant to report coerced SWs, including possible trafficking).

Although many activists want to flat out quash this bill because it doesn't create the most good for the most people, in my opinion, that's making the perfect the enemy of the good, and that rather than a reactionary unilateral "NO," we should try to engage them and educate them on the preponderance of evidence on this issue. (Evidence-based legislation is, like, not a thing in MA. It is about as fantasy as porn, as far as SW-related bills are concerned. Amazing how some people are contented to remain ignorant and stupid when so many lives are at stake. Just goes to show that this shit isn’t really real to them, which is where we activists come in.)

What I can’t tell you yet is whether the penalties for “johns” set forth in this bill are worse than before. I haven't read the text of current law on that subject. Either way, barring unforeseen calamity, all of us should continue to operate under current known best practices with an ear cocked to potential developments.

It may be naive, but I’m excited to see ANY movement on the subject. The scary part is who is influencing/funding the legislation. If these senators are in the pocket of the Hunt Foundation, they’ll never listen to us.

But we’ll give it a good shot!

Don’t let it keep you up at night. However, if you are worried, this is an excellent time to give to MASWAN/SWOP: https://www.massachusettsswan.org/support-us/. We're going to need serious pizza to fuel the long hours of work ahead.

Xo,