Prostitutes Protest Visa Denial to Attend AIDS Conference in US

Sex workers from around the world who claimed that they were denied visas to attend an international AIDS conference in the United States began their own meeting in Kolkata, Bengal, India, on Saturday in protest. The sex workers, numbering about 550 in all, are from India and 41 other countries, and their conference, it I reported, will last for seven days.

Bharati De, secretary of the Committee for Coordination of Indomitable Women, which represents sex workers in Kolkata, “Sex workers wanted to be a part of the US conference to fight the challenge of HIV/AIDS across the world.”

The Kolkata meeting, it is said, will deliberate on the “Seven Freedoms” — the right to move, work, have access to healthcare, participate, organise, be free of violence and discrimination — without which sex workers say they cannot reduce their vulnerability to HIV “Sex workers have decided to hold a parallel conference here in Kolkata to make their voices heard,” Smarajit Jana, chairwoman of the Indian event, told AFP. She continues, “We hope this conference will make sex workers’ voices louder and stronger.”

The International AIDS Conference which has not been held in the United States since 1990 is returning to there for the first time. This is as a result of the country’s laws that barred people with HIV from travelling to the country. Some 25,000 people, including celebrities, scientists and HIV sufferers are expected to attend the US conference which opens on Sunday.

12 COMMENTS

  1. It is so frustrating to note that the United States of all countries under the Bush administration crippled the world in so many ways- financially we are worse off- we are still in wars- countries are fighting for what they feel is rightfully theirs- America stop world policing us and deal with your internal issues. Today we are left with a world that is worse than any of the world wars. Our liberties, as people are curtailed because of what we choose to do? Governments are not taking the time to assess our professional selves- instead they are the leaders of discrimination- but yet still they say we are all EQUAL. Survival is a must in this world and if economic disparity is plaguing our world, then we are forced to do what is necessary to survive and if selling sex is our best way, then let it be. For the US to behave in such a way with their stupid PEPFAR iniative, then they are going against the very core of what they stand for, freedom. If the US can look at legalising same sex marriage what is so difficult in allowing SEX WORK TO BE WORK after all it is one of the oldest professions in the world. It’s my body and it should be my business. When the US tries to alienate Sex Workers then they are saying to the world that we are promoting HIV. HIV has created unchangeable damages to all humans. Are we going to suppress a SEX WORK population with ignorance and illiteracy? Come on Mr. Obama, Bush is no more and it is time for you to really make that difference that you have spoken so many times about, repeal this law and release the freedom that is rightfully ours. Yes you can! Yes you can! All across our societies we are faced with discrimination is that close to what freedom should be? Is the continued rape & corruption by Law Enforcement Officials a legal means of corruption? Is the denial of effective medical attention a prerequisite for SEX WORKERS or is it a HUMAN RIGHT. SEX WORKERS rights are HUMAN RIGHTS and it is time we demand it in whatever way we can. Yes we can and we will. We are not the problems we are the solutions.

  2. @Crecey F. do u want 2 distroy d world wit so called SEX? luk, poverty is not meant 4 woman 2 sell her body in xchange of money. if u people are alow freedom as u said, many wil contact d virus bcux som of u are so much atractive 2 d eye. oh com on, dont b stupid. remain were u are, bcux its part of ur life now.
    my advice 2 evry SEX WORKER, d only solution 2 u all is dat. u all shud giv ur life 2 christ, 4 he has d cure. i known dis we sound bushit 4 u all but its d truth. u all need christ now

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