Sex Workers Praise Halsey’s ‘Refreshing’ Support of Sex Work
Over the weekend Halsey made a surprise appearance at a strip club, where she performed onstage to her new song "Nightmare," joined by a group of dancers. She posted footage to her Instagram story with the hashtag #supportsexworkers. After receiving backlash, she double downed by sharing her opinion on Twitter.
"Getting a lot of s--- because I posted #supportsexworkers on my story last night," she wrote. "Just to be clear. I DO support sex workers. I support consenting humans in the field. My statement obviously excludes people forced into sex work. It all comes back to autonomy and choice."
Now, employees of Sheri’s Ranch, a legal brothel near Las Vegas, are praising the pop star for her stance on the industry.
“I’m a millennial and a sex worker, so it’s refreshing to see influential people my age defend my right to sell intimate services in a legal, regulated, consensual setting like a Nevada brothel,” said Allissa, who works at the Ranch. “Halsey is a self-made woman that worked for everything she’s achieved. She wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth and has lived in the real world, where she probably witnessed sex work being practiced by young women that willingly chose the profession in order to put themselves through school, support their families, or finance their dreams.”
“The days of systematically labeling sex workers as ‘damaged people’ that are incapable of free will are over,” she continued. “Sex work is legitimate work when willingly practiced in a regulated setting, and the spokespeople of our generation aren’t going to let the old guard stereotype us anymore.”
Roxanne Price, another millennial sex work at the brothel, was happy to see Halsey stand by her stance when faced with backlash.
“Because so many people are quick to believe the stereotype that no woman would willingly choose sex work as a profession, it’s crucial that my generation has allies that will stand up for us and not back down when the debate gets heated,” she said. “We need more influencers like Halsey to stand with us."
“These prominent new voices will turn the tide of public opinion when it comes to sex work, and hopefully drown out the old way of thinking with an honest, genuine, and fresh perspective on the ‘oldest profession,’" she added, "a perspective that will one day lead to the regulation of prostitution throughout the USA.”