Last week, FKA twigs launched an initiative to support sex workers during the COVID-19 crisis, announcing on Instagram that she was donating £10,000 to a fund supporting the organisations SWARM, Lysistrata, and ELSC (East London Strippers Collective), who are providing direct financial support to strippers and sex workers.
Additionally, she said that she would be allowing these groups to take over her social media channels – and last night, she posted a takeover on her Instagram grid.
“This post is a list of grassroots sex worker led organisations we think you should know about!” the caption reads. “Go follow and support them – many are self-funded or without funding whatsoever so rely entirely on public engagement.”
The list points towards the groups Harpies in the Sky, a weekly east London clubnight run by and featuring LGBTQ+ strippers “with priority on BIPoC trans dancers”; Cybertease, a workers’ co-operative virtual strip club created by the unionised sex workers of United Strippers of the World in response to the pandemic closing workplaces; and Radio AvA, a London-based, sex worker-led radio station.
It also highlights the Berlin Strippers Collective, who organise events, life drawing classes, and community work in Berlin; the English Collection of Prostitutes, who have been campaigning for “the decriminalisation of prostitution, for sex workers’ rights and safety, and choice since 1975”; and the Black Sex Workers Collective, a grassroots organisation supporting current and former Black sex workers.
Finally, the takeover points to Umbrella Lane, a sex worker-led Scottish project “dedicated to providing a rights-based holistic approach to the needs and rights of sex workers, and reducing social stigma” around sex work; JuiceBox, “the ultimate empowerment party” led by LGBTQ+ women of colour, who “introduced the UK’s first Stud Stripper/Dom Dancer, providing a platform for masc performers”; and National Ugly Mugs (NUM), a harm reduction initiative providing a database and reporting service to sex workers to screen clients for safety.
FKA twigs frequently used pole dancing in the visuals for her second album MAGDALENE, and recently released a short film covering her trip to the Atlanta strip club Blue Flame.
“Please support sex workers in this time of crisis,” the caption adds, “and remember #sexworkiswork”.
Check out the Instagram post below.
