December 17 – Day 13: How Allies Can Show Up

Alex Andrews
2 days ago
2 min read

"Solidarity is not abstract - it’s something you practice."

For sex workers, real allyship means moving beyond hashtags and sympathy into consistent, tangible action. It means showing up, speaking up, and putting your values into action - not just on December 17, but every day of the year.

Fund the Frontlines

Sex worker-led organizations are doing life-saving work with shoestring budgets, while carceral “rescue” programs continue to receive millions. Your direct support funds harm reduction, housing, legal defense, and community care - efforts that actually keep people safe. Even small, recurring donations matter. They help maintain hotlines, provide mutual aid, and sustain peer-led reentry programs for those coming home from incarceration.

💡 Remember: The people closest to the problem are closest to the solution - but they’re often furthest from funding.

Show Up in the Flesh

Bodies in the room matter. Attend vigils on December 17, join rallies, visit art exhibits, and take part in teach-ins where sex workers are leading. Your presence sends a clear message to lawmakers, the media, and the public that our movement is not isolated - it’s supported. Standing beside us transforms remembrance into resistance.

Listen - Then Believe

Allyship begins with listening. Believe sex workers when we share our experiences, even when they challenge your assumptions or make you uncomfortable. Lived experience is expertise. Resist the impulse to “fix” or reinterpret. Sometimes the most radical act is to hold space, absorb what’s being shared, and believe us.

Amplify Sex Worker Voices

Use your platforms - social media, classrooms, pulpits, workplaces, dinner tables - to spread sex worker-led campaigns, articles, and art. Share accurate information. Correct misinformation when you hear it. Tag creators cite their work and credit the movement leaders who are often erased in media coverage. When allies amplify our voices, they help push our truth beyond the echo chamber.

Advocate for Change

Push for policies rooted in harm reduction and full decriminalization. Contact your representatives. Sign petitions. Challenge organizations that promote “rescue” models built on policing and punishment. Ask where their funding goes - and who benefits. Use your privilege to make a change in the rooms where sex workers are still excluded from.

Solidarity in Practice

Being an ally isn’t about having perfect language - it’s about showing up consistently, even when it’s inconvenient. It’s about redirecting resources, challenging stigma, and taking small, steady actions that add up to real change.

On December 17, commit to one concrete action: