The mainstream media’s tendency is to gravitate towards sensationalism when covering the sex trade, while simultaneously denying the voices of sex workers themselves. News stories that allow only for victim-criminal portrayals of sex workers help enforce and perpetuate damaging stereotypes. What happens when sex workers become not just the subjects of media gaze, but the authors, reporters, and publishers of sex trade news? This documentary short takes a look at $pread Magazine, one example of sex worker-made media, and discusses its aim to change the way that media itself approaches sex work.
Shown at the San Francisco Sex Workers Film Festival (May 2009); the Allied Media Conference (July 2009); New York City Sex Workers Film Festival (October 2009); Patois, New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival (March 2010); Northwest Film Forum (March, 2010).
Below is the documentary in three chapters. For more information about $pread Magazine visit www.spreadmagazine.org.
