Male sex workers take over Amsterdam’s Red Light District windows for Pride
Male sex workers are taking over the windows for Amsterdam Pride (My Red Light)
Male sex workers are taking over windows in Amsterdam’s Red Light District to call for equality, as the city celebrates Pride.
The city is world-famous as a sex tourism destination due to its liberal laws on prostitution, but men are rarely seen in Red Light District windows where sex workers traditionally advertise.
However, male sex workers are staging a takeover on Saturday (August 3), to coincide with the Amsterdam Pride celebrations.
The majority of windows in the Red Light District are usually occupied by cisgender women, with one “blue light” street traditionally occupied by transgender women.
Male sex workers to highlight ‘need for equality’
Men will occupy the windows at sex work collective My Red Light, to “highlight the need for equality for all sex workers.”
The collaboration with escort company HUNQZ will see the men take to the windows ahead of the start of the boat parade down the city’s canals.
Male sex workers are taking over the windows for Amsterdam Pride (My Red Light)
My Sex Work says the event will “illustrate that men sell sex, too, and that they, too, need good, safe and legal spaces to work in.”
The collective calls for sex workers to be “treated equally to other independent entrepreneurs” with “the same rights and entitlements.”
Amsterdam Pride takeover will ‘educate visitors about male sex workers’
Visitors will be free to “interact with them and take selfies with them,” despite a usually-strict ban on photography inside the Red Light District.
However, Pride punters trying their luck are likely to leave disappointed, as the men will “only be working as models” for the day.
A release explained: “This way, we hope visitors of the Pride will learn more about male sex workers and what is important to them!”
Rik Viergever, manager at My Red Light, explained: “HUNQZ approached us with this idea and we have been very happy to help make it happen, because it raises awareness about the need for good, safe and legal working spaces for ALL sex workers, such as those that we have here at My Red Light.”
Jens Schmidt said: “As a gay man living in Amsterdam, I often walk through the red light on the way home and wonder how different it would be if there were men in the windows too.
“We wanted to partner with My Red Light to raise awareness that every sex worker deserves the same respect and rights as anyone else for the work they do.”
