A stripper, performance artist, activist and writer has spoken out about the "stigma" faced by sex workers and says banning Bristol's clubs would "erase many years of activism". Stacey Clare, who has long-fought for sex workers’ rights as her core mission, spoke to Bristol Live ahead of a decision on the city's sexual entertainment venues (SEVs).
From becoming a prominent voice for sex workers in the media to her grassroots activism as a founding member of the East London Strippers Collective, Stacey has aimed to highlight a community that she believes has long been ignored. Recently, she appeared at the Bookhaus in Bristol, hosted by the Bristol Sex Workers Collective, for an event to promote her newest book The Ethical Stripper.
The book details Stacey's decades of experiences and tales that she hopes can provide a nuanced insight into the sex industry, while ultimately rejecting notions of shame and stigma. The Ethical Stripper also discusses the exploitation against sex workers by analysing regulation and licensing both at home and around the world, in the hope of debunking myths and misconceptions around sex workers and sex work.
