Queens Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán is pushing a new bill that would all but legitimize—and subsidize—New York’s sex industry. The Democratic socialist, a longtime advocate of decriminalizing sex work, introduced legislation allowing past and present prostitutes and other sex workers to easily receive taxpayer-funded assistance through nonprofits and other organizations. “The city has a responsibility to protect the health, safety, and economic well-being of all New Yorkers regardless of what they do for a living, and let’s be clear: sex work is work,” said Cabán.
Cabán’s bill would force the Mayor’s Office of Equity to create a “sex-worker opportunity program” so that government grants could be funneled to community groups that work directly with sex workers to provide “economic support for mobility, health, housing, and social well-being.” The bill also prohibits housing discrimination based on a person’s current or former employment in sex work. It amends the city privacy laws to protect against disclosing a person’s status as a sex worker. Reps for Mayor Eric Adams said he’s reviewing the legislation, despite the conservative backlash.
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