Illinois Green Party Calls for Decriminalization of Sex Work in New Platform Amendment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 6, 2018

Illinois Green Party

Secretary@ILGP.org

Illinois Green Party Adds Sex Work Decriminalization to State Platform; Urges National Party to Follow Suit

CHICAGO – At the Illinois Green Party (ILGP) 2018 Spring Convention held March 24-25 in Chicago, party membership unanimously approved new language in the state platform that calls for the decriminalization of voluntary sex work, and the treatment of sex workers as workers under existing labor laws. The official Platform will be updated accordingly.

"This was a common-sense change for us," said ILGP Secretary Geoffrey Cubbage. "Endorsing decriminalization brings the Illinois Green Party platform in line with the recommendations of major human rights groups, medical journals, and, most importantly, the vast majority of sex workers and sex-worker-led organizations."

Previously, the ILGP platform had contained no language specific to sex work. However, the national Green Party platform opposes sex work, classifying it as "violence against women" and calling for criminalization under the so-called "Nordic model." Cubbage said that the Illinois Green Party would continue to push for decriminalization language at the national level as well.

"The language in the national platform is very problematic," said Cubbage. "In the context of the recent SESTA/FOSTA votes, it's never been clearer that anti-sex-work laws only serve the continued erosion of privacy and civil rights. Instead of listening to moral crusaders and celebrities, our party needs to be listening to the people directly affected by these laws."

The Illinois Green Party, in co-sponsorship with five other state chapters and three of the party's national diversity/identity caucuses, introduced a proposal last year to change the national party platform language to a decriminalization stance on sex work. The measure will be up for a vote in late April/early May, and can be viewed online at http://gpus.org/other/platform-2017/criminalization-of-sex-work/

Individuals and organizations that wish to urge their state chapter of the Green Party to support the decriminalization proposal can find contact information at http://www.gp.org/state_parties, or contact secretary@ilgp.org for more resources and information about the ongoing campaign.

For questions or media requests, contact secretary@ilgp.org or call (773) 809-4547.

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