Happy New Year Everyone!
Lets make 2023 great!
Dear Community,
It has been quite an exciting year full of activism and progress toward the full realization of sex worker rights. Just on the horizon: starting January 1st, 2023, California will be enacting SB357. Through the hard-earned effort of sex workers over many years, SB357 will prevent police profiling of women, especially Trans Women of Color, as prostitutes. Police will no longer be able to target sex workers of all genders for what they wear or what neighborhood they are standing in. Global activism persists as strippers in Los Angeles are unionizing and sex workers continue to fight for full decriminalization in Canada and South Africa. Meanwhile, St James Infirmary continues to advocate and provide free quality healthcare and housing services for the most marginalized among our community.
Please consider donating to SJI’s herstoric program, the Taimon Booton Navigation Center (TBNC). TBNC is the first ever Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming shelter to provide services by and for TGNC people and sex workers experiencing homelessness. There is a wishlist of items needed, but as always, donations of $money$ are always appreciated. If donating via check or Venmo (@stjamesinfirmary), please indicate that it is for “TBNC”.
For more information reach out to [email protected]
Upcoming Events
Kit Making Party!
Mutual Aid Hangout <3 Bring Your Friends <3 Be in community
Ho-Ho-Ho! Come make kits with us on Sundays! We are still accepting donations of winter clothes and other wet weather gear. For more info call us at 415-554-8494.
Follow the Harm Reduction Program at St James on Instagram: @hoes4harmredux
Rest In Power
Carol Leigh
AKA Scarlot Harlot
the mother of the sex worker movement. She coined the term "sex worker" to build solidarity and to bring respect to the profession. She was a tireless activist and advocate, our community's archivist, and brilliant artist and writer. She co-led the Sex Worker Film and Art Festival that always brought sex workers near and far to our fabulous city. She loved her mom and loved her many mentees and unrepentant whores of our community. She brought warmth and light everywhere she went while maintaining a fierce fight for decriminalization of prostitution and advocacy for the most marginalized. She will be missed dearly — hug your loved ones as often as you can. Thank you Carol, for supporting St James Infirmary. Thank you for everything you did to further the cause for civil rights for sex workers.
Check out BAYSWAN for her archives and links to her writings and videos http://www.bayswan.org
Community Support Line for Sex Workers Seeks Volunteers
SWOP Behind Bars is seeking volunteers for their Community Support Line especially for people located on the West-coast.
If you are a sex worker in need of support check out the link for online chat functions or
call 1-877-776-2004 ext. 1
artwork by Amanda Priebe
Online Workshop Series Continues
Mindfulness and Meditation with Vadan is every Monday at 12noon
What We Believe
There are many factors which affect the working conditions and experiences for all Sex Workers including the political and economic climate, poverty and homelessness, stigmatization, violence, as well as the overwhelming intricacies of the legal, public and social systems. It is the philosophy of St. James Infirmary to build upon existing skills and strengths in order to allow individuals to determine their own goals.
- We are fundamentally against the criminalizing of Sex Workers—regardless of our different perspectives on decriminalization or legalization, the collective view of the St. James Infirmary is that incarceration of our community further marginalizes and disenfranchised us, which creates barriers to capacity building, and exacerbates a public health crisis.
- We believe in revolution through healthcare. We challenge the conventional healthcare model that divides patients and providers and fosters unhealthy power dynamics. Our peer-based model creates a safe, trusted, and honest environment in which to provide services, and empowers our community to define our own well-being.
- We are founded on the principles of harm reduction—St. James Infirmary supports Sex Workers being treated with dignity and respect, in every aspect of their lives
Our Impact
- We increase access to primary healthcare and social services for Sex Workers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
- We formalize communication and collaboration among individuals and agencies who serve Sex Workers to better serve our community.
- We promote peer-based public health initiatives on behalf of Sex Workers, which may be used as a model for improving occupational health and safety standards and developing comprehensive medical and social services for Sex Workers around the world.
From Our Blog
St. James Infirmary Statement of Solidarity with AIDS 2020 for All
As the nation’s only peer-based occupational health and safety clinic for sex workers, The St. James Infirmary opposes the decision of the IAC to host the 2020 International AIDS Conference in the San Francisco Bay Area. Due to our current administration’s harsh immigration policies, obtaining visas to attend this conference will be impossible for many […]
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TRADIN’ FLAVOR 470 Castro Street TUESDAY, SEPT 11 6pm-8:30pm Every 2nd Tuesday of the month @ STRUT (3rd Floor)
St. James Infirmary and Strut are partnering to bring the flagship peer-run clinic program for masc-spectrum sex workers to the Castro. Drop-in services include: – priority STI screening and treatment – HIV testing & linkage to care – PrEP enrollment – peer counseling – acupuncture – food! – a place to chill out All services are free. Rentboys, escorts, massage workers, […]
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St. James Infirmary To Move To Its New Location At San Francisco Community Health Center in November 2018
St. James Infirmary To Move To Its New Location At San Francisco Community Health Center San Francisco, CA – St. James Infirmary will re-locate its offices to San Francisco Community Health Center (SFCHC) by the beginning of November 2018. This move for St. James Infirmary into the historic 726/730 Polk Street building marks a new […]
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New Development Officer
St James Infirmary would like to welcome James P Martinez to St. James as our new Development Officer. James has a MBA and over 10 years experience as a Development Director with nonprofits. Welcome to the SJI Team!
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Up Your Alley Street Fair 2018
St. James Infirmary will be operating a Juice booth at Up Your Alley Street Fair 2018 SUNDAY, July 29, 2018, FROM 11:00 AM TO 6:00 PM Folsom Street Between 9th & 10th and Between Harrison & Howard We will need volunteers to help run the booth, Please email [email protected] to sign up and be a […]
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St. James Infirmary is proud to have a team for SF AIDS Walk on July 15
Please signup, support, and donate to St. James Infirmary. Support the St. James Infirmary team! Find out more at: https://sf.aidswalk.net/…/View/65361/St-James-Infirmary-2171
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California Enacts Historic Measure To Prioritize Safety For Sex Workers Based On San Francisco’s First-In-The-Country Policies
AB 2243, inspired by San Francisco’s “Prioritizing Safety for Sex Worker” policies, amends the Evidence Code to protect a sex worker reporting a violent crime from prosecution. Yesterday afternoon, Governor Brown has signed into law AB 2243, authored by Assembly Member Laura Friedman (43rd District), which would create historic protections for sex workers who report witnessing […]
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New San Francisco Policies Prioritizing Sex Worker Safety
Dear Colleagues: We will be hosting a workshop for sex workers to explain the new Prioritizing Safety for Sex Worker policies on: Wednesday, June 13, 2018 San Francisco Main Public Library 100 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA Latino/Hispanic Room (basement level) 4.30 pm – 5.30 pm Refreshments will be provided. If you work with sex […]
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Short Message on SESTA/FOSTA and SB1204
A Short Message on SESTA/FOSTA and SB 1204 As an organization that has advocated for decriminalization of all facets of the sex industry since 1999, St. James Infirmary stands in direct opposition to both SESTA / FOSTA and SB 1204. We have an obligation to not only our participants, but also to our funders, government […]
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