Sex at the Specs 2 Favorite 

The “Perceiving Freedom” glasses sculpture on Cape Town’s Sea Point promenade looking towards Robben Island, commemorates late President Nelson Mandela and the values of freedom and equality.

On April 2nd 2015, as part of a Center for Artistic Activism School for Creative Activism training, human rights activists, including those from Sonke Gender Justice, Sisonke Sex Workers Movement and SWEAT, honoured the lives lost in the “Sizzlers massacre”(1) that took place in 2003 when nine men—seven sex workers—were murdered in Sea Point. The activists wrapped the giant spectacle sculpture in vibrant orange fabric, and erected a three meter mirror in front of the spectacles, symbolically directing the spectator's gaze westwards towards where the Sizzlers gay massage parlour used to operate from.

The demonstration raised awareness about the harmful laws used against sex workers in South Africa and the rest of the continent. Twelve years since the Sizzler massacre—and more than 20 years into democracy—South Africa still criminalises sex work and by doing so increases violence, discrimination, and intolerance against sex workers. Furthermore, the criminalisation impedes national responses to HIV. UNAIDS reports that female sex workers are 13.5 times more likely to be living with HIV than other women.

The criminalisation of sex work drives sex workers underground and increases stigma, which creates obstacles for sex workers to access vital health, legal, and social services. Considered criminals, sex workers are vulnerable to human rights violations and even violent death. Just two weeks ago, a sex worker was brutally murdered in Woodstock, Cape Town.

Activists created a “spectacle at the spectacles”, encouraging passers-by to interact with sex workers and ask them questions. Visitors were invited to take selfies to tweet government officials demanding the decriminalisation of sex work. Pictures from the day are available at the hashtags #spexxx and #decrimsexwork.