Prostitutes Selma
Early Activism and Organizational Ties
Selma James, based in Kentish Town, is a prominent activist known for her decades of advocacy. She remains deeply connected to the English Collective of Prostitutes, noted as recently as June 8, 2012. James authored significant books such as A Women’s Place and Sex, Race and Class. Her work with the Wages For Housework campaign and the English Collective of Prostitutes was featured in a major exhibition.
Advocacy and Direct Action
In 1975, she became the first spokeswoman for the English Collective of Prostitutes. The ECP’s 1982 occupation of Holy Cross Church, documented in Hookers in the House of the Lord, was a pivotal action. She argued that prostitutes require better allies than self-interested French men, highlighting this in a March 8, 2011, International Women’s Day piece. James consistently argues that feminists sometimes inadvertently make sex workers’ lives harder.
Intersectional Perspectives and Current Work
Her work emphasizes the intersection of sex, race, and class struggles. Police crackdowns in Selma reportedly reduced visible prostitution through increased patrols in parks. James continues her activism, focusing on global women’s rights and anti-trafficking efforts. Police in Selma linked drug patrols to curtailing prostitution, and council members requested patrols near schools due to related rumors.
*TAGS* – English Collective of Prostitutes, Holy Cross Church occupation, Wages For Housework campaign
