Where to find us next: We’ll be tabling on Saturday at the 10th Annual Lone Star Zine Fest! Come through to snag our mutual aid benefit zines, condoms and other harm reduction supplies. Lone Star Zine Fest is always an amazing + welcoming time.
The fest will be held at Blue Genie Art Bazaar (in Austin, Texas) on Saturday & Sunday, October 10 & 11, from Noon to 6pm.
Lone Star Zine Fest is a free, fun, all-ages event featuring zine creators, collectives, distributors, retailers, libraries, and small presses sharing their amazing work and showcasing the diversity of expression made possible by independent- and self-publishing. The Fest is organized by Austin Zine Friends, a small group of zine-loving volunteers who are passionate about creating space for zine creators and zine fans to come together. Come to the Fest to learn about zines! To buy zines! To meet zine creators! To make your own zine!
Solidarity with Turkish queer and trans sex workers and organizers!
Three weeks ago, on September 12th, there were coordinated raids, mass detentions, arrests, searches, seizure of electronic devices, and restrictions imposed on the websites and social media accounts of queer and trans organizations and human rights activists across Turkey. These organizers and activists are still in prison.
We’re joining our comrade-organizations, like The Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network, in demanding the immediate release of all detained human rights defenders in Turkey, including their valued colleagues and friends: Belgin Çelik and Janset Kalan. Some of the targeted people were sex workers and sex workers’ rights activists. For that, they’re facing charges of “facilitating prostitution”. More arrests are expected.
Since the arrests and raids, sex workers in Turkey have been unable to work, hiding from state violence and hate crimes. We’ve heard from loved ones on the ground that the climate is one of fear and intimidation, but that other queer and sex working people will continue to rally and support their comrades.
Turkish queer and sex worker orgs are urging international human rights formations, diplomatic missions and civil society organizations to closely monitor the situation, to raise these concerns directly with the Turkish authorities, and support the activists and organizations affected. We rise up alongside SWAN in our firm support of Kaos GL, Pembe Hayat, with queer and trans folx in Turkey, and with every human rights activist facing intimidation, detention or criminalization for their work. Follow SWAN for more updates.
We remember what the Turkish state did to Hande Kader. We will not be silent while the state continues to create the violent conditions against our fellow workers and organizers!
🌸🌸🌸Our dear comrade Alisha is about to have her second child! Please consider sending a gift via her baby registry to celebrate this new lil comrade coming into the world! If you’re currently boycotting Amazon, you can send funds via Venmo @SxHxCollective or CashApp $SxHxCollective with a “🌸” in the memo and we’ll direct those to Lili. 🌸🌸🌸
One of our collective members recently experienced violence while working. When something like this happens to us, it’s hard to take care of daily needs let alone continue working. If you can, please consider sending us some funds via Venmo @SxHxCollective or CashApp $SxHxCollective with a “💜” in the memo, so we can support her while they heal and take time to rest and recover. Your support and care means the world to us.