Singer and songwriter FKA twigs announced a joint GoFundMe venture to benefit sex workers during the coronavirus pandemic on social media on Tuesday.
The Cheltenham, U.K. native shared a post on Instagram discussing her experience as a hostess at a gentlemen's club, how sex workers have influenced her work and why her supporters should join her in bringing awareness to the plight of those who do sex work, according to British music outlet New Musical Express.
"I was 19 when I learnt my first pole move, I learnt a back hook spin from a stripper when I was working as a hostess in a gentleman’s club. for those of you who don’t know, hostessing is when one person pays another person for their time, anything from a conversation over dinner to sex work, and the club gets a cut of the fee," she wrote. "My lived experience as a very young woman in these environments has not only informed the strong and formidable woman that i am today, but also a lot of my work as a music and visual artist – sometimes even subconsciously."
She went on to praise sex workers, particularly in light of the many challenges they are facing.
"I feel like now is the time for me to step forward, pay respect, and shine a light on the challenges facing sex workers, especially during these uncertain times," she said. "Sex workers I know and have met have discipline, craft, talent and work ethic – not only do they deserve better long-term, but their income has been wiped out by the lockdown and many are invisible to the financial aid available to others."
The GoFundMe initiative is a collaboration between U.S. sex worker fund Lysistrata, U.K. sex worker organization SWARM and the East London Strippers Collective. Along with twigs, whose real name is Tahliah Barnett, the collective kicked off the fundraiser with a £10,000 donation and aims to raise £30,000 in total.
For her popular 2019 video, “Cellophane,” Barnett harnessed some of her old moves and learned new pole dancing techniques from renowned California choreographer Kelly Yvonne. The British singer recalled the process of learning advanced pole dancing as “one of the hardest things" she has done in an interview with Nylon last year.
Yvonne, who has worked with the likes of singer Mya and Serena Williams, said the artist was a “prodigy” on the pole and has worked incredibly hard to honor the craft.
“I've been working with her off and on since December 2016, but the total cumulative training time has only been the equivalent of one year,” she said. “Most dancers would train for five-plus years to be able to do what she's performing. It's incredible what she has accomplished in such a short amount of time. She's definitely a pole dance prodigy.”
Despite Barnett’s recent work to destigmatize sex work, several people have come out to criticize her as a culture vulture who has historically benefited from the marginalized sex worker community.
Fka twigs is clearly now a respected artist, with money and influence that SWers do not have. What she does now will be received differently than from the average stripper in a club. To say she is just as stigmatised now as any other SWer is just incorrect
— Sinéad Gavin (@SineadGavin1) August 4, 2020
idgaf what fka twigs did or said. she’s been riding stripper coattails for years without a nod. it’s boring.
— adrie rose, dumb skank (@adrierose_) August 4, 2020
feels especially shitty that @FKAtwigs way of spotlighting strippers is to have them dance as her backdrop. Just saying that if you wanna pay tribute to the folks that made the aesthetic you are appropriating, then maybe you should focus on them.
— PussyVision (@PussyVision) August 2, 2020
Sex workers also condemned the "Two Weeks" singer. A woman who goes by Selena the Stripper created a slideshow on best practices in regard to representing the sex worker community and featured Barnett as an example of what not to do.
Following the public outcry, the East London Strippers Collective released a statement on Instagram explaining the parameters of its collaboration with Barnett and acknowledging why she was receiving backlash from the sex worker community.
“FKA Twigs has come under fire lately for her stripper related content. Over the last few weeks sex workers have been calling her out as tourist, a saviour, or for misappropriating SW culture. We’ve been in private conversation for months with her and her team about this fund so it’s been frustrating to watch it all unfold without saying anything,” the collective wrote.
Though it praised the musician for her bravery in revealing her past as a sex worker, the collective said it stands with the members of the community who felt the singer appropriated their culture.
"We also fully stand by our fellow sex workers who were disappointed and dismayed at Twigs’ use of SW culture. @prettyboygirl @vixentempleblog and @blackvenusinfurs all made excellent points and eloquently pointed out the double standards and hypocrisy that surround sex work. We see you, we hear you, and we agree with every point you made. It’s unfortunate Twigs was made an example of when she does in fact have lived experience of the sex work she has been referencing in her art for years," it continued.
The British songwriter said she will hand over her social media accounts to the collaborating organizations as they look to build awareness and support around sex worker rights.
As of publication time, the Sex Worker Mutual Aid Funds' GoFundMe campaign has raised half of it's stated goal. You can donate to the fund here.
