--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It makes me so angry when people say, \"We…" description: "\"It makes me so angry when people say, \"We never hear from people who are happy doing sex work.\" Well, that's because they're working. The activism priv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/melissa-gira-grant-15196_activism_it-makes-me-so-angry-when-people-say-we_1633055.jpg" --- # It makes me so angry when people say, "We never hear from… ![“It makes me so angry when people say, "We never hear from people who are happy doing sex work." Well, that's because they're working. The activism privileges people who hated doing sex work, are no longer doing it, and have a job at a social service organization, for example, that trains them on…” quote by Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/melissa-gira-grant-15196_activism_it-makes-me-so-angry-when-people-say-we_1633055.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/melissa-gira-grant-15196_activism_it-makes-me-so-angry-when-people-say-we_1633055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/melissa-gira-grant-15196_activism_it-makes-me-so-angry-when-people-say-we_1633055.jpg) > “It makes me so angry when people say, "We never hear from people who are happy doing sex work." Well, that's because they're working. The activism privileges people who hated doing sex work, are no longer doing it, and have a job at a social service organization, for example, that trains them on how to speak to the media. We are hearing from those people quite a bit.” [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker criticizes that activism often amplifies voices of former sex workers who now oppose the work, while current workers are silenced. **In simple terms:** Activism often favors former workers who now speak against it. Key Takeaway Listen to current workers’ experiences. Themes activism sex work representation media power dynamics Mood frustrated critical determined Type political social commentary When to use this quote - policy debates - media interviews - support groups - public forums Key Concepts intersectionality voice stigma advocacy Questions to Reflect On - How can we amplify current workers’ voices? - What biases exist in activist narratives? A Different Perspective Former workers may have different perspectives but not represent all. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Prostitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prostitution/) [Sex work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex-work/) [Social service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-service/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) ## Related quotes > [I hesitate talking about a program for change because we're in this moment where no one is listening to sex workers about how things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/i-hesitate-talking-about-a-program-for-change-because-we-re-in-this/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Looking at the huge number of transgender women of color who have been murdered since the beginning of the year - that we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/looking-at-the-huge-number-of-transgender-women-of-color-who-have/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [I think sex work gets over-mystified and overcomplicated because it's about sexuality, and women's sexuality in general. What strikes me when I look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/i-think-sex-work-gets-over-mystified-and-overcomplicated-because-it-s/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Once when I told sex workers about my own sex work, it ended up building inappropriate trust with some people. But there have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/once-when-i-told-sex-workers-about-my-own-sex-work-it-ended-up/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Most of the time, people are not actually concerned with prostitution and sex work. They're concerned about seeing people who they think are prostitutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/most-of-the-time-people-are-not-actually-concerned-with-prostitution/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [The biggest difference in what's going on in New Zealand versus the rest of the world, aside from the decriminalization of sex work, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/the-biggest-difference-in-what-s-going-on-in-new-zealand-versus-the/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Women in the past thought all they had to do was see if he comes home late, or smells like cigarettes. But nothing's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/women-in-the-past-thought-all-they-had-to-do-was-see-if-he-comes-home/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [I've moved away from writing about and describing actual experiences of sex work, whether mine or anybody else's, because the culture is obsessed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/i-ve-moved-away-from-writing-about-and-describing-actual-experiences/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Freedom in America was not always flat. Racism made it un-flat, so that some people had privileges over other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/freedom-in-america-was-not-always-flat-racism-made-it-un-flat-so-that/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) > [“The best thing that ever happened to you might be your new job, spouse, awards, etc, but I tell you that being granted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-you-might-be-your-new-job-spouse/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [As a young child, it became crystal clear to me that there were certain rights and privileges that other people had that my mother,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/as-a-young-child-it-became-crystal-clear-to-me-that-there-were/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [I advocate for people who believe sex work is work. But women have so many avenues open. In the same way, a trans woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/i-advocate-for-people-who-believe-sex-work-is-work-but-women-have-so/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [“Many people believe trans women choose to engage in the sex trade rather than get a real job. That belief is misguided because sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-mock/many-people-believe-trans-women-choose-to-engage-in-the-sex-trade/) [Janet Mock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-mock/) > [“Why do prostitutes when they get straight always try and get so prim? It's like long-repressed librarian-ambitions come flooding out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/why-do-prostitutes-when-they-get-straight-always-try-and-get-so-prim/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Maybe he'd never come acrross anybody as well versed at objectifying body parts as I was. In my defense, this was an occupational hazard;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-shaw/maybe-he-d-never-come-acrross-anybody-as-well-versed-at-objectifying/) [Aiden Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-shaw/) ## More by Melissa Gira Grant > [I went to college in Amherst and lived in Northampton for many years and we had our quaint little feminist sex toy shop that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/i-went-to-college-in-amherst-and-lived-in-northampton-for-many-years/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [We hear from sex workers who have through their own volition become media figures, or have despite their own wishes become media figures. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/we-hear-from-sex-workers-who-have-through-their-own-volition-become/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [One person was basically saying that feminists aren't interested in criminalizing prostitutes, that they don't want to do that. I responded that whether or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/one-person-was-basically-saying-that-feminists-aren-t-interested-in/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Our feelings alone don't change what happens with the police, what happens in jail, what happens when someone tries to go to the welfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/our-feelings-alone-don-t-change-what-happens-with-the-police-what/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [It's actually not much of a risk to say, "I don't think we should put sex workers in jail." That's a decent, normal thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/it-s-actually-not-much-of-a-risk-to-say-i-don-t-think-we-should-put/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [In the current situation with criminalization, we've created situations where sex workers have very little power and control over their lives. Increasing one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/in-the-current-situation-with-criminalization-we-ve-created/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Almost everything I've learned about journalism has been from other friends who are journalists, taking advantage of the money I hope they don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/almost-everything-i-ve-learned-about-journalism-has-been-from-other/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [I remember being in high school in the '90s, and even then somehow hearing about the the Canadian Supreme Court's Butler decision which was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/i-remember-being-in-high-school-in-the-90s-and-even-then-somehow/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Kristin Gwynne has been writing some great stuff about the sexually violent element of "stop-and-frisk." This isn't just "turn out your pockets." This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/kristin-gwynne-has-been-writing-some-great-stuff-about-the-sexually/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [In New Zealand, sex workers are regarded as workers, as people who are members of the community, people who have a stake in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/in-new-zealand-sex-workers-are-regarded-as-workers-as-people-who-are/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Even at legal brothels, sex workers have very little power and control over their workplace. They might have power with their customers on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/even-at-legal-brothels-sex-workers-have-very-little-power-and-control/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [I've moved away from writing about and describing actual experiences of sex work, whether mine or anybody else's, because the culture is obsessed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/i-ve-moved-away-from-writing-about-and-describing-actual-experiences/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [I have to do this all the time - choosing what to print based on how it might come back to harm people from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/i-have-to-do-this-all-the-time-choosing-what-to-print-based-on-how-it/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [When I interviewed the evangelical Christian youth group who were protesting the Village Voice, I wanted them to feel they could freely tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/when-i-interviewed-the-evangelical-christian-youth-group-who-were/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Say you're a sex worker and your partner knows you're a sex worker, but you're not out to your family. That could be very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/say-you-re-a-sex-worker-and-your-partner-knows-you-re-a-sex-worker/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) [Explore all 44 Melissa Gira Grant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) ## More Activism quotes > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. 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