The Queerdos Calendar 2021 – An Interview. Same but different. After last year’s success of our charity calendar project, we decided to do it again this year. And we will probably do it next year too. Raising money for an organisation that is in need is the goal of the project. After our first edition collecting funds for GALDT e.V, this year we are choosing to raise awareness and money for Trans*Sexworks. The calendar was made in the Creative Berlin Space, who let us use their photo studio for the charity project. All the benefits of the calendar will be donated to Trans*Sexworks.
NOTE: BECAUSE OF THE LOCKDOWN IN GERMANY WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SEND THE CALENDAR AROUND THE WORLD BEFORE XMAS 2020 – NEXT DATE: 28.12.20 Order your copy HERE
Trans*Sexworks is a network and community support project run by trans sex workers for trans sex workers. The focus is the support of our migrant, street-based colleagues working on the Frobenstraße in Berlin. They aren’t social workers, working within a hierarchical structure with a clear set of rules, but more like a friends circle helping wherever help is needed and support can be given. They hand out condoms at night, bring food and drinks, help people buy groceries and hygiene products, lend money, translate documents, help people find shelter, accompany to appointments (doctors, Police, counselling…) and support our trans siblings in many other ways. Not only do they offer practical support, but they also raise their voices together to fight stigma and to help improve the working conditions of trans sex workers. This project is volunteer-run and only receives minimal funding from the city. To go into some more details about the work Trans*Sexworks is doing, we asked Caspar Tate, who is a member of the group, a few questions.
When did Trans*Sexworks start and why?
The Project was started 6 Years ago by EmyFem and KAy Garnellen, because there was no Organisation or Project focused on helping trans sex workers or even giving them a safe space.
Could you tell us about Frobenstraße history?
Street-based sex work has been taking place around the Bülow- Kiez since 1885. The Froben- straße is where trans women work and sadly there is not a lot of recorded history on that street and the trans women that used to work there, unlike the area where the cis women work. We do know though that the street used to be divided in Pre- and Post-OP haha But now the trans Women that have had genital surgery often go work on the street where the cis women are. In the last four years, less and fewer clients have been coming to this area and even before corona business was bad. Five, ten years ago women could make hundreds of Euros a night. Since the 90s its been mostly migrant women from eastern European countries working the streets. On the Frobenstraße in the last few years mostly Türkish-Bulgarian women have been working there.
What do you do there?
We hand out food, drinks, condoms, lube and masks now during corona. Isabelle and I are like community organisers and friends. People come to us when they have an issue or a crisis. We help people access emergency housing and doctors’ visits. I often help navigate the counselling sector and help make appointments, remind people of these and even accompany them if they wish. We also do a lot of work with the press, other organisations and politicians to try and get help to come.
Why is such an organisation so important?
No one seems to care about trans sex workers. Trans organisations aren’t talking about sex work and sex work organisations aren’t talking about the disproportionate number of trans colleagues. Trans sex workers are subject to transphobia/ transmisogyny and whorephobia.
What are the best ways to help?
Keep reminding people of the issues that trans sex workers face. Donate your time and money to projects like ours.
How did Covid-19 affect your work as volunteers and the work of the street-based sex workers?
In our project we can no longer use the rooms from another organisation that we used to use for the “Trans Dinner” and now we have to do everything outside on the street.
For street-based sex workers, the financial impact of covid-19 is extremely devastating. Many are unhoused and in debt.
Is the state/city helping in any way?
For trans sex workers not so much. Our project is funded a little bit by the Anti-discrimination Office (LADS) but we have no paid staff, no office and we are not allowed to buy food or drinks with the funds. There is some support for cis women and cis men but it’s not enough.
NOTE: BECAUSE OF THE LOCKDOWN IN GERMANY WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SEND THE CALENDAR AROUND THE WORLD BEFORE XMAS 2020 – NEXT DATE: 28.12.20 Order your copy HERE
Instagram @caspar_tate
transsexworks.com
@transsexworks
Credits Calendar:
This is a project in collaboration with KALTBLUT. Magazine @kaltblut_magazine
Shoot by Tomás Eyzaguirre www.tomeyzaguirre.com @tomeyza
Styled by Esteban Pomar www.estebanpomar.com @esteban_pomar
Production – Graphic design by Naikee Simoneau @naikee_simoneau
Photography assistant Fiona Castiñeira @viking_a
Styling assistant by Nane Meyer @nanemeyerr
Set Design by Alin Bosnoyan @alinbosnoyan
Retouche by Andreas Sichel www.andreassichel.com @andreassichel
Hair & Make -up
Sarah Hartgens @sarahhartgens Using @fentybeauty
Felix Stößer @felixstoesser @basicsberlin using @fentybeauty @bumbleandbumble
with loving and helping hands @j.f.k.cut.color.curls
Special thanks to Creative Berlin Space @berlincreativespace, Rolf Scheider @rolf_scheider and Kai Sistemich @kaisistemich
Fashion Credits for Hungry: Total Look by Laura Gerte @laura_gerte
Fashion Credits for Steve: Total Look by Iden Studios @moritziden
Models are
@purrja
@kalil_dance
@steve_katona
@isshehungry
@sele.minga
@esteban_pomar
@yourhypebitch
@cuadrado97
@leon.ution
@lanegrot
@thebishopblack3000
@K.r.l.i.n
@odiseorojo
@gabx_pat
@caosdemar.ph
@roc_lilith
& Maha
