by Heidi Hoefinger*

On a rainy Saturday night in Brooklyn (October 24, 2009), sex workers, allies, activists, academics and media makers got together for a New York sex worker film festival titled ‘Pay As You Go: Sex Worker Shorts.’ Hosted by Union Docs—a public space for non-fiction projects—and curated by activists and media makers, Audacia Ray and Sarah Jenny Bleviss, the sell-out event consisted of two programs of short documentaries produced by sex workers and their allies from around the world, with a panel discussion in between. The panel of sex workers, activists, and media makers explored the possibilities of using documentary and experimental media-making in the fight for sex worker human rights and the reduction of stigma and violence related to sex work. The event was so popular, the organizers had to turn many people away. Every available space in the venue was filled, including people sitting in the aisles, and standing in the back.
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