Seattle. The emerald city is most well known for Starbucks and Amazon, but this northwest jewel boasts a more colorful history than roasted beans and drunk-ordering clothes for your dog at midnight. Sex workers, brothels, and Madams built this city. We've been here from the beginning, but where does our future lie? We've had strong leadership before, but where is that guidance now? We need to understand our past in order to take charge of our future.
Then:
Let's take a trip back in time to Seattle's oldest neighborhood, Pioneer Square. There were 38 documented brothels in this three-acre area that were in operation around the turn of the century and many different Madams who ran these ‘houses of ill repute’. Perhaps the most well known and wealthiest was Lou Graham.
One of her Pioneer Square brothels is still standing as a Washington state court building. It had a reputation as the most refined in all of Seattle. It was described as, “a discreet establishment for the silk-top-hat-and-frock-coat gentleman set to indulge in good drink, lively political discussions and upstairs, ribald pleasures”. Lou's brothel attracted government representatives and wealthy businessmen from all over the country.
The women who entertained at this establishment were not only talented in providing carnal pleasure, but also educated in a variety of subjects. It would be no surprise to me if some of our country's policies were shaped by these sex workers' ideas during pillow talk.
Lou Graham became one of Seattle's wealthiest citizens. Her fortune saved local businesses and citizens from bankruptcy during the "panic of 1893" by providing private loans when the banks failed. She was a philanthropist who liberally donated to projects sponsored by the Seattle chamber of commerce and gifted great sums of money towards the education of Seattle's children. In the late 19ᵗʰ century when Seattle was struggling financially, the taxes collected on money spent at brothels kept the city solvent. Brothels and the growth of Seattle went hand in hand.
Now:
To say sex work has changed since the days of Lou Graham would be an understatement. We have the internet. It grants us convenience, advertising, independence, pricing power, discernment, and anonymity. However, it lacks a crucial element: community.
I've lived and worked in the Bay Area, Portland, and now Seattle for four of my eight years as a provider. In every city I've noticed a similar trend: a lack of kinship. Life as a sex worker can feel isolating without a proper support system. I’m blessed to have many supportive friends and a partner. Not every sex worker has that, but every sex worker deserves that.
SWOP (Sex Workers Outreach Project) has chapters all over the country but our Seattle chapter is MIA. I've tried to contact our SWOP several times, but their website is down and my emails have gone unanswered. It is unclear what happened to them, but my guess is that the Covid pandemic made it difficult to operate.
Using my knowledge and experience in the sex industry, I decided to create a different kind of community, one that is reminiscent of the old Seattle brothels. I founded The Seattle Sex Workers Alliance (SSWA) to bring us together and find the support and camaraderie we are currently lacking. We hold events, post a client blacklist, and encourage networking. We are not each other's competition, we are each other's strength!
Our first meeting (date TBD) will be held at Merchants Cafe. The Cafe is the oldest saloon and brothel in Seattle, and predates the Great Seattle Fire of July 6, 1889.Even if you can’t attend our meeting, I highly recommend visiting this establishment. They are proud of their history as a former brothel, and paintings of past Madams and workers grace their walls. If you get the right bartender, you might get a tour and a history lesson along with your cocktail.
There are hundreds of sex workers in Seattle who want to connect with people that understand what it’s like to live with the stigma, misinformation, and phobia surrounding our work. Please visit the SSWA website, join our mailing list to stay informed about future events, and help us grow the alliance. We want to hear from you! We haven’t forgotten the rich history of our city.
Seattle was built up by sex workers. It’s time for our city to build us up as well.
Seattlesexworkersalliance.org
Seattlesexworkersalliance@outlook.com
Citations:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Graham_(Seattle_madame)
The Architecture of Seattle's Historic Prostitution Trade by Marques Vickers
https://historylink.tours/stop/merchants-cafe/
Are you a sex worker with a story, opinion, news, or tips to share? We'd love to hear from you!
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