Wendy Babcock passes away

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

"Prostitute turned Osgoode law student found dead"

 

Sex Worker.

 

I was very saddened to hear of her death, the world has lost an incredible person who directly or indirectly had an impact on all of our lives and inspired many to fight and overcome the challenges and difficulties they face.

May she finally be at peace.

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

"Prostitute turned Osgoode law student found dead"

 

Sex Worker...

 

Yes, I deliberately left The Star's headline out of my post, for that exact reason.

[Kubrickfan 12836]

Very sorry to hear this. Did she finish law school?

[VedaSloan 119179]

Very sorry to hear this. Did she finish law school?

 

I believe she was headed into her third year.

[Kubrickfan 12836]

Very, very sad ... I wonder if she was having trouble getting a summer clerkship because of her past life. Probably a pretty complicated story.

[Alexandra-Sky 12606]

This is really sad. Such a big loss for the movement and most importantly for her family, friends and immediate community.

 

I hope that this thread can stay on topic and not speculate about the circumstances of her life nor her death.

 

Rest in peace and power, Wendy.

[Guest E*******h S******s]

Her reasons are her own and really aren't anyone's business. Newspapers normally don't report suicides out of respect for the dead. It disturbs me that the media is reporting this as a suspected suicide. I can't help but wonder if the abolitionists will use this to bolster their argument that all sex workers are irreparably damaged and we should be saved from ourselves.

[Surf_Nazis_Must_Die 8958]

This is really too bad.

 

A very inspirational story with an ending that is far too abrupt.

 

Who gives a shit how she passed away or that she may have made mistakes when she was younger (not referring to being a sex worker btw). This woman accomplished more in a short time than most people ever will with a full life ahead of them, and that's pretty freakin' rad!

 

May she rest in peace.

[SamanthaEvans 166766]

I'm very sorry to learn of her death. I didn't know Wendy when I was in Toronto, but I certainly knew of her. She was genuinely inspiring.

 

RIP Wendy

[Alexandra-Sky 12606]

I sent a message to the Toronto star:

 

"Hi there

 

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1037824

 

Prostitute turned Osgoode law student found dead

 

I think it's really problematic that even though you mentioned Wendy's correction of her professors use of the word 'prostitute' in this article, you still decided to use the word prostitute to describe her in the title of your article. Maybe you should consider changing this, in honour of Wendy who would've likely wanted to be referred to as a sex worker and not a prostitute."

 

If folks are as pissed as I am about this, you should consider sending them your own message to which can be done by clicking "report an error" at the bottom of the article.

[Lowdark 5613]

This is truly tragic. She seemed like the kind of person who could have changed the world for the better.

[mrrnice2 157005]

I am saddened to hear of the passing of Ms. Babcock. I am further saddened that I was not familiar with her prior to her death and this notifiication.

 

In reading the article I detect the passion that I have come to find from some other sex workers that I have met here through CERB. I have become more aware all of the time that sex workers rights and safety issues are very commonly not addressed in law, and that the exisiting stereotypes are so terribly wrong.

 

As I read more and learn more and discuss more, I am so impressed with the way in which some of you have adopted leadership roles to carry on the work that Ms. Babcock may have been a pioneer in.

 

Whether you be on the front lines and in the public eye, or in the background with this, then kudos to you, and I trust that you recognize far better than I the contributions made by Ms. Babcock.

 

As requested by Sky in her post above, I have written a note asking for a correction to the newspaper headline.

 

Condolences to her friends, family and peers.

[meridian 100]

I notice CBC also wrote an article on Ms Babcock's death. There are a few things in the CBC version that, to me, belied a much more progressive view of sex work. First and most obviously, they used to term sex worker, not prostitute. Secondly, there was no mention of suicide; media very rarely indicates whether a death is suicide unless the family wants it mentioned or the media wants to sensationalize the story (which I suspect is the case in star story). Third, and most significantly I believe, the CBC story was written like any other obituary celebrating the accomplishments of an important figure in society. Although I did not know her at all, to me the media-worthy element of this story is that Canada has lost a powerful and passionate voice for a serious social inequity issue. I wonder if her death will serve as a catalyst for others to publicly take up her causes

[Kyra.Graves 23779]

The CBC article

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2011/08/11/gulliver-death.html

[Alexandra-Sky 12606]

I wonder if her death will serve as a catalyst for others to publicly take up her causes

 

 

this is already happening. the work that so many of us do is rarely talked about or portrayed in the media. additionally, while others don't engage in many forms of what is conventionally known as "activism", many people living and working within the sex-trade are challenging all of the oppressive structures in our society by simply existing. and lastly, i would argue that especially here on CERB, the existence of an SP-only section is a form of resistance and social change in that it serves as a wonderful and broad-encompassing venue to build community and relationships with other sex workers that is characterized by a lot of knowledge sharing and support from each other.

 

Wendy was amazing. She did amazing work. But to suggest that others aren't already engaged in similar struggles and carrying on her vision of a society that provides justice to sex workers is inaccurate. (I know this is probably not what you meant, but i wanted to add in this comment just in case others interpreted it that way)

 

With love,

 

Sky

 

Additional Comments:

SUCCESS!!!

 

"Sex workers rights activist turned Osgoode law student found dead"