From Sand to Gemstones

For Hawaii Nei. I promised someone I would shine a light on this bill. It has taken me a week and a half because it was hard. This bill, which can be read here, brings up a lot of feels. When I first heard about it from my husband I was so angry. Who would actually submit a bill legalizing prostitution?

HB No 1533 – Relating to Prostitution is backed by Tracy Ryan the head of Hawaii’s  Libertarian Party. According to Ryan the “law needs to be changed because it unfairly harms consenting adults especially those who are transgender,” (Arevalo, 2017). She believes that changing the law allows transgenders and others the ability to, essentially, earn an honest living. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but selling yourself for sex is not at all an honest living. Office work, working at a fast food restaurant, being a beautician, now those are honest professions. She believes passing this law protects the rights of transgenders. But, I’m struggling here to see how.

Hawaii’s Libertarian Party’s website explains the bill as this:

HB 1533 would eliminate penalties in Hawaii laws for adult consensual sex work.  This applies to sex worker, client, and manager.  It does not apply to the offense of sex trafficking which is defined in Hawaii law to include various abuses of sex workers by “managers” who are little more than criminals and to laws criminalizing those who manage underage persons doing sex work. HB 1533 leaves in place the current legal violation for minors themselves who do sex work.  They would remain under the jurisdiction of the Family Court as they are now. (Libertarianhawaii, no date)

 

Here’s the thing, should HB No 1533 it would saturate Hawaii’s prostitution issue by:

1. Allowing tourism in Hawaii to expand into sexual activities
2. Allowing pimps to legally have a profession and sell women for sex
3. Allowing police officers to legally have sex with prostitutes while wearing blue
4. Allowing the gates of sex trafficking to be opened wider
5. Allowing clients to legally pay for prostitution

I can’t bear to watch this bill be voted with a green light. Yes, I have moved from the islands and now call the PNW my place of residence. But, Hawaii will always be home. And we, as Hawaii residents, should let our voices be heard. What scares me the most about this is Ryan honestly believes that this bill would not open the door to sex trafficking nor would it make it hard for this international problem to be rectified (Arevalo, 2017). My understanding of sex trafficking is putting one in sexual slavery. Is that not, in a sense, what a pimp does? Does he not, in fact, dominate and control and exploit sex from his sex workers for selfish profit?

I am afraid of what this world is coming to. And since I can’t entirely control what happens  in this world, I can at least let my voice be heard for my islands. And you should too. Here is how:

Take the time to call the members of the House Judiciary Committee. Currently HB No 1533 has passed its first reading. Speak with JUD and let them know you would like them to vote NO on passing it. If you can’t speak with all or one of the committee members, leave a message. You can also email them regarding your stance. Below are the committee members:

Arevalo, E. (2017) Lawmaker submits bill to legalize prostitution. Available at: http://khon2.com/2017/02/03/lawmaker-submits-bill-to-legalize-prostitution/ (Accessed: 17 February 2017).

Libertarianhawaii (no date) Available at: http://www.libertarianpartyofhawaii.org (Accessed: 17 February 2017).