➤ NORDIC MODEL, from p.10
fort comes months after Gay City
News reported that European offi
cials discussed the Nordic Model
with Krueger and Wright during a
meeting in New York.
A broad coalition of advocates
associated with DecrimNY, including
current and former transgender
sex workers of color, have
blasted the Nordic Model as a
dangerous middle-ground set up
under which sex workers would
still get swept up in the criminal
justice system along with buyers
and people who facilitate the sex
work. Numerous advocacy groups,
including Legal Aid Attorneys, DecrimNY,
Gay Men’s Health Crisis,
Make the Road New York, the New
York City Anti-Violence Project,
VOCAL-NY, and WOMANKIND,
were critical of out gay City Council
Speaker Corey Johnson earlier
this year when he voiced support
for the Nordic Model.
A survey by the National Center
for Transgender Equality revealed
that 40 percent of Black trans
women report engaging in the sex
trade.
State Senators Julia Salazar
of Brooklyn, Jessica Ramos of
Queens, and Robert Jackson of
Manhattan are sponsors of the full
decriminalization bill in the upper
chamber, while its Assembly backers
include Richard Gottfried, Dan
Quart, and Yuh-Line Niou of Manhattan
and Ron Kim and Catalina
Cruz of Queens.
Salazar was among those quick
to push back against the Krueger-
Wright approach, stating in a tweet
that she was “disappointed” to see
the report in the Daily News describing
a “new path” ending criminal
penalties on sex workers.
“If you want to know what sex
worker advocates want, answer
the calls of the many sex workers
and traffi cking survivors leading
@DecrimNY,” Salazar wrote.
The Daily News story — which
noted that the Nordic Model bill
has the support of celebrities like
Ashley Judd, Seth Meyers, and his
wife, Alexi Ashe — quoted Wright
as saying, “For too long we’ve been
➤ NORDIC MODEL, continued on p37
Brooklyn State Senator Julia Salazar, with Manhattan Assemblymember Richard Gottfried at right.
➤ RITCHIE TORRES, from p.10
quently pumped $5,000 into his
war chest in each of the fi rst two fi lings.
Notably, one of his opponents,
Assemblymember and Democratic
National Committee Vice Chair Michael
Blake, has the endorsement
and fi nancial support of the Congressional
Black Caucus.
MATT TRACY
Torres pulled in $335,089 during
the fi ling period between July
1 and September 30, after raising
$522,000 in his fi rst fi ling. Along
with Diaz, Mark-Viverito, and
Blake, Torres is also facing competition
from candidates including
Manhattan Councilmember
Ydanis Rodriguez and Tomas Ramos.
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