Over the past few years, we’ve been told to adjust to a “new normal.” It’s a phrase that’s been thrown around to justify everything from increased surveillance and economic instability to the erosion of personal freedoms. But for many of us—especially those in the sex work and harm reduction communities—this “new normal” isn’t normal at all. It’s a crisis wrapped in a catchphrase. And over the past few months we've seen even more "Not Normal" things begin to take hold.
A Normal That Was Never Fair
Even before the election, before the pandemic, before SESTA/FOSTA, before the endless waves of policing and criminalization, our communities were already navigating a world designed to push us to the margins. We’ve never had the luxury of “normal,” at least not in the way mainstream society defines it. Stability, access to housing, healthcare, and legal protections have always been conditional—often on whether we could pass as something more palatable to a system that punishes survival work and nonconformity.
Now, as the world claims to be settling into a “new normal,” we’re left asking: who does this normal serve? Because from where we stand, it looks an awful lot like the same old injustices, just with fresh branding.
More Surveillance, More Criminalization
One of the most glaring issues with this so-called “new normal” is the way it’s been used to justify expanded surveillance and criminalization. Governments and tech companies have doubled down on monitoring our movements, our communications, and our finances—all under the guise of safety and public health.
For sex workers, this has meant increased policing of online platforms, the continued weaponization of financial discrimination (hello, banking shutdowns), and a growing push for digital IDs that disproportionately harm marginalized communities. All of this is done in the name of combating trafficking, despite clear evidence that criminalization makes people more vulnerable to harm, not less.
Economic Instability as a Permanent Condition
The pandemic revealed what we already knew: the economy doesn’t work for most people. Stimulus checks were a band-aid on a bullet wound, and now we’re left with rising rent, food insecurity, and healthcare systems that function more like luxury services. Sex workers—many of whom were excluded from pandemic relief altogether—have had to navigate an even more hostile financial landscape, with banks and payment processors tightening restrictions and landlords raising rents in cities already plagued by gentrification.
Meanwhile, gig work and the so-called “creator economy” have been sold as pathways to independence, but without labor protections or stability, they function more like a digital-age trap door.
What Do We Do?
We refuse to accept this “new normal.” Instead, we fight for something actually new.
• Mutual aid isn’t a trend; it’s survival. When systems fail us, we take care of each other. SWOP Behind Bars has continued to support incarcerated sex workers, provide resources for reentry, and push for real harm reduction policies.
• Policy change isn’t optional; it’s necessary. We’re demanding decriminalization, an end to financial discrimination, and real labor protections for all workers—including sex workers.
• Community is everything. We’re building networks that aren’t just about surviving but thriving—whether that’s through legal aid, education, or direct support.
The new normal isn’t normal, and it sure as hell isn’t just. But we’ve never been ones to sit quietly and accept injustice. We’ve been fighting for a world where survival isn’t criminalized and dignity isn’t reserved for the privileged. That fight continues—louder, stronger, and more organized than ever.
If this “new normal” isn’t working for you, you’re not alone. Let’s build something better.
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