Prostitutes Fight AIDS With Fashion Show

by Verena von Pfetten | 12:50 pm, July 23rd, 2010

We love putting fashion to work for a good cause, and recent fashion show in Vienna has done just that — and more. After setting up camp on the outskirts of the Global Village where NGOs have gathered for the World AIDS Conference in Austria this week, a group of sex workers strutted their way down an improvised catwalk in an effort to raise awareness about discrimination and safe sex in their profession.

The models, decked out in itty-bitty and bright-colored shorts, skirts, and frilly dresses, wore designs by Daspu (which translates roughly to “from the whores” in Portugese), a Brazillian brand designed by a former prostitute-turned-champion for the rights of sex workers. In keeping with the theme, condoms could be seen peeking out of bodices and pockets.

HIV and AIDS typically have a much higher prevalence among sex workers due to a limited access to treatment, information, and education. Camille, a transgendered sex worker and one of the models in the show, told the AFP,
“Visibility of our population is very important to get less discrimination, violence and negative attitude against our group.”

Watch video of the show here.

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