 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Opened 19/10/02 Closed 24/10/02 The Bakery, James Street, Northbridge,
Artrage Festival (Western Australia)
"Going 'public' for the first time, some of the artists go as far
as baring their souls through autobiographical artwork…..in an effort
to dispel the myths and encourage debate about this almost taboo subject."
Emma Leask 'Perth Woman' December 2002
"I am deliriously happy that the Debby's are in Adelaide," Fanny Jacobsen, Feast Festival Director, 17 November 2003
22/2/04 24/2/04 SWOP basement,
Chippendale, New Mardi Gras (NMG) Festival (New South Wales)
"The worlds oldest profession is also the most stigmatised, which
makes it pretty hard to get your voice heard if you're a sex worker with
something to say. But a group of women working in the sex industry in
Australia have come up with a pretty good way of getting their message
across while still holding onto their anonymity., they call themselves
'Debby"…as well as being sex workers these women are activists,
artists and performers." Vicky Kerrigan, The Deep End, ABC
Radio National 24 January 2004
"If you take a look at how sex workers are represented in the media,
they often are seen as either victims of their own trade, a pain in the
arse for law makers to deal with, and frequently the butt of jokes. Well
a bunch of artists who are also sex workers have joined forces to try
and break down some of the myths about their lives as sex workers. In
the exhibition and performance, which is called "Debby Doesn't Do
It For Free", each artist is called Debby in the same way pseudonyms
are used in the sex industry." Mornings with Mel, Triple
J 20th February 2004
2/6/04 6/6/04 Wiemar Theatre, Adelaide,
Caberet Fringe & International Whores Day (South Australia)
"We invited The Debbys here to help us celebrate International Whores
Day in Adelaide, drawing attention to both the amazing history and future
of sex worker activism and artistic expression. International Whores Day
has a rich history, starting in 1975 when a group of sex workers staged
a sit in at a Church in Lyon in France, to protest the discrimination
against sex workers. Today, in Australia, we have a strong and talented
sex worker voice and the Debbys are an important contribution to that."
Jenni Gamble, spokesperson for the Sex Industry Network in South
Australia June 2nd 2004
"Debby Doesn't Do It For Free comprises performing and visual artists. On display at their stand is a bedspread made from women's lingerie and a dress made from multi-colored condoms. Queer R.T. Choke, one of the Debby's (as they are popularly known in Australia) is a sex worker and theatrical actress whose favourite character is Mr Big Pants. "Politicians think they will win people's votes when they push the whole health issue to sex workers. It is difficult to look after your health if some-one takes away your human rights. We are professional about the health of our clients. Are politicians professional about the health of their community?" In Australia, only New South Wales has decriminalised sex work." Nonqaba Msimang, Gem News, Monday 12th July 2004
22/11/04 Scarlet Alliance National Forum, performance at the Imperial Hotel for sex workers and friends. Hosted by Scarlet Alliance, SWOP and Scooter
5/3/05 Slit Magazine Launch "Brute," Brisbane, Qld Link to the SLIT magazine
01/05/05 - 08/05/05 San Francisco Sex Worker Film Festival Go to website
Featuring Belly Debby, Nurse Whore-See and Loose Lips Lisa, Mr Big Pants, Sandra Savior (played by Carol Leigh AKA Scarlot Harlot), and a collaborative piece written and performed with Ping Pong from Empower, Chiang Mai, with creative support from Pornand Liz (translation and stage hand). Many thanks!
6th & 13th Feb 2006 - Imperial Hotel, 35 Erskineville Road, Erskineville
Two full shows was the Debby Doesn't Do It For Free sex worker perfomance group second Mardi Gras year. With shimmying belly dancers, whore-scouts (dib dib dob dob), more local council dilemmas, sex between fag and non-fag men, Olympic Whore ribbon dances, and film full of fantasy these karaoke singin' and quick buck hustlin hookers titilated, tickled and shocked whore and straight audiences alike.
"We explore issues of sexuality by depicting interactions between men who have sex with men (non-gay identifying), lesbian politics and law reform issues surrounding sex work. Sex work queers (queries), problematises that seen as normal. The unseen, unspoken sexual labour ihenrent in heterosexuality. Sex work is gendered performance. Sex work opens doors to esoteric sexual cultures, sex work is a bridge for heterosexuals to queerness." Debby Diamante Dildo Harness
1 March 2006 Scarlet Alliance Opening Party - Surry Hills, Sydney
Street Transvestite, Whore Scouts, Belly Debby & Mr Big Pants teamed up for a range of favourites to mark the opening of the first National sex worker organisation office.
25 March 2006 Debby does Gurlesque - Marque Club, Sydney
Debbys performed 'Dont Whisper, Shout', - imagine a BDSM scene to the lyrics of academic anti-sex work feminist quotes. Do they [anti-sex work feminists] do to us what they say clients are doing? Who's exploiting who?
October 2006, Scarlet Alliance National Forum, Adelaide
Once again the Debbys added colour and whore delight to the opening night of the national sex workers conference, this year in Adelaide.
December 2006, Ho Ho Ho Whore Variety Show - Imperial Hotel, Sydney
This show went off with a bang! We included some invited guests and the show was a tribute to the fabulous Drag Debby who was lost to us only two months before.
In 2007 various Debby collaborations were set up
Our appearances included at Gurlesque, Transensual Femme etc