Belle Knox Pens 'Rolling Stone' Opinion Piece on Sex Work

NEW YORK CITY—Belle Knox’s most recent article, “Prostitutes Are People, Not Criminals,” is published under her real name in the current issue of Rolling Stone. The Duke University student and teen porn media sensation seeks the same rights and protections for sex workers as the general public in her piece. "While it's true that paying my tuition at Duke was my initial motivation for entering the porn industry, I've grown to appreciate the empowerment opportunities that sex work has provided me," Knox wrote. "In porn, I can speak openly about my experiences without fear of punishment, work in a safe and professional environment and play a vital role in the creative process. Of course, not everyone can be a porn star, but more sex workers could enjoy this same level of autonomy and fulfillment if prostitution was legalized... “Although porn is legal, I am nonetheless proud to classify myself a sex worker and call on my colleagues to stand up for our right to make a living, access the same protections as everyone else, and not feel ashamed for doing honest work,” she concluded. “We are nobody's rescue project, and we deserve rights, not handcuffs.” To read “Prostitutes Are People, Not Criminals” in its entirety, click here. The 19-year-old student, profiled in Rolling Stone last summer, was thrilled to have the honor of writing for such an esteemed and legendary publication. "The sex industry has been getting a lot of attention lately, especially with the passing of Bill C-36 in Canada,” said Knox. “I feel our dialogue surrounding sex work is marred in misconceptions and distorted facts, and when we criminalize sex work, we only make it more dangerous for all parties involved. Moral beliefs beside, criminalization is poor public policy, plain and simple. I feel so honored Rolling Stone published my piece, and I hope it causes readers to rethink some of their opinions." Fans can find Belle Knox's website here and can follow her on Twitter; for modeling and performance scheduling as well as media inquiries, email here. For feature dancing bookings, click here.