Laverne Cox Exits ‘Sell/Buy/Date’ Film

LOS ANGELES—Just days after she was announced as one three executive producers on an upcoming sex-work documentary, pioneering transgender actress Laverne Cox has withdrawn from the project, according to a post on her Twitter account. She cited “outrage by some” over the project, saying that she was “not in the emotional place right now to deal” with that “outrage.” The just-announced film, Sell/Buy/Date,i s inspired by a one-woman stage play of the same title written and performed by Broadway actress Sarah Jones.   Jones herself is slated to helm the project. But it was the other two executive producers whose names caused alarm among advocates for sex workers, according to a report on the controversy by Rolling Stone. Multiple Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep, who is backing the film, has drawn fire from sex workers for her support of the 2018 FOSTA/SESTA bill. Sex workers, as well as some research studies, say that the law has led to increased violence against sex workers. Streep also signed a letter in 2015 — along with other Hollywood actresses including Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson, and Ann Hathaway — opposing Amnesty International’s call to decriminalize sex work. Sell/Buy/Date is also co-produced by Rashida Jones, who was a producer of the controversial adult industry documentary Hot Girls Wanted, which was criticized by sex worker rights advocates for allegedly exploiting its subjects, and blurring the distinctions between the adult industry and illegal sex trafficking. Sex worker advocates say that Sell/Buy/Date appears to be more of the same. “This is another moment where everyone gets to capitalize on the sex trade — you have a host of people who use sex workers as a scapegoat, catalyst, muse, target — except for people who trade sex,” activist Kate D’Adamo told Rolling Stone. “This is another moment of erasure by people who aren’t impacted by this conversation who get to exploit a hot topic in hopes of a Golden Globe nomination.” In her Twitter statement, Cox — who has previously spoken out in favor of sex worker rights and decriminalization — said that she originally joined the Sell/Buy/Date film project because she was “deeply moved by Sarah Jones brilliant play,” and “signed on to support her incredible talent. I have so much love for her as a human being.” But adding that “I have to take care of my mental, physical, and emotional health,” Cox said that she was now exiting the project and was “no longer involved in any capacity” in the film. Photo By Greg Hernandez / Wikimedia Commons