In this episode from History Lab's archive, we stay in Darlinghurst with the award winning Red Light Green Light story from our Listen to Darlinghurst series.

Going back to the street corners and safe houses where sex workers competed for customers in Darlinghurst in the 1980s, you will hear the stories of members of the community who fought for law reform and sex worker's rights.

The last time we heard this story, a petition had been started to bring back the statue of Joy, one of relatively few statues in Sydney that represents a woman - in this case, a sex worker. We are proud and excited to say that Joy has been returned to her rightful place in Darlinghurst, now in bronze and fully permanent!

This episode of History Lab won a Signal Award in the social impact category.

Voices

Julie Bates, veteran sex worker activist; Principal of Urban Realists Planning and Health Consultants.

Chantell Martin, veteran sex worker; Co-CEO of Sex Workers Outreach Project.

Credits

This audio story is a production of the Australian Centre for Public History and Impact Studios at UTS, in partnership with the Paul Ramsay Foundation. It is part of the award-winning Darlinghurst Public History Initiative.

Producer: Catherine Freyne

Sound engineer: Judy Rapley

Music: Blue Dot Sessions

Archival: ABC Library Sales