The Sex Wars: Prostitution, Carceral Feminists, and the Consolidation of Police Power

Abstract

Anne Gray Fischer’s The Streets Belong to Us makes an important contribution to the growing historiography of post-1970’s feminism in the United States. Her final chapter deftly explores the rise of what she calls “dominance feminists” who allied with police departments in their campaigns against commercial sex. However, this alliance overlooked the realities of on-the-ground policing and exacerbated the marginalization of Black women. Fischer’s analysis underscores the importance of centering Black women’s experiences and engaging with communities impacted by police harassment to inform more inclusive and effective feminist strategies.