The Sexual Freedom Coalition was formed in London in April 1996, to counter a wave of state repression in the UK which resulted in swing clubs and fetish clubs being raided and the forced cancellation of the 10th Anniversary Sex Maniac’s Charity Ball.

We produced a regular newspaper. Consenting Adults, edited by Tuppy Owens who was the first person to be thrown out of Erotica (for selling the paper in their restaurant) – but others soon joined the club of people thrown out!

A march was organised starting in Soho and ending at 10 Downing Street where a petition “Sex Please We’re British” was presented to the Prime Minister.

The SFC distributed 7,500 leaflets to the Council Taxpayers in Wandsworth highlighting the cost of the Whiplash trial: over £1/4 million.

Since then, the SFC has sought dialogue with the Home office, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), the Vice Squad, Customs & Excise and various political parties, with some success.

Prostitution Pride was formed and we put on a performance called “The Sex Worker Show n’ Tell” at many different events.

The SFC produced a Sexual Freedom Bill to bring British sex laws into line with the European Union to end censorship and discrimination, and defend the rights of consenting adults.

Our Sexual Freedom Parades were annual summer events in London, each followed by a sex party called Arcadia. Arcadia parties were attended by over 1,000 supporters , many of whom were political activists who would not normally experience such things, and still say they were the best celebrations of freedom in recent history. Arcadia 1998 even received a positive review in The Times!

The SFC has also participated in:

International Conference of Prostitutes in Los Angeles

The Sex Work Re-assessed Conferences at the University of East London

Oxford and Cambridge Union Debates

Erotica

FunLove, Leeds

The Gay Pride March

Queer Remembrance Sunday

SM Pride

Reclaim the Streets

Anarchist Book Fair

Consultations with the Green Party on their policy on prostitution

Consultations with the Lib Dems on their policy on pornography

Consultations with the British Board of Film Censorship on film censorship

Discussions with the Australian Eros Association (now The Sex Party)

Film Four Conference on Censorship at the ICA

Localis seminar on Managed Zones

fpa seminar on consent and the use of sex workers for people with learning disabilities

The International Union of Sex Workers at the GMB

Many radio and TV shows, including the Venessa Feltz Show and Midnight Sex Talk on Resonance FM