With the impact Hurricane Helene had on North Carolina, several relief funds have emerged to assist those affected. Many are doing their best with what resources they have, but as always, there are groups left out of the mainstream help—sex workers being one of them.
One group making efforts in this space is the Pansy Collective in Asheville, North Carolina. They quickly mobilized to support their communities, delivering supplies and helping those in need. The hurricane, which grew into a Category 4 storm, caused widespread devastation, leading to at least 220 deaths and many more displaced or missing.
The Pansy Collective is a funding project based in Asheville, NC, known for hosting shows and workshops throughout the year, with 100% of their proceeds going toward grassroots community organizations.
Yes, it’s really called the Pansy Collective. I had to look them up to confirm it was a legitimate relief fund. It is, but I found it difficult to gather a lot of concrete information about them. Their presence seems scattered, which makes it hard to pin down more details.
While official government and larger nonprofit responses have been slow, local mutual-aid groups, like the Pansy Collective, have stepped in to fill the gap. They rely on donations and community efforts, but with these grassroots initiatives, there’s always the question of how effective they can be in reaching everyone.
One standout effort is their relief fund specifically for sex workers affected by the hurricane. It’s worth noting because not many groups are focusing on this often-stigmatized profession. Some people might see this as strange, assuming sex workers have plenty of disposable income due to misconceptions about their earnings. To be honest, I’ve thought the same thing before.
However, I can understand what it’s like to lose everything in one devastating event with no way to prevent it. If you feel compelled to donate, by all means, go for it. If you choose not to, that’s perfectly fine as well.
I tried to look further into their efforts by visiting the Linktree address they provided, but I ran into issues with accessing the links. So, if you decide to donate, exercise caution and double-check everything before contributing.
@Pansy.Collective
