Support CJ Trans Sex Worker

In the last week, we have seen a massive outpouring of support for CJ Palmer, the trans woman sex worker currently being detained a male prison in Western Australia. Following the refusal of bail and CJ's ongoing detention in male prison on remand, she now needs some financial support from the broader community. (While CJ has previously publicly been referred to by her working name, she has now requested that her preferred name be used instead.)

CJ's family is very supportive of her, and they would very much like to be by her side to support her through this traumatic time. However, they live outside of Australia and do not have the financial capacity to come on their own, so will need to be flown in. They will also need funding to support their living expenses while they staying in Perth to support CJ, and CJ herself needs money to use in prison. We anticipate that achieving these things will come to a total cost of approximately $7000.

CJ is currently going through a unique kind of hell that no one should ever have to go through, and while we are fighting to protect her and ensure that what has happened to her never happens to any trans women in Australia ever again, we also need to provide this practical support in her time of need. We have been contacted by people from all over Australia and all over the world expressing support for CJ and asking how they could help, and this is one practical way you can make an immediate difference for CJ right now.

This appeal is being managed by People For Sex Worker Rights in Western Australia, the peer-led sex worker advocacy group in Western Australia, and has been done in consultation with CJ herself. We have been fighting to address the stigma that has been directed at CJ in the media and campaigning to have her moved out of a male prison, but we are a completely unfunded organisation and these financial needs are far beyond our capacity to provide as an organisation.

Every dollar raised from this GoFundMe will go towards ensuring CJ can have her family around her and meeting her direct needs in prison. We may not be able to keep her out of male prison today, but we can at least ensure that she has as much support around her from those closest to her as possible while we campaign to have her moved.