13. Can you call me a "whore"? The history of sex work terminology

I've been living in Berlin for almost a decade (!) and often get asked online what it's like to live here - so here's a deep dive! I talk about the pros and cons from my personal perspective (warning: there's a lot of cons) as well has how much the city has changed since I moved here.

Today's conversation is full of not just juicy bits about porn, but important lessons for anyone who is even slightly interested in the industry. We discuss what a porn ban would actually look like, how AI effect the adult industry, the role of porn in sex education, and how porn is used as a political pawn. Noelle Perdue is a writer, producer and porn historian with nearly 10 years of experience working platform side for multiple mainstream and independent adult industry companies. Having written everything from Food Network porn parodies to legally binding terms and conditions, much of her current work explores the blurry borders of obscenity and how pornography's history can influence our digital and political futures.Follow Noelle on socials:https://www.instagram.com/all_day_breakfast_/

Chiqui Love joins me for a lively discussion on her decades of experience as a stripper, how sex work has changed her approach to both dating and feminism, and how the industry has changed since she got her start in London in the early 2000’s.  Chiqui Love is a stripper, burlesque, and cabaret artist and all round erotic entertainer. With over 22 years’ experience in the industry, she combines different elements of performance into her own unique style, and is also a sex worker rights advocate. She was the founding member of not one, but two stripper’s collectives, one in London and one in Berlin. Follow Chicqui on socials:https://www.instagram.com/chiquilovelovelove/

Madame Ava L'affaire joins me for a discussion on all things BDSM and sex work. We talk about her past experiences as an escort, her passion for being a dominatrix, experiencing class discrepancies as a sex worker, the whorearchy, sexual shame, and more.Madame Ava L'affaire is a dominatrix and sex worker rights activist. She grew up in Berlin and is the child of Afghan refugees.Follow Madame Ava on socials:https://www.instagram.com/madame_laffaire/https://x.com/Madame_affaire

Today I am joined by the magnificent Sienna Carlisle. We discuss her journey from being a pro-domme to now being a domme and escort, transphobia in the sex industry, her experiences with clients, her recent rebrand, and working in Australia vs Europe. Sienna Carlisle is an international trans goddess whose journey has spanned many countries and many parts of the industry. She is a luxury companion as well as a domme depending on the dynamic at hand.Follow Sienna on socials:https://www.instagram.com/sienna.carlisle/https://twitter.com/siennacarlisle

Today I am joined by my friend and colleague, Bishop Black. We discuss what Bishop has faced as a bisexual POC in the industry, the difference between mainstream and "ethical" porn, and how Bishop has sustained their long and illustrious career in the porn industry.Bishop Black (they/them) is a multidisciplinary stage, burlesque, and porn performer. Hailing from London, they currently reside in Berlin. They've been active in the porn scene for over 10 years and have worked with directors and studios such as Bruce LaBruce, Erika Lust, HardWerk, JoyBear, and more. They recently starred in the film The Visitor, which premiered at the Berlinale this year.Bishop's socials:https://instagram.com/thebishopblack3000https://twitter.com/itsbishopblackhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebishopblack3000.bsky.social

Why is the word "whore" a derogatory term? Is it ok for you to call me that? What other terms do we use to talk about sex workers, and where do they originate from? Class is in session, and I'm teaching you everything you need to know.

Do I pay taxes? Do I care if my clients are married? Do I fake orgasms? I get a lot of common questions about my work, and today I'm answering *all* of them. Plus, some extra answers from questions you asked on Instagram earlier this week. All your curiosities, indulged!

Season 2 of the podcast is back, and I'm starting off with a very personal story that happened this summer - I fell in love.

What's the best way to handle sex work legally? Should we use the Nordic model, to punish clients and decrease demand? What about legalization or decriminalization - and how are those two things different? Let's dive into the pros and cons of all the options. This is the final episode of Season 1 of The Whore's Bedroom! I'm taking a summer break and will be back in September for Season 2. Mentioned in this episode: Juno's TED talk: https://youtu.be/VJRBx0JjM_M?si=S9ODH8kvW6ZI2EEL Lydia's twitter thread: https://x.com/LydiaCaradonna/status/1806963676462583855 Book: Revolting Prostitutes by Juno Mac and Molly Smith