Shows by Sex Workers That Reveal a New Side to Sexuality

Following along the same path as my last article about books by sex workers, I want to continue talking about the importance self-representation through other forms of media. Films and TV shows offer some added benifits when it comes to self-representation; they’re fairly accessible to audiences and provide visual representation, challenging physical assumptions of what it means to be a sex worker. Podcasts have entered our daily lives in such an influential way that they provide an outlet free for many to access and in a format that allows complex content to be unpacked over an hour or so.

For this week’s article I want to expand our repetoir of content made by sex workers about the industry. These shows also have the potential to shed light on our own attitudes to sexuality and sexualised bodies. Often existing at the intersections of multiple marginalised identities, sex workers offer a depth of insight unique to those working so intimately in the realms of human sexuality and pleasure. In a way, the following recommendations offer insights into taboos that no other content-creators might, and that’s definitely worth celebrating and enjoying.

Hookers…On Davie (Cole and Dale, 1985)

Prior to 1984, much of Vancouver’s transgender (and white) community of sex workers operated in the West End area of Davie Street. A variety of interweaving factors dislocated them from the area, including a wave gentrification, CROWE’s moralistic campaigns, the West End Traffic Plan that physically redirected clients away from Davie Street, and the passing of Bill C-49 in 1985. The Bill criminalised many aspects of sex work such as ‘communicating’, meaning it was illegal to solicit clients and therefore limiting the time sex workers were able to screen their clients. Police powers were also extended under the bill which allowed them to place personal area bans on specific workers. The consequences were catostrophic and fractured the safety of the West End community, potentially enabling the actions of serial killer Robert Pickton and other predators to flourish. Today a lamppost with a red light bulb acts as a memorial in their memory,pushed into existence by UBC professor Becki L. Ross and the Late activist Jamie Lee Hamilton.

Holly Dale and Janis Cole enter the West End before this history has a chance to unravel. Their documentary is a testement to the tight knit and politically active community that existed there between 1960-1985. Dale herself worked as a massage parlour in Toronto and the filmmaking duo already had a number of credits behind them which explored sexuality and sex work in various contexts. Their documentary involves intimate interviews with a range of sex workers from the area, and uses candid footage to help viewers look closer into the lives and experiences of their subjects.

The documentary is available for free digitally through the Vancouver City Archives’ website.

Mercy Mistress

Mercy Mistress takes the experiences Yin Q, a Queer, Asian American Dominatrix, and adapts them into a beautifully constructed and stunningly written series of short episodes. The series sets out to destigmatise the worlds of kink and sex work, which it does by exploring the relationships that its protagonist, Mistress Yin (Poppy Lui) has with her clients. The series profiles not just Yin but also the kinks that she encounters in her job, normalising their existence in our lives and experiences.

Unfortunately the show is only one series long at the moment, but has been well received and with enough traction could have a second season (it certainly deserves it!). Season one is available on YouTube for you to relish over and over!

Sex Weed Magick

Although this podcast series seems to have taken a back seat in their host’s very busy agendas, Sex Weed Magick is still worth a listen whilst you’re walking between places or making yourself some lunch. The show is hosted by professional dominatrix Dia Dynasty (@dia_dynasty) and writer Sophie Saint Thomas (@thebowiecat).

The show is hilariously candid, exploring subjects around sexuality from transcendental fisting to drag art to healing baths. It’s a real shame the podcast hasn’t had an update since 2019 but I recommend listening to the episodes that do exist on the podcast app and delving into the other awesome work that its hosts are doing.

Whore’s Handbags

@whores_handbags is an instagram project for the curious and the just-plain-nosey among us. The project is headed by two sex workers an consists of photographs of what they carry around in their day-to-day work. Their captions paint often poetic pictures of their innter lives, and shed particular insight on what sex workers’ lives have looked like during COVID-19.

Special Mentions/My Own TBW

For the sake of transparency, I’ll admit I haven’t watched every film and TV show made by sex workers (well,duh). So this “special mentions” section is for a couple of shows I haven’t watched yet but have at the top of by to-be-watched list!

BlackLight

So far BlackLight only exists in the form of an hour long table read available on Vimeo, but here's to hoping it'll get produced with enough time and support! The show's tagline is probable the best way of selling it to you:

Dark comedy based on the life of a soft spoken Black goth sex worker + activist in New Orleans

You can catch the table read on vimeo here.

Sex Worker Film and Arts Festival

This isn’t a specific movie or show per say but I still thought I’d mention this website as a great resource for finding more sex worker-made films. The festival’s website has an archive of over 300 films that you can explore by years of release or by genre! This is a great way of expanding your view of sex workers and explore some independent films you might never have heard of!

There you have it folks, I’ve tried to give you a good range of accessible and insightful content to enjoy! As usual please signal boost this through the links at the top of the page and let me if you watch any of these by commenting on my instagram post here. Stay queer and curious! - Em