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Downloaded from
YTS.BZ
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.BZ
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(singing inaudibly)
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Announcer: The following film
is about sex work,
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and contains depictions of sex,
sexual assault,
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and substance use.
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Please take care.
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(disco music playing)
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♪
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♪
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♪
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My name is Andrea Werhun.
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I'm a writer and performer,
and I'm...
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also a sex worker.
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♪
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In books, movies,
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and every syndicated crime
drama imaginable,
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sex workers are typically
portrayed as victims
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or villains.
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Shame and stigma
can silence us.
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It's high time we told our
own damn stories.
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Here's mine.
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In my early 20s,
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I worked as an escort.
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Clients hired me
to a play a role,
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and I love to perform.
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It wasn't always glamourous.
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Can I jizz on your titties, baby?
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That costs extra, baby.
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(moaning)
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And I wasn't always the
professional you see here.
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(moaning)
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Here it comes, baby.
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Here it comes!
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(moans echoing)
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Andrea:
Once upon a time,
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Iwas a university student
with a dream.
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A dream of making more than
minimum wage.
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I quickly realized the power of
a little unzipping.
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(exhaling)
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♪
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(customer moaning)
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(spotlight clunking)
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I went to university to study
English literature.
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That was my major,
and I minored in religion.
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The first time I went to
a strip club,
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what I saw was a kind of
sexy church.
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I saw these poled priestesses
on the stage,
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being worshipped by this doting
male congregation
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who are, you know, being given
the opportunity
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00:04:00,657 --> 00:04:03,952
to go to confession for like,
$20 a song.
52
00:04:03,952 --> 00:04:07,747
And so I thought,
"I want to do that."
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00:04:07,747 --> 00:04:10,459
And I did eventually become
a stripper.
54
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More on that later.
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I had a friend in one of the
classes I was taking in school
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tell me that I should consider
escorting instead.
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One night, I noticed that all
the stories I'd penned
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for my creative writing class
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involved the exchange of sex
for money.
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♪
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It became clear...
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Ethereal voice:
Whoredom is your destiny...
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Whoredom is...
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...your destiny!
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(moaning)
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Andrea: And how does one
become a sex worker?
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Well, let me show you.
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Under the cover of darkness,
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I stalked the streets like
a cat in heat,
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fondling for society's
sexy underbelly.
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(door scraping)
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Woman: Password?
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(muffled trumpet notes)
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Come in.
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(door clanking)
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♪
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Cloaked in the darkness of
night and little else,
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I penetrated a secret set of
sinful sluts.
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Just kidding.
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I looked up escort agencies,
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picked the best-looking
website,
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and sent them an email.
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(phone vibrating, ringing)
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And they contacted me
immediately for an interview,
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which opened with...
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Woman:
You got the job.
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Oh.
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Great.
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The agency owners were a
suburban couple
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- named Trina and Craig.
- Here's how it works.
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We'll do your advertising
for you.
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I'll pick you up,
drop you off.
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You collect the money and
text me that it's all good.
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I'll start the clock,
you do the deed,
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and I'll wait outside and let
you know when the hour is up.
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- Any questions?
- Yeah.
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Do you provide the condoms?
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No.
99
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Okay. Um...
100
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How often should I get
an STI test?
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Like, every month?
102
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Every month would probably
be too much.
103
00:06:10,078 --> 00:06:13,456
And how likely is it that
I would get an STI?
104
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Uh, not likely.
105
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That would be very rare.
106
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Andrea: You know, some people
get away from sex work
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without ever having had
an STI.
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Me, I had chlamydia,
I got gonorrhea,
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and then I did a seven-day,
you know, round of antibiotics
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and they were gone.
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And that's because
I got tested regularly.
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Also, I was wondering,
is this legal?
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Yes and no.
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But the cops have bigger
to fry.
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And we've never had a run-in
with law enforcement.
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You're fine.
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The fact that she's saying
she's been able to run
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a successful escorting agency
doesn't change the fact
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that criminalization
impacts us as workers
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in a way that it doesn't
impact her
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as someone who is not
sucking cock for money.
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How dangerous is this job?
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We've been in this business
a long time.
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You're totally safe,
nothing's gonna happen to you.
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She is not going to be
transparent about the risks
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that I face,
and the vulnerable situations
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she is about to put me in
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because she doesn't want
to scare me away.
129
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So, what do you want to be
called? You need a fake name.
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I'd thought about
this a lot.
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I was taking a romantic poetry
class at the time,
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and I had fallen
head over heels in love
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with William Blake.
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In Visions of the Daughters
of Albion,
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a virgin goddess named Oothoon
walks in woe
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when her eye is caught
by a marygold.
137
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"I see thee now a flower,
138
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"now a nymph.
139
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"I dare not pluck thee
from thy dewy bed."
140
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Pluck thou my flower,
Oothoon the mild.
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Another flower shall spring.
142
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Because the soul of
sweet delight
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can never pass away.
144
00:08:02,983 --> 00:08:06,778
Andrea: That virginity
is forever.
145
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Marygold!
146
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Nah.
147
00:08:11,783 --> 00:08:13,535
How about Mary Ann?
148
00:08:13,535 --> 00:08:16,788
You kinda look like Mary Ann
from Gilligan's Island.
149
00:08:19,416 --> 00:08:20,917
Sure.
150
00:08:20,917 --> 00:08:22,502
Mary Ann.
151
00:08:22,502 --> 00:08:25,255
The Virgin Mary,
and her mother, Saint Anne.
152
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Two generations of maternal
divinity
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00:08:27,549 --> 00:08:30,135
to protect me
on this whorish path.
154
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I remember signing an
agreement,
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00:08:32,971 --> 00:08:35,724
but I'm not sure what it said.
156
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Trina and Craig couldn't get me
on the schedule fast enough.
157
00:08:43,899 --> 00:08:47,152
Trina: His name is Sanjay.
He's nice.
158
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He's more nervous than you are.
Trust me.
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(knocking)
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♪
161
00:09:07,214 --> 00:09:09,466
Come in, come in.
162
00:09:09,466 --> 00:09:10,717
Hi.
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00:09:11,677 --> 00:09:14,638
(woman moaning lustfully on TV)
164
00:09:15,889 --> 00:09:18,642
Jacket?
165
00:09:18,642 --> 00:09:21,019
Oh. Thanks. Um...
166
00:09:21,019 --> 00:09:23,313
- I'll be right back.
- Sure.
167
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♪
168
00:09:28,777 --> 00:09:30,821
(cell phone chiming)
169
00:09:34,116 --> 00:09:36,326
(moaning)
170
00:09:41,582 --> 00:09:43,500
- Hey.
- Hi.
171
00:09:47,546 --> 00:09:51,174
So, how long have you
been doing this?
172
00:09:51,174 --> 00:09:54,052
Not very long.
173
00:09:54,052 --> 00:09:58,348
Um, this is actually
my first appointment.
174
00:09:58,348 --> 00:10:00,100
You're my first client.
175
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Really?
176
00:10:02,895 --> 00:10:04,688
Wow...
177
00:10:06,315 --> 00:10:08,817
That's great. That's great.
178
00:10:08,817 --> 00:10:18,869
♪
179
00:10:23,916 --> 00:10:25,250
(moaning)
180
00:10:25,250 --> 00:10:28,337
He was being kind,
he was being respectful,
181
00:10:28,337 --> 00:10:30,714
and we were pleasuring each
other.
182
00:10:30,714 --> 00:10:32,966
And I thought,
"If this is what it is...
183
00:10:32,966 --> 00:10:34,426
(moaning)
184
00:10:34,426 --> 00:10:36,136
"...that's kinda fun!"
185
00:10:36,136 --> 00:10:37,596
(giggling)
186
00:10:37,596 --> 00:10:41,391
Sanjay leaves me in the room
with half an hour left.
187
00:10:41,391 --> 00:10:42,976
Please lock up the room
whenever you are done.
188
00:10:42,976 --> 00:10:44,811
Goodnight, Mary Ann.
189
00:10:44,811 --> 00:10:46,688
Goodnight?
190
00:10:46,688 --> 00:10:49,316
♪
191
00:10:49,316 --> 00:10:51,193
Okay, I've just, like,
hit the jackpot here.
192
00:10:51,193 --> 00:10:54,029
I get to like,
relax in a room by myself
193
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after this momentous occasion
194
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where I feel like I had just
lost my whore virginity.
195
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♪
196
00:11:03,372 --> 00:11:05,415
Was it really me?
197
00:11:05,415 --> 00:11:08,335
A new friend, companion,
and partner in crime
198
00:11:08,335 --> 00:11:10,337
smiled back at me.
199
00:11:10,337 --> 00:11:13,382
And her name was Mary Ann.
200
00:11:13,382 --> 00:11:18,428
♪
201
00:11:21,056 --> 00:11:22,850
Toronto Sirens.
202
00:11:22,850 --> 00:11:26,103
Man on phone: Well, hi there,
- Trina.
- It's Chuck from Texas.
203
00:11:26,103 --> 00:11:28,355
You have a gal for me
this evening?
204
00:11:28,355 --> 00:11:30,649
Trina: Have I got the girl
for you! She's new.
205
00:11:30,649 --> 00:11:34,945
Her name is Mary Ann,
and it's her first night.
206
00:11:34,945 --> 00:11:36,154
You're gonna love her.
207
00:11:36,154 --> 00:11:37,906
(Andrea moaning)
208
00:11:37,906 --> 00:11:39,658
Yee-haw!
209
00:11:39,658 --> 00:11:41,451
♪
210
00:11:41,451 --> 00:11:43,620
- Andrea: Who is next?
- (chuckling)
211
00:11:43,620 --> 00:11:46,331
♪
212
00:11:46,331 --> 00:11:47,541
(playing classical piano)
213
00:11:47,541 --> 00:11:50,669
So, Mary Ann,
do you like Mozart?
214
00:11:50,669 --> 00:11:51,837
Yeah.
215
00:11:51,837 --> 00:11:53,338
Good, good.
216
00:11:53,338 --> 00:11:55,674
Do you like butt play?
217
00:11:55,674 --> 00:11:58,093
Um...
218
00:11:58,093 --> 00:11:59,803
I don't know.
219
00:11:59,803 --> 00:12:02,097
How about rimming?
220
00:12:02,097 --> 00:12:05,309
Uh... I...
221
00:12:05,309 --> 00:12:06,894
I don't know.
222
00:12:06,894 --> 00:12:09,271
Client: Come on.
Lick my ass.
223
00:12:09,271 --> 00:12:10,981
Please?
224
00:12:12,441 --> 00:12:14,818
- (slurping)
- (client moaning)
225
00:12:14,818 --> 00:12:18,238
I should have charged him
extra for that.
226
00:12:18,238 --> 00:12:19,990
By the time I reached
my final client,
227
00:12:19,990 --> 00:12:24,369
I was feeling like
a triumphant sexual queen.
228
00:12:24,369 --> 00:12:26,205
(chattering indistinctly)
229
00:12:26,205 --> 00:12:29,500
Max and I were sucked into
a flurry of mutual interests.
230
00:12:29,500 --> 00:12:32,294
Poetry, religion, politics.
231
00:12:32,294 --> 00:12:34,171
When he asked the dreaded--
232
00:12:34,171 --> 00:12:35,464
What's your story?
233
00:12:35,464 --> 00:12:40,052
Oh, I'm just a travelling
painter,
234
00:12:40,052 --> 00:12:41,678
passing through.
235
00:12:41,678 --> 00:12:46,058
Wow. I thought maybe you were
in university.
236
00:12:46,058 --> 00:12:47,726
No...
237
00:12:47,726 --> 00:12:49,436
No.
238
00:12:49,436 --> 00:12:52,064
You have a really
intellectual vibe.
239
00:12:52,064 --> 00:12:54,566
I've read a lot of books.
240
00:12:55,901 --> 00:12:57,486
Come here.
241
00:12:58,779 --> 00:13:02,699
(panting, moaning)
242
00:13:02,699 --> 00:13:05,953
We had some time left,
so I read him some tarot cards.
243
00:13:05,953 --> 00:13:08,038
Max was smart and courteous.
244
00:13:08,038 --> 00:13:10,749
Had I just met my ideal client?
245
00:13:12,751 --> 00:13:15,087
I made $700,
246
00:13:15,087 --> 00:13:17,089
and that was life-changing
for me.
247
00:13:17,089 --> 00:13:19,258
To go from minimum wage,
248
00:13:19,258 --> 00:13:20,509
where I worked at a cafe
249
00:13:20,509 --> 00:13:23,387
and I might get $700 on
two paycheques,
250
00:13:23,387 --> 00:13:26,098
Here I'd made it in one night
and had a ball.
251
00:13:26,098 --> 00:13:28,016
♪
252
00:13:28,016 --> 00:13:29,768
My new job was exciting,
253
00:13:29,768 --> 00:13:34,064
but the prospect of telling
my friends and family was not.
254
00:13:34,064 --> 00:13:36,775
So I kept my whoring a secret.
255
00:13:36,775 --> 00:13:43,282
♪
256
00:13:43,282 --> 00:13:46,577
Max had been my ideal client
when I met him.
257
00:13:46,577 --> 00:13:48,620
The next time I saw Max,
258
00:13:48,620 --> 00:13:51,206
I was selling tickets
to a psychology conference
259
00:13:51,206 --> 00:13:55,002
when he showed up in line,
and I almost had a heart attack.
260
00:13:55,002 --> 00:13:57,129
I was so freaked.
261
00:13:57,129 --> 00:14:00,340
I revealed that I was not,
in fact,
262
00:14:00,340 --> 00:14:03,719
a travelling painter
passing through.
263
00:14:03,719 --> 00:14:07,472
And was, of course,
a university student.
264
00:14:07,472 --> 00:14:10,309
And that more than that,
265
00:14:10,309 --> 00:14:14,271
what I really wanted to be
was a writer.
266
00:14:14,271 --> 00:14:17,274
You could come over, you know,
just to write.
267
00:14:17,274 --> 00:14:20,486
You mean, you'd pay me?
268
00:14:20,486 --> 00:14:23,197
Yeah. Why not?
269
00:14:23,197 --> 00:14:26,074
Let's do a two-hour
writing session.
270
00:14:26,074 --> 00:14:27,659
(cash register dinging)
271
00:14:28,994 --> 00:14:30,913
Okay.
272
00:14:30,913 --> 00:14:34,750
I thought, "Could my life get
any better?"
273
00:14:36,001 --> 00:14:38,837
So I show up to this paid
writing session,
274
00:14:38,837 --> 00:14:43,050
and as soon as I get there and
we're sitting in his apartment,
275
00:14:43,050 --> 00:14:44,801
he starts asking me questions.
276
00:14:44,801 --> 00:14:46,887
What was your childhood like?
277
00:14:46,887 --> 00:14:51,266
What happened to you to lead you
down this path?
278
00:14:51,266 --> 00:14:53,352
Are your parents still together?
279
00:14:53,352 --> 00:14:55,604
Were you abused?
280
00:14:57,564 --> 00:15:00,400
Mary Ann, I deal with people in
your field every day.
281
00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,653
They either come from
a broken home,
282
00:15:02,653 --> 00:15:05,656
or they have a long history
of sexual trauma.
283
00:15:05,656 --> 00:15:08,158
You claim you have neither,
which...
284
00:15:08,158 --> 00:15:10,369
I find hard to believe.
285
00:15:10,369 --> 00:15:12,329
You just don't fit the mould
of someone
286
00:15:12,329 --> 00:15:15,290
who does this
kind of work.
287
00:15:18,669 --> 00:15:20,837
Shall we go to the bedroom?
288
00:15:20,837 --> 00:15:23,882
I thought I was here to write.
289
00:15:23,882 --> 00:15:28,387
Come on.
290
00:15:28,387 --> 00:15:31,640
He was trying to enter me.
291
00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,226
You know, he was trying
to open doors
292
00:15:34,226 --> 00:15:37,312
for which he had no key.
293
00:15:37,312 --> 00:15:39,606
He was trying to barge into me
294
00:15:39,606 --> 00:15:42,568
and I did not like it at all.
295
00:15:42,568 --> 00:15:44,528
(Max moaning)
296
00:15:45,988 --> 00:15:56,039
♪
297
00:15:59,792 --> 00:16:01,044
(sighing)
298
00:16:01,044 --> 00:16:03,004
Max.
299
00:16:03,004 --> 00:16:05,423
I'm not comfortable.
300
00:16:05,423 --> 00:16:07,383
Max:
That was great.
301
00:16:08,843 --> 00:16:11,971
Do you want to go home now?
302
00:16:11,971 --> 00:16:13,681
Yeah.
303
00:16:13,681 --> 00:16:17,393
Andrea: I just felt like
such a naive baby whore,
304
00:16:17,393 --> 00:16:19,062
to have believed a client
305
00:16:19,062 --> 00:16:22,315
when he said that he wanted
a paid writing session.
306
00:16:22,315 --> 00:16:24,442
I would not go into it
307
00:16:24,442 --> 00:16:27,487
without being prepared
to have sex.
308
00:16:27,487 --> 00:16:30,240
You don't get any training
for this stuff.
309
00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,785
(chuckling) I mean, you kinda
have to walk through the fire
310
00:16:33,785 --> 00:16:36,746
to learn these lessons.
311
00:16:36,746 --> 00:16:40,291
Bottom line,
you can't trust clients.
312
00:16:41,834 --> 00:16:44,963
(spotlight clunking)
313
00:16:44,963 --> 00:16:48,258
Personally, I don't think there
is anything more important
314
00:16:48,258 --> 00:16:49,884
than community.
315
00:16:49,884 --> 00:16:51,636
You know, especially
for an industry
316
00:16:51,636 --> 00:16:54,013
that's as isolated as ours.
317
00:16:54,013 --> 00:16:58,685
When sex workers get together
and we talk shop, magic happens.
318
00:16:58,685 --> 00:17:01,729
Even if we are experiencing
our work in isolation,
319
00:17:01,729 --> 00:17:04,274
we can hear each other and
totally understand each other.
320
00:17:04,274 --> 00:17:06,693
My name is SJ Raphael.
321
00:17:06,693 --> 00:17:10,780
I have done everything from
escorting to stripping,
322
00:17:10,780 --> 00:17:12,323
cam work, street work.
323
00:17:12,323 --> 00:17:15,201
I was mailing my underwear
to weird men overseas
324
00:17:15,201 --> 00:17:17,870
for a really long time, until it
didn't become lucrative anymore.
325
00:17:17,870 --> 00:17:19,831
You name it, I've done it.
326
00:17:19,831 --> 00:17:22,750
Andrea: SJ, they are one of
my most cherished friends.
327
00:17:22,750 --> 00:17:25,253
We met through advocacy work.
328
00:17:25,253 --> 00:17:28,506
I'm Vixen, I am a former escort.
329
00:17:28,506 --> 00:17:31,175
I've now transitioned into being
330
00:17:31,175 --> 00:17:33,386
a nude online cam girl.
331
00:17:33,386 --> 00:17:37,849
Vixen is a good friend of mine,
and we met at an orgy.
332
00:17:37,849 --> 00:17:42,270
My name is Kitoko, and I am a
former escort and pro sub,
333
00:17:42,270 --> 00:17:44,230
or professional submissive.
334
00:17:44,230 --> 00:17:45,982
Oh, and a current artist.
335
00:17:45,982 --> 00:17:50,320
Kitoko is an incredibly gifted
artist and collaborator.
336
00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:52,488
We made a short film together.
337
00:17:52,488 --> 00:17:56,034
I'm Robin. I've been a stripper
for five years now,
338
00:17:56,034 --> 00:17:58,912
and I am also a formally trained
339
00:17:58,912 --> 00:18:01,456
animator and illustrator.
340
00:18:01,456 --> 00:18:04,792
Robin is an amazing performer.
341
00:18:04,792 --> 00:18:07,503
We worked at the same
strip club.
342
00:18:07,503 --> 00:18:09,214
(laughing)
343
00:18:09,214 --> 00:18:12,258
Being white, cisgendered,
and conventionally feminine
344
00:18:12,258 --> 00:18:15,053
has definitely benefited me
in this industry.
345
00:18:15,053 --> 00:18:19,015
How have these factors
impacted my friends?
346
00:18:19,015 --> 00:18:21,017
Certainly there is that
archetype
347
00:18:21,017 --> 00:18:22,435
of what a "whore"
should look like,
348
00:18:22,435 --> 00:18:23,728
what a sex worker should
look like.
349
00:18:23,728 --> 00:18:25,855
The lingerie, the hair,
the makeup, the clothes,
350
00:18:25,855 --> 00:18:28,066
the this, the that.
As a gender diverse person,
351
00:18:28,066 --> 00:18:30,151
I present far more femme
than I feel
352
00:18:30,151 --> 00:18:32,028
because I make more money
doing it.
353
00:18:32,028 --> 00:18:33,696
It's easier for me
to get clients,
354
00:18:33,696 --> 00:18:35,073
it's easier for me to have
the long blonde hair,
355
00:18:35,073 --> 00:18:36,783
like, put on the dress, like,
do the thing,
356
00:18:36,783 --> 00:18:38,743
and then make, you know,
the money that I am charging.
357
00:18:38,743 --> 00:18:41,788
The way that I look,
the way that I carry myself,
358
00:18:41,788 --> 00:18:45,959
isn't quite a reflection of
who I am internally.
359
00:18:45,959 --> 00:18:50,755
But money talks, and I very much
curate to the male gaze.
360
00:18:50,755 --> 00:18:52,966
I applied to a a bunch of
different agencies
361
00:18:52,966 --> 00:18:56,302
multiple times, like, up to,
like 20 times for some of them.
362
00:18:56,302 --> 00:18:58,972
They told me not to expect to be
as successful as any of
363
00:18:58,972 --> 00:19:01,432
the, like, white women there or
the Asian women there.
364
00:19:01,432 --> 00:19:04,227
They see Black women as like,
kind of like, alien.
365
00:19:04,227 --> 00:19:06,604
Like, they're just like,
"Who would ever desire you?"
366
00:19:06,604 --> 00:19:10,108
Or like, "We don't know to get
people to, like, come book you."
367
00:19:10,108 --> 00:19:13,444
As someone who is mixed race and
spent a lot of their time
368
00:19:13,444 --> 00:19:16,281
being told that I am barely
Black to begin with,
369
00:19:16,281 --> 00:19:19,742
to walk into a strip club and
face this, sort of,
370
00:19:19,742 --> 00:19:23,121
1970s style racism
where I am told verbatim
371
00:19:23,121 --> 00:19:26,749
that I am too fat and too Black
to work in an establishment
372
00:19:26,749 --> 00:19:28,418
blew me away.
373
00:19:28,418 --> 00:19:31,087
Walking into a change room and
seeing that sign on the wall
374
00:19:31,087 --> 00:19:33,381
that just said "No braids,
no buns, no Afros."
375
00:19:33,381 --> 00:19:35,967
And the only thing more
offensive than that sign
376
00:19:35,967 --> 00:19:38,887
is the fact that it wasn't
actually a rule for everyone,
377
00:19:38,887 --> 00:19:40,388
- it was a rule for Black women.
- Yeah,
378
00:19:40,388 --> 00:19:43,808
I have never had trouble making
money in a club
379
00:19:43,808 --> 00:19:45,351
no matter what my hair
looks like.
380
00:19:45,351 --> 00:19:48,021
Customers love the hair,
they love the beads,
381
00:19:48,021 --> 00:19:50,356
they love the dreads,
they love the locs.
382
00:19:50,356 --> 00:19:52,025
It's managers.
383
00:19:52,025 --> 00:19:55,612
Andrea: We'll get into
strip club managers later.
384
00:19:55,612 --> 00:19:57,739
And now, back to escorting.
385
00:19:57,739 --> 00:19:59,490
(moaning)
386
00:19:59,490 --> 00:20:02,327
Western-style narration: And so,
Mary Ann kept on whoring.
387
00:20:02,327 --> 00:20:06,789
Lucky lads across
the Greater Toronto Area
388
00:20:06,789 --> 00:20:10,960
met the cutest little gal
they'd ever seen.
389
00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:12,629
- And boy...
- (yelping)
390
00:20:12,629 --> 00:20:15,215
...Could that cowgirl ride!
391
00:20:16,591 --> 00:20:18,468
(horse whinnying)
392
00:20:18,468 --> 00:20:21,721
Soon, I had regulars
393
00:20:21,721 --> 00:20:23,890
who booked me regularly.
394
00:20:23,890 --> 00:20:25,808
Mmm. Mary Ann.
That's very good.
395
00:20:25,808 --> 00:20:27,727
Mr. McAllister
was an English teacher
396
00:20:27,727 --> 00:20:29,687
and a writer in his spare time.
397
00:20:29,687 --> 00:20:32,690
I really like it when
you do that.
398
00:20:32,690 --> 00:20:34,359
(breathing heavily)
399
00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:38,279
We always had quick sex
off the top.
400
00:20:38,279 --> 00:20:41,115
All the character development
leads to the inevitable...
401
00:20:41,115 --> 00:20:43,076
Followed by talking about
our shared love
402
00:20:43,076 --> 00:20:46,454
of crafting stories.
Occasionally, he blurted--
403
00:20:46,454 --> 00:20:49,165
I'm a lonely man, Mary Ann.
404
00:20:49,165 --> 00:20:51,501
A lonely...
405
00:20:51,501 --> 00:20:53,419
...lonely man.
406
00:20:55,922 --> 00:20:58,967
Which, over time, became...
407
00:20:58,967 --> 00:21:03,429
I feel like you're my
girlfriend, Mary Ann.
408
00:21:04,681 --> 00:21:07,433
I am like your girlfriend.
409
00:21:07,433 --> 00:21:09,352
(clock ticking)
410
00:21:13,147 --> 00:21:15,775
I prefer new clients
to regulars.
411
00:21:15,775 --> 00:21:17,402
People kind of like,
fall in love
412
00:21:17,402 --> 00:21:19,237
or think they're falling in love
and then suddenly,
413
00:21:19,237 --> 00:21:21,239
they are like,
"What about this money?
414
00:21:21,239 --> 00:21:23,032
"Can we, like, throw it away?"
415
00:21:23,032 --> 00:21:24,534
And it's like, that's not
the point of this.
416
00:21:24,534 --> 00:21:28,538
Yes, a regular is great until
they get possessive.
417
00:21:28,538 --> 00:21:31,875
But they always do! I'm sorry,
it always ends like that, right.
418
00:21:31,875 --> 00:21:33,126
Yeah.
419
00:21:33,126 --> 00:21:34,544
Don't be so good
at your job, then!
420
00:21:34,544 --> 00:21:35,878
- Well...
- (laughing)
421
00:21:35,878 --> 00:21:39,048
I definitely broke the number
one rule.
422
00:21:39,048 --> 00:21:43,303
I ended up dating
my very first client.
423
00:21:43,303 --> 00:21:47,056
And, uh, we're not--
we're not together,
424
00:21:47,056 --> 00:21:49,267
so, probably made the wrong
choice there.
425
00:21:49,267 --> 00:21:51,227
It's such an intimate thing.
426
00:21:51,227 --> 00:21:53,438
It's such an intimate booking.
427
00:21:53,438 --> 00:21:57,192
It would be crazy to think that
people don't get attached.
428
00:21:57,192 --> 00:22:00,737
That people feel a deep
emotional connection.
429
00:22:00,737 --> 00:22:03,031
Personally, I like regulars.
430
00:22:03,031 --> 00:22:05,783
My preference is to have
long-term relationships
431
00:22:05,783 --> 00:22:08,245
with my clientele.
432
00:22:08,245 --> 00:22:10,247
For me, it comes down
to whether
433
00:22:10,247 --> 00:22:12,249
a clientrespects
your boundaries.
434
00:22:12,249 --> 00:22:15,961
We've established that clients
can lie to our faces.
435
00:22:15,961 --> 00:22:18,922
But how do they behave beyond
the appointment?
436
00:22:18,922 --> 00:22:22,050
(fanfare playing)
437
00:22:23,468 --> 00:22:27,055
♪
438
00:22:27,055 --> 00:22:30,267
Sex worker review boards are
the domain of hobbyists,
439
00:22:30,267 --> 00:22:33,645
that is, men whose hobby
is paying for sex
440
00:22:33,645 --> 00:22:35,105
and writing about it,
441
00:22:35,105 --> 00:22:37,941
employing a variety
of colourful acronyms
442
00:22:37,941 --> 00:22:40,485
to degrade sex workers for fun.
443
00:22:41,653 --> 00:22:44,573
So, of course I searched
my name.
444
00:22:46,825 --> 00:22:49,286
Client: Mary Ann
has a great sex body,
445
00:22:49,286 --> 00:22:53,248
very soft, but firm,
if that makes sense.
446
00:22:53,248 --> 00:22:55,792
Client 2: Mary Ann resembled
Mary Tyler Moore,
447
00:22:55,792 --> 00:22:58,295
but with slightly bigger boobs.
448
00:22:58,295 --> 00:23:01,048
Client 3: Mary Ann's legs
were not memorable
449
00:23:01,048 --> 00:23:03,842
as they are fairly short.
450
00:23:03,842 --> 00:23:07,429
Andrea: It's hard to describe
the feeling of reading someone
451
00:23:07,429 --> 00:23:09,514
write about you
452
00:23:09,514 --> 00:23:12,768
and what it's like
to have sex with you.
453
00:23:12,768 --> 00:23:15,354
This was, like,
a genre of erotica
454
00:23:15,354 --> 00:23:17,689
that was written by men
for men.
455
00:23:17,689 --> 00:23:21,985
A user named Don Juan posted
my first review on the board,
456
00:23:21,985 --> 00:23:25,447
which was entitled "Wow."
457
00:23:25,447 --> 00:23:28,784
Handsome Don Juan: I had noticed
Mary Ann ever since her photos
458
00:23:28,784 --> 00:23:33,705
went up on the Sirens site.
My first impression was "Wow."
459
00:23:33,705 --> 00:23:36,708
I would estimate her figure
at five foot five,
460
00:23:36,708 --> 00:23:40,712
120 pounds, 34D-24-35.
461
00:23:41,838 --> 00:23:44,633
We started with LFK.
462
00:23:44,633 --> 00:23:48,470
I was gently massaging her
breasts when she said...
463
00:23:48,470 --> 00:23:50,055
(giggling)
464
00:23:50,055 --> 00:23:52,683
You intrigue me.
465
00:23:52,683 --> 00:23:55,227
Why, baby?
466
00:23:55,227 --> 00:23:59,398
Most guys want to take a look
before they feel.
467
00:23:59,398 --> 00:24:02,901
Andrea: I remember things
a little differently.
468
00:24:02,901 --> 00:24:06,363
Don Juan told me he was a
plastic surgeon from Florida.
469
00:24:06,363 --> 00:24:09,241
I went to school
with Barack Obama, baby.
470
00:24:09,241 --> 00:24:11,201
What do you think of that?
471
00:24:11,201 --> 00:24:15,080
My duty was to act impressed,
not to sniff out facts.
472
00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,208
I suspected the plastic surgeon
thing to be true
473
00:24:18,208 --> 00:24:21,128
because Don Juan had
a technical fascination
474
00:24:21,128 --> 00:24:22,629
with my breasts.
475
00:24:22,629 --> 00:24:24,047
I don't believe it, baby.
476
00:24:24,047 --> 00:24:27,718
These are too good to be real.
477
00:24:27,718 --> 00:24:31,722
Then we progressed to DFK.
478
00:24:31,722 --> 00:24:33,515
My tongue in her mouth...
479
00:24:33,515 --> 00:24:35,142
Handsome Don Juan:
Her tongue in mine...
480
00:24:35,142 --> 00:24:37,728
Our tongues meeting
outside of our mouths.
481
00:24:37,728 --> 00:24:41,273
(moaning)
482
00:24:41,273 --> 00:24:45,527
- Hungrily.
- Passionately.
483
00:24:45,527 --> 00:24:46,862
(panting)
484
00:24:46,862 --> 00:24:51,575
It did get her wet.
485
00:24:51,575 --> 00:24:54,286
Real Don Juan: Then she took me
into her mouth.
486
00:24:54,286 --> 00:24:56,288
I propped myself up...
487
00:24:56,288 --> 00:24:58,499
Handsome Don Juan: On some
pillows to get a better look.
488
00:24:58,499 --> 00:25:02,127
She told me that she wanted
to taste me.
489
00:25:02,127 --> 00:25:05,130
Okay, I definitely did not
say that, okay?
490
00:25:05,130 --> 00:25:07,090
- I didn't say any of this!
- (buzzer sounding)
491
00:25:07,090 --> 00:25:08,800
Cut, cut, cut, cut.
492
00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:10,385
All right, darling, you're doing
great, you're doing fabulous.
493
00:25:10,385 --> 00:25:13,805
However, that's not the line.
The line is...
494
00:25:13,805 --> 00:25:15,766
"I want to taste you,
495
00:25:15,766 --> 00:25:18,310
"I want to taste you."
496
00:25:18,310 --> 00:25:21,521
You know, pretend you're eating
a, uh, portobello mushroom,
497
00:25:21,521 --> 00:25:23,816
you know, and it's in your
mouth, and you can taste it,
498
00:25:23,816 --> 00:25:25,400
and it's swirling around
in there.
499
00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:27,611
And then you just enjoy it all.
All right, you got it?
500
00:25:27,611 --> 00:25:29,738
Good. Great. Action!
501
00:25:29,738 --> 00:25:31,824
(sighing)
502
00:25:33,492 --> 00:25:37,246
(in a breathy voice)
I want to taste you.
503
00:25:38,330 --> 00:25:39,706
Yes!
504
00:25:39,706 --> 00:25:41,917
Handsome Don Juan: We finished
with a mind-blowing...
505
00:25:41,917 --> 00:25:43,585
Real Don Juan: CIM?
506
00:25:43,585 --> 00:25:46,004
No. COF? Hmm.
507
00:25:46,004 --> 00:25:47,881
I'm not sure which.
508
00:25:47,881 --> 00:25:49,591
And I really didn't care.
509
00:25:49,591 --> 00:25:52,135
Handsome Don Juan: Whatever
it was that Mary Ann did,
510
00:25:52,135 --> 00:25:53,887
oh, baby.
511
00:25:53,887 --> 00:25:57,599
Oh-ho-ho. It was fabulous.
512
00:25:59,184 --> 00:26:02,688
(alerts chiming)
513
00:26:04,273 --> 00:26:07,651
Everything that he says
that the did and that he said
514
00:26:07,651 --> 00:26:09,444
just didn't happen.
515
00:26:09,444 --> 00:26:11,238
What do you guys think
about reviews?
516
00:26:11,238 --> 00:26:13,782
I don't get to review them.
517
00:26:13,782 --> 00:26:17,369
I needed one review
and that launched me.
518
00:26:17,369 --> 00:26:18,620
Mm-hmm.
519
00:26:18,620 --> 00:26:20,706
It can really make or break
your career.
520
00:26:20,706 --> 00:26:22,708
The dark side of reviews is that
they are definitely
521
00:26:22,708 --> 00:26:25,919
a form of coercion. Clients will
take the threat of a bad review
522
00:26:25,919 --> 00:26:27,504
and use it to push your
boundaries.
523
00:26:27,504 --> 00:26:29,381
There's, like, so much pressure,
524
00:26:29,381 --> 00:26:31,383
and you feel like you have to
consent to everything, and...
525
00:26:31,383 --> 00:26:35,512
It feels like being a product
in an Amazon review.
526
00:26:35,512 --> 00:26:37,639
- It's definitely violating.
- Yeah.
527
00:26:37,639 --> 00:26:39,850
Andrea: Reviews taught me
that sex work is more
528
00:26:39,850 --> 00:26:42,769
than just what happens behind
closed doors.
529
00:26:43,979 --> 00:26:45,564
(spotlight clunking)
530
00:26:47,649 --> 00:26:52,821
There was something fun about
performing this role for people.
531
00:26:52,821 --> 00:26:54,698
(moaning)
532
00:26:54,698 --> 00:26:56,700
And then going back into
my regular life.
533
00:26:56,700 --> 00:27:00,704
Mary Ann was me,
but obviously heightened
534
00:27:00,704 --> 00:27:03,874
and more curious and more
adventurous.
535
00:27:03,874 --> 00:27:06,168
It was sexy, it was sexy
536
00:27:06,168 --> 00:27:09,213
to have this little juicy
secret.
537
00:27:09,213 --> 00:27:12,090
(car horns honking)
538
00:27:12,090 --> 00:27:19,932
♪
539
00:27:19,932 --> 00:27:21,767
(moaning weakly)
540
00:27:21,767 --> 00:27:22,935
(man whistling)
541
00:27:22,935 --> 00:27:24,686
My secret life was fun until...
542
00:27:24,686 --> 00:27:27,397
Hey, baby!
543
00:27:27,397 --> 00:27:31,068
Yeah, baby!
You lookin' good to me.
544
00:27:31,068 --> 00:27:33,820
Oh, yeah! (grunting)
545
00:27:34,988 --> 00:27:37,199
Stupid ugly bitch.
546
00:27:37,199 --> 00:27:40,786
Until shame crept in.
547
00:27:40,786 --> 00:27:43,247
♪
548
00:27:43,247 --> 00:27:45,457
There's two sides to a secret.
549
00:27:45,457 --> 00:27:49,378
It can be incredibly
emotionally taxing
550
00:27:49,378 --> 00:27:52,214
to hide from people,
551
00:27:52,214 --> 00:27:53,715
especially the people
you love.
552
00:27:53,715 --> 00:27:57,928
We all have this internalized
whorephobia within us.
553
00:27:57,928 --> 00:28:01,223
This is a prejudice that is,
you know, 2,000 years old.
554
00:28:01,223 --> 00:28:04,560
This is nothing new.
We are all born out of
555
00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,813
this whorephobic muck.
And I have it too.
556
00:28:07,813 --> 00:28:10,983
The shame that I felt
wasn't in the act.
557
00:28:10,983 --> 00:28:14,403
{\an8}It was the shame of others,
and it was inside me,
558
00:28:14,403 --> 00:28:17,281
{\an8}and I could hear its voice,
and it was awful.
559
00:28:17,281 --> 00:28:18,949
You think you're so great, huh?
560
00:28:18,949 --> 00:28:21,410
Making all that easy money.
561
00:28:21,410 --> 00:28:23,954
Shame believes that sex workers
are lazy.
562
00:28:23,954 --> 00:28:28,750
(imitates gagging)
563
00:28:28,750 --> 00:28:30,836
- (chuckling)
- And disgusting.
564
00:28:30,836 --> 00:28:35,424
What is the difference between
a Corvette and a dead hooker?
565
00:28:35,424 --> 00:28:37,426
Shame likes dead hooker jokes.
566
00:28:37,426 --> 00:28:39,678
I don't have a Corvette
in my garage!
567
00:28:39,678 --> 00:28:41,305
You're nothing
568
00:28:41,305 --> 00:28:44,141
but a dirty, stinky...
569
00:28:44,141 --> 00:28:46,685
Shame tries to make me
hate myself.
570
00:28:46,685 --> 00:28:50,105
Trash whore!
571
00:28:51,606 --> 00:28:54,026
Shame makes you lonely.
Like, it really does.
572
00:28:54,026 --> 00:28:56,445
And it's also, like, shame goes
hand in hand with fear, too.
573
00:28:56,445 --> 00:28:58,196
That's the thing.
It's like, I don't disclose,
574
00:28:58,196 --> 00:29:00,115
or I didn't use to disclose
because I don't know
575
00:29:00,115 --> 00:29:01,783
what's gonna happen to me
if I do.
576
00:29:01,783 --> 00:29:04,619
During the pandemic, I had to
stop full-service sex work
577
00:29:04,619 --> 00:29:07,039
and so I was thinking about
creating an OnlyFans,
578
00:29:07,039 --> 00:29:09,833
but I was like,
super stressed out because
579
00:29:09,833 --> 00:29:11,501
if I have nudes on the internet,
580
00:29:11,501 --> 00:29:13,712
could that make it impossible
for me to, like,
581
00:29:13,712 --> 00:29:18,216
adopt a child, or just pivot
and like, teach?
582
00:29:18,216 --> 00:29:20,385
I feel like it's not so much
that sex work itself
583
00:29:20,385 --> 00:29:22,846
oppresses me, but like,
the stigma that follows it,
584
00:29:22,846 --> 00:29:25,349
um, is like, always a threat.
585
00:29:25,349 --> 00:29:30,020
I have never been very good
at hiding.
586
00:29:30,020 --> 00:29:31,855
But I understand that there are
risks,
587
00:29:31,855 --> 00:29:34,524
and so I continued to hide,
588
00:29:34,524 --> 00:29:37,194
and it took a great toll on me.
589
00:29:37,194 --> 00:29:41,406
Especially when it came to...
590
00:29:41,406 --> 00:29:42,949
My mom.
591
00:29:45,327 --> 00:29:48,497
You probably never expected
we'd be here.
592
00:29:48,497 --> 00:29:50,082
Um, well,
593
00:29:50,082 --> 00:29:53,377
I wouldn't say it's beyond
my imagination.
594
00:29:53,377 --> 00:29:55,837
You were always a free spirit.
595
00:29:55,837 --> 00:29:58,757
And I respect that.
596
00:29:59,758 --> 00:30:01,551
I learned from the best.
597
00:30:01,551 --> 00:30:02,719
(chuckling)
598
00:30:02,719 --> 00:30:04,388
(laughing)
599
00:30:04,388 --> 00:30:06,056
No, you're more free,
600
00:30:06,056 --> 00:30:08,600
more free than
I ever was,
601
00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:10,852
but I'm free in a
different way.
602
00:30:10,852 --> 00:30:14,106
Ooh. In what way?
603
00:30:14,106 --> 00:30:16,358
- No. This is about you.
- (both laughing)
604
00:30:16,358 --> 00:30:17,734
It's not about me.
605
00:30:17,734 --> 00:30:19,903
- We were always very close.
- Mm-hmm.
606
00:30:19,903 --> 00:30:22,406
- At least I always felt.
- Oh, definitely.
607
00:30:22,406 --> 00:30:24,282
Andrea:
Yeah. Like, I felt
608
00:30:24,282 --> 00:30:27,411
like I could always
be myself around you.
609
00:30:27,411 --> 00:30:29,413
We could always
joke around about stuff.
610
00:30:29,413 --> 00:30:30,831
Right. I don't think
611
00:30:30,831 --> 00:30:32,541
there was ever anything
we didn't talk about.
612
00:30:32,541 --> 00:30:33,959
That's right,
and so,
613
00:30:33,959 --> 00:30:37,713
when it came
to doing sex work,
614
00:30:37,713 --> 00:30:39,548
that was the first
time in my life
615
00:30:39,548 --> 00:30:43,260
that I really felt like I was
keeping a secret from you,
616
00:30:43,260 --> 00:30:47,556
and that was really,
really hard for me to do.
617
00:30:48,473 --> 00:30:50,642
My mom is a
beautiful angel,
618
00:30:50,642 --> 00:30:53,937
and she's also a very
religious person.
619
00:30:53,937 --> 00:30:55,814
She's a Catholic.
620
00:30:55,814 --> 00:30:58,150
There were always pictures
621
00:30:58,150 --> 00:31:02,654
of the Virgin Mary
around in my childhood.
622
00:31:02,654 --> 00:31:05,949
I like to joke that she
venerates a virgin mother
623
00:31:05,949 --> 00:31:08,410
so she got a
whore daughter.
624
00:31:08,410 --> 00:31:10,328
No parent is like,
625
00:31:10,328 --> 00:31:12,998
"I want my kid to
become a sex worker!"
626
00:31:12,998 --> 00:31:16,626
It's, like, kind of a nightmare
scenario for a parent, right?
627
00:31:16,626 --> 00:31:19,296
(sighing)
628
00:31:19,296 --> 00:31:22,507
I would say you were
pretty devastated.
629
00:31:22,507 --> 00:31:24,760
Mm-hmm. Well, I
was happy for you
630
00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:28,430
that you were not carrying
that burden anymore.
631
00:31:28,430 --> 00:31:31,308
You know, you had
been set free.
632
00:31:31,308 --> 00:31:33,143
So, I can deal
with that.
633
00:31:33,143 --> 00:31:34,478
I can deal with truth.
634
00:31:34,478 --> 00:31:36,021
That's not a
problem,
635
00:31:36,021 --> 00:31:39,983
but I do remember not sleeping
for about three nights.
636
00:31:39,983 --> 00:31:41,234
You did call me
in the middle
637
00:31:41,234 --> 00:31:42,569
- of the night--
- Mm-hmm.
638
00:31:42,569 --> 00:31:43,820
you know, during those
first three nights,
639
00:31:43,820 --> 00:31:46,114
and you were concerned
about my safety.
640
00:31:46,114 --> 00:31:48,784
Right,
and your soul.
641
00:31:50,327 --> 00:31:51,745
And my soul.
642
00:31:52,788 --> 00:31:55,165
(music playing)
643
00:31:55,165 --> 00:31:57,376
(car horns honking)
644
00:31:57,376 --> 00:31:59,169
(music playing)
645
00:31:59,169 --> 00:32:02,547
En route to our respective
appointments with a co-whore,
646
00:32:02,547 --> 00:32:05,717
I mentioned my most regular
client, Walter Wack.
647
00:32:05,717 --> 00:32:06,927
He's the worst.
648
00:32:06,927 --> 00:32:08,553
Oh, my God. I know.
649
00:32:08,553 --> 00:32:10,514
He's so rough
with me.
650
00:32:10,514 --> 00:32:13,350
Yeah. He does this thing where
he, like, crunches me up,
651
00:32:13,350 --> 00:32:14,976
and it really hurts
my hips.
652
00:32:14,976 --> 00:32:17,354
Yeah, well, he
fists me,
653
00:32:17,354 --> 00:32:19,106
and he's rough.
654
00:32:19,106 --> 00:32:20,899
Okay. He's definitely
never fisted me.
655
00:32:20,899 --> 00:32:23,485
And he calls me a dirty,
stinky cum bucket trash whore.
656
00:32:23,485 --> 00:32:25,904
You name it.
Weird guy.
657
00:32:25,904 --> 00:32:28,365
Okay. He's only ever
called me nice things.
658
00:32:28,365 --> 00:32:30,742
Well, I guess he
likes you.
659
00:32:30,742 --> 00:32:32,160
Violet.
660
00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:34,121
Andrea: I was one of
many escorts who saw Walter.
661
00:32:34,121 --> 00:32:35,122
Sarah.
662
00:32:35,122 --> 00:32:36,123
Addison.
663
00:32:36,123 --> 00:32:37,332
Rebecca.
664
00:32:37,332 --> 00:32:39,042
Uh, Andrea.
665
00:32:39,042 --> 00:32:41,545
I mean Mary Ann!
666
00:32:41,545 --> 00:32:45,590
Going to Walter Wack's place
was, like, Groundhog Day,
667
00:32:45,590 --> 00:32:47,676
because it was
always the same.
668
00:32:47,676 --> 00:32:49,761
- His door would be ajar.
- (shower running)
669
00:32:49,761 --> 00:32:52,389
He'd yell from the
shower, "Come on in!"
670
00:32:52,389 --> 00:32:54,349
There'd be a boom box
on the floor
671
00:32:54,349 --> 00:32:55,559
playing the same music.
672
00:32:55,559 --> 00:32:58,687
I always entered on
the same song.
673
00:32:58,687 --> 00:33:03,442
I would undress and
wait for him to emerge.
674
00:33:03,442 --> 00:33:05,068
We'd have the same
sex every time.
675
00:33:05,068 --> 00:33:06,320
(shower running)
676
00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:09,114
One evening, he
did something unusual.
677
00:33:09,114 --> 00:33:11,533
He booked me twice
in one night,
678
00:33:11,533 --> 00:33:15,454
bookending five
appointments total,
679
00:33:15,454 --> 00:33:17,873
and by that fifth
appointment,
680
00:33:17,873 --> 00:33:20,834
I was pretty sore.
681
00:33:20,834 --> 00:33:23,462
Walter was doing his
usual plow,
682
00:33:23,462 --> 00:33:25,756
crunching up my hips.
683
00:33:25,756 --> 00:33:28,050
I was in pain,
684
00:33:28,050 --> 00:33:29,384
trying to be
a trooper,
685
00:33:29,384 --> 00:33:30,969
get to the end,
686
00:33:30,969 --> 00:33:35,057
but finally, I felt
like it was necessary
687
00:33:35,057 --> 00:33:36,933
to say something
to him.
688
00:33:36,933 --> 00:33:39,061
And I was kind of scared to
say something to him,
689
00:33:39,061 --> 00:33:43,774
because... it meant going
off script. (chuckling)
690
00:33:45,484 --> 00:33:47,736
But I said,
691
00:33:47,736 --> 00:33:50,655
"Walter, you're my
fifth appointment of the night,
692
00:33:50,655 --> 00:33:52,449
and it kind of hurts."
693
00:33:52,449 --> 00:33:55,452
(music playing)
694
00:33:55,452 --> 00:33:57,871
And he said...
(sighing)
695
00:33:59,998 --> 00:34:01,958
"That just makes me want
to fuck you harder."
696
00:34:01,958 --> 00:34:04,795
(music playing)
697
00:34:04,795 --> 00:34:05,962
And so he did.
698
00:34:05,962 --> 00:34:08,340
(music playing)
699
00:34:08,340 --> 00:34:10,759
Ten minutes of torture left.
700
00:34:10,759 --> 00:34:14,471
He called me every horrible
name he'd called Sarah,
701
00:34:14,471 --> 00:34:16,848
but I was afraid
to leave.
702
00:34:16,848 --> 00:34:19,851
You never have
to see him again.
703
00:34:19,851 --> 00:34:21,936
Andrea: Walter
was blacklisted...
704
00:34:21,936 --> 00:34:25,315
for me, not for the
other girls.
705
00:34:25,315 --> 00:34:27,400
SJ: If someone has had a
client blacklisted,
706
00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:28,818
then there should
be transparency
707
00:34:28,818 --> 00:34:30,654
so that everyone at
the agency can choose
708
00:34:30,654 --> 00:34:32,656
whether they want to
see that person or not.
709
00:34:32,656 --> 00:34:34,324
These guys, they're
repeat offenders.
710
00:34:34,324 --> 00:34:37,118
They eventually do the same
thing to every single one of us,
711
00:34:37,118 --> 00:34:39,162
and it's not fair that we
don't get to decide
712
00:34:39,162 --> 00:34:40,705
if that happens
to us or not.
713
00:34:40,705 --> 00:34:42,582
We're not trying to even
punish the predator.
714
00:34:42,582 --> 00:34:44,292
We just want to
not see them.
715
00:34:44,292 --> 00:34:46,419
We don't want to have to
be prey. Yeah. Like--
716
00:34:46,419 --> 00:34:48,129
But if, you know, sex
work were decriminalized,
717
00:34:48,129 --> 00:34:51,466
we'd actually maybe be able
to build a relationship
718
00:34:51,466 --> 00:34:53,718
with law enforcement if
that's what we wanted to do.
719
00:34:53,718 --> 00:34:55,470
Or at the very least, labour,
you know, sort of rights--
720
00:34:55,470 --> 00:34:57,472
- Labour.
- You know, which involves
721
00:34:57,472 --> 00:34:59,933
workplace safety, and this
is a workplace safety issue.
722
00:34:59,933 --> 00:35:01,643
(music playing)
723
00:35:01,643 --> 00:35:04,521
Andrea: Exchanges like
this one were rare.
724
00:35:04,521 --> 00:35:07,607
I worked at the same
agency as Andrea,
725
00:35:07,607 --> 00:35:09,401
and we never met.
726
00:35:09,401 --> 00:35:12,487
And a part of me
thinks it's by design.
727
00:35:12,487 --> 00:35:16,700
We were two
opinionated girls.
728
00:35:16,700 --> 00:35:19,869
The conversation would
have never stayed surface level.
729
00:35:19,869 --> 00:35:23,331
Having us have
too much knowledge
730
00:35:23,331 --> 00:35:28,169
is never a good thing in terms
of an agency perspective.
731
00:35:28,169 --> 00:35:29,879
Like, knowledge
is power,
732
00:35:29,879 --> 00:35:32,132
and they don't want us
to have that kind of power.
733
00:35:32,132 --> 00:35:34,968
(music playing)
734
00:35:34,968 --> 00:35:36,344
Being an escort,
735
00:35:36,344 --> 00:35:40,390
you don't only see
people physically naked.
736
00:35:40,390 --> 00:35:42,434
It's emotionally naked.
737
00:35:42,434 --> 00:35:46,479
To find out how
much hate and negativity
738
00:35:46,479 --> 00:35:50,233
people carry
within themselves,
739
00:35:50,233 --> 00:35:51,401
it affects your soul.
740
00:35:51,401 --> 00:35:53,028
(music playing)
741
00:35:53,028 --> 00:35:56,406
Andrea: We're supposed to
keep your secrets,
742
00:35:56,406 --> 00:35:57,824
and that includes
the secret
743
00:35:57,824 --> 00:36:01,202
of how you
truly behave, you know.
744
00:36:01,202 --> 00:36:03,580
And that's why we experience so
much violence from people,
745
00:36:03,580 --> 00:36:05,373
because there's this
assumption
746
00:36:05,373 --> 00:36:07,917
that we're not going
to tell anyone.
747
00:36:07,917 --> 00:36:09,878
We don't have
anyone to turn to.
748
00:36:09,878 --> 00:36:11,379
There's no one to
protect us.
749
00:36:11,379 --> 00:36:14,549
(music ending)
750
00:36:15,884 --> 00:36:18,511
My mom was concerned
about my safety,
751
00:36:18,511 --> 00:36:20,972
and she was right to
be concerned.
752
00:36:22,557 --> 00:36:25,310
On the day that I
graduated university,
753
00:36:25,310 --> 00:36:27,562
- we went out to lunch.
- Mm-hmm.
754
00:36:27,562 --> 00:36:29,397
We sat down
at the table,
755
00:36:29,397 --> 00:36:32,609
and the first thing that
you said was,
756
00:36:32,609 --> 00:36:34,277
"When you going to quit
that job of yours?"
757
00:36:34,277 --> 00:36:35,528
Right.
758
00:36:35,528 --> 00:36:38,657
And I'm like...
(sighing) ..."Okay.
759
00:36:40,408 --> 00:36:41,576
By my
next birthday,"
760
00:36:41,576 --> 00:36:43,370
which was a
year from then,
761
00:36:43,370 --> 00:36:44,829
and you said...
762
00:36:46,373 --> 00:36:47,749
"I'd like to have that
in writing."
763
00:36:47,749 --> 00:36:49,626
- (Andrea laughing)
- Yeah.
764
00:36:49,626 --> 00:36:53,254
Andrea: And so I signed
a contract with my mother.
765
00:36:53,254 --> 00:36:54,756
"I, Andrea Werhun,
766
00:36:54,756 --> 00:36:57,592
"vow to stop hooking on
my 24th birthday.
767
00:36:57,592 --> 00:36:59,552
You have it in
writing."
768
00:36:59,552 --> 00:37:02,097
I had one year
of whoring left.
769
00:37:09,270 --> 00:37:10,438
With these
appointments,
770
00:37:10,438 --> 00:37:11,690
these hour-long
appointments
771
00:37:11,690 --> 00:37:12,857
with people you've
never met before,
772
00:37:12,857 --> 00:37:15,652
it's like
I'm a comet
773
00:37:15,652 --> 00:37:19,864
entering the stratosphere of
somebody else's world,
774
00:37:19,864 --> 00:37:21,992
and then I get to
see them naked.
775
00:37:21,992 --> 00:37:23,410
And then I get to
have sex with them,
776
00:37:23,410 --> 00:37:24,619
and I get to make them come.
777
00:37:24,619 --> 00:37:26,288
And I, like,
hit the Earth,
778
00:37:26,288 --> 00:37:27,998
and I'm gone. And that's it.
779
00:37:27,998 --> 00:37:29,582
You get to the
core of a person,
780
00:37:29,582 --> 00:37:31,584
and then
you're gone.
781
00:37:31,584 --> 00:37:34,129
There's just, like,
something really fascinating
782
00:37:34,129 --> 00:37:37,007
about how close
you can get to a person
783
00:37:37,007 --> 00:37:38,633
in such a
short period of time
784
00:37:38,633 --> 00:37:40,760
and the level of intimacy
that you can feel
785
00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:43,513
with someone you've
never met before
786
00:37:43,513 --> 00:37:45,015
and then just be gone.
787
00:37:45,015 --> 00:37:48,852
(music playing)
788
00:37:48,852 --> 00:37:51,479
You know, you have sex
with a few hundred clients,
789
00:37:51,479 --> 00:37:53,565
and you start to
notice a few patterns.
790
00:37:53,565 --> 00:37:58,320
So I think I could teach
a class on sex work.
791
00:37:58,320 --> 00:37:59,863
(laughing)
792
00:37:59,863 --> 00:38:01,364
No matter what you
call them--
793
00:38:01,364 --> 00:38:03,575
clients, johns, tricks--
794
00:38:03,575 --> 00:38:05,827
the men who pay for
sex have a bevy of reasons
795
00:38:05,827 --> 00:38:08,830
for procuring the services
of a professional.
796
00:38:08,830 --> 00:38:11,666
{\an8}Take your travelling
businessman, for instance,
797
00:38:11,666 --> 00:38:13,627
{\an8}tired and in need of a relaxing,
798
00:38:13,627 --> 00:38:15,337
{\an8}no-strings-attached fu--
799
00:38:15,337 --> 00:38:16,630
{\an8}(whistle blowing)
800
00:38:16,630 --> 00:38:18,381
{\an8}However, many of our clients
801
00:38:18,381 --> 00:38:20,008
{\an8}are very much attached.
802
00:38:20,008 --> 00:38:21,301
{\an8}(audience gasping)
803
00:38:21,301 --> 00:38:22,844
{\an8}Shocking, I know.
804
00:38:22,844 --> 00:38:24,429
{\an8}Here's a line I often heard.
805
00:38:24,429 --> 00:38:26,181
{\an8}I'm just paying you for
a service.
806
00:38:26,181 --> 00:38:27,515
{\an8}It's not like we're having
807
00:38:27,515 --> 00:38:29,434
{\an8}a passionate affair
or anything.
808
00:38:29,434 --> 00:38:31,102
{\an8}Then why not tell your wife?
809
00:38:32,395 --> 00:38:34,898
{\an8}Having a wife is too good a deal
810
00:38:34,898 --> 00:38:36,399
{\an8}to screw up with
a truth bomb like,
811
00:38:36,399 --> 00:38:38,860
{\an8}"When I tell you I'm staying
late at the office,
812
00:38:38,860 --> 00:38:41,071
{\an8}"I'm really doing lines of coke
813
00:38:41,071 --> 00:38:43,657
{\an8}with an escort in a motel room
off the highway."
814
00:38:43,657 --> 00:38:44,866
{\an8}(audience gasping)
815
00:38:44,866 --> 00:38:46,701
{\an8}Perhaps I seem like some kind
816
00:38:46,701 --> 00:38:49,371
{\an8}of husband-humping femme fatale,
817
00:38:49,371 --> 00:38:51,706
{\an8}the heartless, scheming villain
818
00:38:51,706 --> 00:38:53,083
{\an8}of the story,
819
00:38:53,083 --> 00:38:54,834
{\an8}but my madam
would always say...
820
00:38:54,834 --> 00:38:57,170
{\an8}I think we save marriages.
821
00:38:57,170 --> 00:38:59,047
{\an8}It's safer for men
to see an escort
822
00:38:59,047 --> 00:39:02,592
{\an8}than have an affair with
the secretary at the office.
823
00:39:02,592 --> 00:39:03,802
{\an8}It's a lot less mess.
824
00:39:03,802 --> 00:39:06,596
{\an8}(audience murmuring)
825
00:39:06,596 --> 00:39:07,722
- But--
- (gasping)
826
00:39:07,722 --> 00:39:09,099
Enough about them.
827
00:39:09,099 --> 00:39:10,850
How about our clients
with disabilities?
828
00:39:10,850 --> 00:39:13,937
My client Paul was
a favourite of mine.
829
00:39:13,937 --> 00:39:16,189
His legs may have
been paralyzed,
830
00:39:16,189 --> 00:39:17,774
but my word,
831
00:39:17,774 --> 00:39:21,403
that tongue was limber.
(laughing)
832
00:39:21,403 --> 00:39:22,570
{\an8}And of course,
833
00:39:22,570 --> 00:39:23,738
{\an8}the lazy bachelor,
834
00:39:23,738 --> 00:39:25,991
{\an8}sometimes too lazy.
835
00:39:27,534 --> 00:39:29,619
{\an8}Do you watch hockey?
836
00:39:29,619 --> 00:39:30,829
{\an8}Sort of. (chuckling)
837
00:39:30,829 --> 00:39:32,872
I see you're
a big fan.
838
00:39:32,872 --> 00:39:35,542
Oh, yeah, ever
since I was a kid.
839
00:39:35,542 --> 00:39:37,627
How old are you?
840
00:39:37,627 --> 00:39:39,212
- Why don't you guess?
- Twenty-seven?
841
00:39:39,212 --> 00:39:40,505
(chuckling)
842
00:39:42,549 --> 00:39:44,009
I'm older.
843
00:39:45,719 --> 00:39:47,137
- (gasping)
- Andrea: A whiff of his dick
844
00:39:47,137 --> 00:39:49,764
conveyed notes of
cheese and black mold.
845
00:39:49,764 --> 00:39:50,932
(audience groaning)
846
00:39:50,932 --> 00:39:53,101
Why didn't I ask Gus to
hit the showers?
847
00:39:53,101 --> 00:39:56,771
Why did I let his curdled
cheese string into my mouth?
848
00:39:56,771 --> 00:39:58,523
Man: We've got Mary
Ann in the head zone.
849
00:39:58,523 --> 00:40:00,609
She appears to
be struggling, Bob.
850
00:40:00,609 --> 00:40:01,901
She sure is, Tim.
851
00:40:01,901 --> 00:40:03,778
- (gasping)
- And the blow job
852
00:40:03,778 --> 00:40:05,655
- comes to an end.
- (crowd cheering)
853
00:40:05,655 --> 00:40:07,616
- Is that it?
- Mary Ann is now going
854
00:40:07,616 --> 00:40:08,950
into the cowgirl
position.
855
00:40:08,950 --> 00:40:10,827
Oh! And it looks like
Gus has got
856
00:40:10,827 --> 00:40:12,495
some stubble going
on down there.
857
00:40:12,495 --> 00:40:15,999
It must be scraping the shit
out of her you-know-what, Bob.
858
00:40:15,999 --> 00:40:19,627
Mary Ann is determined to ride
this john through the pain.
859
00:40:19,627 --> 00:40:21,838
- Wow.
- She is working for the money
860
00:40:21,838 --> 00:40:24,049
- tonight, boys.
- Mary Ann is dismounting.
861
00:40:24,049 --> 00:40:25,425
- Your turn.
- Bob: And it looks
862
00:40:25,425 --> 00:40:28,845
like Gus is remaining in
the reclined position.
863
00:40:28,845 --> 00:40:30,347
He's going soft.
864
00:40:30,347 --> 00:40:31,973
(upbeat music playing)
865
00:40:31,973 --> 00:40:34,309
Mary Ann's got
her hand on the stick.
866
00:40:34,309 --> 00:40:36,478
(upbeat music playing,
crowd cheering)
867
00:40:36,478 --> 00:40:37,937
- (moaning)
- He shoots!
868
00:40:37,937 --> 00:40:41,274
She scores! Mary Ann
has done it again,
869
00:40:41,274 --> 00:40:42,776
proving why she's one of
the most valuable escorts.
870
00:40:42,776 --> 00:40:44,361
(Andrea cheering)
871
00:40:44,361 --> 00:40:46,613
Yes! Yes!
872
00:40:46,613 --> 00:40:51,159
And finally, there are the
heartbroken newly single men
873
00:40:51,159 --> 00:40:53,578
in need of a
bosom to cry on.
874
00:40:54,704 --> 00:40:56,164
{\an8}I don't want to play games.
875
00:40:57,958 --> 00:41:01,378
{\an8}I just want sex.
876
00:41:01,378 --> 00:41:03,004
{\an8}Andrea: I heard
that Jeremy had seen
877
00:41:03,004 --> 00:41:04,381
{\an8}every escort at
the agency but me.
878
00:41:04,381 --> 00:41:06,716
Excuse me. What?
879
00:41:06,716 --> 00:41:08,176
Andrea: He was a
typical finance guy--
880
00:41:08,176 --> 00:41:09,928
- You got to be kidding me!
- (banging)
881
00:41:09,928 --> 00:41:11,930
Andrea: Drunk,
volatile, loves hookers.
882
00:41:11,930 --> 00:41:13,098
Is he always
like that?
883
00:41:13,098 --> 00:41:15,141
Jeremy: Oh, for
fuck's sake!
884
00:41:15,141 --> 00:41:16,601
For as long
as I've known him.
885
00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:21,898
Jeremy was legendary for
his multi-hour appointments.
886
00:41:21,898 --> 00:41:24,734
My co-whore Violet
held the record--
887
00:41:24,734 --> 00:41:26,903
36 hours.
888
00:41:26,903 --> 00:41:28,446
When she finally
had to go,
889
00:41:28,446 --> 00:41:31,408
she was promptly replaced
by another girl,
890
00:41:31,408 --> 00:41:34,703
and now, it was my turn
to get to know the legend.
891
00:41:34,703 --> 00:41:36,246
What's your sign?
892
00:41:36,246 --> 00:41:37,455
Scorpio.
893
00:41:39,290 --> 00:41:40,542
Me too!
894
00:41:40,542 --> 00:41:42,419
Andrea: We had
a lot in common.
895
00:41:42,419 --> 00:41:44,504
Around the five-hour
mark, I asked...
896
00:41:44,504 --> 00:41:46,381
So, do you have
any children?
897
00:41:48,008 --> 00:41:50,343
Jeremy:
My kid's birthday party.
898
00:41:50,343 --> 00:41:52,554
Drunk here.
899
00:41:52,554 --> 00:41:54,514
Really drunk in
this one.
900
00:41:57,934 --> 00:42:00,228
That stupid
fucking bitch!
901
00:42:01,939 --> 00:42:03,982
She's ruined
my life!
902
00:42:03,982 --> 00:42:06,985
- Everything's gone!
- Okay.
903
00:42:06,985 --> 00:42:08,153
- It's ruined!
- Okay.
904
00:42:08,153 --> 00:42:12,574
Jeremy, you are
a Scorpio, remember?
905
00:42:12,574 --> 00:42:14,993
And Scorpios
are ruled by Pluto.
906
00:42:14,993 --> 00:42:17,162
That's the planet of
transformation,
907
00:42:17,162 --> 00:42:19,540
of life and death
and rebirth.
908
00:42:19,540 --> 00:42:24,169
If anyone could
change their life,
909
00:42:24,169 --> 00:42:25,545
it's you.
910
00:42:25,545 --> 00:42:28,507
Though sex workers aren't
officially therapists,
911
00:42:28,507 --> 00:42:30,008
we try our best.
912
00:42:31,551 --> 00:42:33,011
Let's do some coke.
913
00:42:36,056 --> 00:42:38,308
(exhaling)
914
00:42:38,308 --> 00:42:41,270
Andrea: There's a certain
suspension of reality
915
00:42:41,270 --> 00:42:43,939
in the time an escort
and her john share.
916
00:42:47,693 --> 00:42:50,195
The time allotted is
a sacred space
917
00:42:50,195 --> 00:42:51,989
in which both
parties feel free
918
00:42:51,989 --> 00:42:55,075
to be themselves without
judgment.
919
00:42:55,075 --> 00:42:56,493
(Jeremy and Andrea
chuckling)
920
00:42:56,493 --> 00:42:57,494
What do you like?
921
00:42:57,494 --> 00:42:58,829
Andrea:
I like sex.
922
00:42:58,829 --> 00:43:00,289
(Jeremy and Andrea
chuckling)
923
00:43:00,289 --> 00:43:01,707
Jeremy: I don't know
about that.
924
00:43:01,707 --> 00:43:03,417
Andrea: (jokingly)
Oh, no!
925
00:43:03,417 --> 00:43:04,668
(Jeremy sighing)
926
00:43:04,668 --> 00:43:06,837
(dramatic music playing)
927
00:43:06,837 --> 00:43:09,756
Jeremy demanded I
cuddle him all night.
928
00:43:09,756 --> 00:43:11,383
Paid to sleep?
929
00:43:11,383 --> 00:43:13,427
A sex worker's dream.
930
00:43:13,427 --> 00:43:17,556
(distorted music playing)
931
00:43:17,556 --> 00:43:18,807
Man:
Mary Ann.
932
00:43:18,807 --> 00:43:21,310
(distorted music playing)
933
00:43:21,310 --> 00:43:22,519
Mary Ann.
934
00:43:22,519 --> 00:43:23,729
(distorted music playing)
935
00:43:23,729 --> 00:43:26,732
Mary Ann, that's
very good.
936
00:43:26,732 --> 00:43:28,108
Andrea: When I told
Mr. McAllister
937
00:43:28,108 --> 00:43:29,735
I was leaving the biz,
938
00:43:29,735 --> 00:43:31,945
from the high horse of a
john in the arms of a whore,
939
00:43:31,945 --> 00:43:33,322
he said...
940
00:43:33,322 --> 00:43:34,781
You know, Mary Ann,
941
00:43:34,781 --> 00:43:36,783
it'll be
hard for you.
942
00:43:36,783 --> 00:43:38,410
Dating, that is,
943
00:43:38,410 --> 00:43:42,414
you know, having worked
in this industry.
944
00:43:43,916 --> 00:43:45,375
What makes
you say that?
945
00:43:47,044 --> 00:43:51,089
Well, a lot of people
don't respect pr...
946
00:43:53,634 --> 00:43:56,386
Men are too jealous.
947
00:43:57,804 --> 00:44:00,682
Men don't respect...
948
00:44:01,683 --> 00:44:02,643
Women like you.
949
00:44:02,643 --> 00:44:07,981
♪
950
00:44:07,981 --> 00:44:10,234
I never told
you this,
951
00:44:10,234 --> 00:44:11,693
but I have
a boyfriend.
952
00:44:14,613 --> 00:44:16,031
(sighing)
953
00:44:16,907 --> 00:44:18,283
You do?
954
00:44:23,956 --> 00:44:26,792
We have been
together for...
955
00:44:26,792 --> 00:44:27,960
Thirteen years.
956
00:44:27,960 --> 00:44:30,587
(both laughing)
957
00:44:30,587 --> 00:44:32,547
How did we meet?
958
00:44:32,547 --> 00:44:34,174
Well, we met
in university,
959
00:44:34,174 --> 00:44:35,801
last year of university.
960
00:44:35,801 --> 00:44:37,427
You came to a
house party at my house.
961
00:44:37,427 --> 00:44:42,057
That was the first time
I met you, and yeah.
962
00:44:42,057 --> 00:44:44,810
Then I kind of chased
you a little bit
963
00:44:44,810 --> 00:44:46,979
for a few weeks.
(laughing)
964
00:44:46,979 --> 00:44:49,481
I knew, "Okay. This guy's
a philosophy major."
965
00:44:49,481 --> 00:44:50,983
(Oliver chuckling)
966
00:44:50,983 --> 00:44:52,442
"He's got to
be pretty bright.
967
00:44:52,442 --> 00:44:55,279
Maybe I'll just take
a chance and tell him."
968
00:44:55,279 --> 00:44:57,906
So I said, "I'm an escort,"
969
00:44:57,906 --> 00:45:00,534
and you were like, "Cool."
970
00:45:00,534 --> 00:45:03,412
- Yeah.
- (laughing)
971
00:45:03,412 --> 00:45:05,831
I thought that you were an
interesting person.
972
00:45:05,831 --> 00:45:07,165
I did think it
was cool.
973
00:45:07,165 --> 00:45:09,918
It was something
unique and different,
974
00:45:09,918 --> 00:45:13,338
so I wasn't going
to allow that
975
00:45:13,338 --> 00:45:16,425
to affect my
interest in you.
976
00:45:17,676 --> 00:45:18,844
So mature.
977
00:45:18,844 --> 00:45:20,679
(both laughing)
978
00:45:20,679 --> 00:45:23,015
Why didn't it
bother you?
979
00:45:23,015 --> 00:45:25,475
I see sex work
as a job.
980
00:45:25,475 --> 00:45:28,770
It's a job where you use your
body and you use your mind,
981
00:45:28,770 --> 00:45:30,230
like any other job.
982
00:45:30,230 --> 00:45:32,190
People use all sorts
of different body parts
983
00:45:32,190 --> 00:45:33,692
to do their labour,
984
00:45:33,692 --> 00:45:37,070
and we're not concerned
about it unless it's sexual.
985
00:45:37,070 --> 00:45:39,364
There's something about
sex that--
986
00:45:39,364 --> 00:45:41,533
I guess because it's
so closely tied to love--
987
00:45:41,533 --> 00:45:43,785
that people feel like
it has to be controlled,
988
00:45:43,785 --> 00:45:48,582
you have to possess your partner
or own them in some sense,
989
00:45:48,582 --> 00:45:50,918
and that it isn't real
love unless you do
990
00:45:50,918 --> 00:45:52,669
or real commitment
unless you do.
991
00:45:53,795 --> 00:45:55,714
- (phone buzzing)
- Hello?
992
00:45:55,714 --> 00:45:57,049
Trina on phone:
Time's up.
993
00:45:57,049 --> 00:45:58,508
Okay. Thanks.
994
00:46:00,761 --> 00:46:07,726
♪
995
00:46:07,726 --> 00:46:09,186
(shower starting)
996
00:46:09,186 --> 00:46:21,365
♪ The light shines down
the valley ♪
997
00:46:21,365 --> 00:46:24,284
♪ The wind blows
up the alley ♪
998
00:46:24,284 --> 00:46:27,371
♪ Oh and I wish
I was lying ♪
999
00:46:27,371 --> 00:46:30,082
♪ In the arms
of Mary ♪
1000
00:46:33,293 --> 00:46:37,256
♪ She took the
pains of boyhood ♪
1001
00:46:37,256 --> 00:46:40,801
♪ And turned them
into feel good ♪
1002
00:46:40,801 --> 00:46:43,595
♪ Oh and I wish
I was lying ♪
1003
00:46:43,595 --> 00:46:45,764
♪ In the arms
of Mary ♪
1004
00:46:45,764 --> 00:46:50,227
♪ Mary was the girl who taught
me all I had to know ♪
1005
00:46:50,227 --> 00:46:53,730
♪ She put me right on
the first mistake ♪
1006
00:46:53,730 --> 00:46:58,193
♪ Summer wasn't gone and I
learned all she had to show ♪
1007
00:46:58,193 --> 00:47:02,281
♪ She really gave all
a boy could take ♪
1008
00:47:03,657 --> 00:47:05,325
So long, Mary Ann.
1009
00:47:05,325 --> 00:47:10,997
♪
1010
00:47:10,997 --> 00:47:14,792
(thunder rumbling)
1011
00:47:14,792 --> 00:47:23,134
♪
1012
00:47:23,134 --> 00:47:24,886
The perennial
Marygold,
1013
00:47:24,886 --> 00:47:26,471
plucked from its
dewy bed,
1014
00:47:26,471 --> 00:47:29,390
must die,
and so did I.
1015
00:47:29,390 --> 00:47:33,561
Mary Ann the whore lived,
died, and was born again...
1016
00:47:33,561 --> 00:47:34,938
on a farm.
1017
00:47:36,940 --> 00:47:39,150
(rooster crowing)
1018
00:47:39,150 --> 00:47:42,111
I had been working on a
farm for a couple seasons
1019
00:47:42,111 --> 00:47:44,656
before you came
to live with me there.
1020
00:47:44,656 --> 00:47:46,950
Andrea: In a way, I
went to the farm
1021
00:47:46,950 --> 00:47:50,703
to escape my shame,
1022
00:47:50,703 --> 00:47:55,124
to prove to myself that I
was more than just a prostitute,
1023
00:47:55,124 --> 00:47:57,710
but shame
was with me.
1024
00:47:57,710 --> 00:48:01,214
Hey, saggy titties.
1025
00:48:01,214 --> 00:48:03,716
After my second
season on the farm,
1026
00:48:03,716 --> 00:48:05,927
I needed to stop.
1027
00:48:05,927 --> 00:48:07,929
I think you enjoyed it,
1028
00:48:07,929 --> 00:48:09,055
but it's not your life.
1029
00:48:09,055 --> 00:48:10,556
It's not the life you want,
1030
00:48:10,556 --> 00:48:11,557
and that's fine.
1031
00:48:11,557 --> 00:48:14,310
- It wasn't exactly my calling.
- Yeah.
1032
00:48:14,310 --> 00:48:16,187
On top of the physical
toll it was taking,
1033
00:48:16,187 --> 00:48:18,273
I was not making
any money.
1034
00:48:18,273 --> 00:48:19,774
I was broke.
1035
00:48:19,774 --> 00:48:22,110
Broke? You're a joke.
1036
00:48:22,110 --> 00:48:25,446
You're a washed-up whore
with no prospects.
1037
00:48:25,446 --> 00:48:26,864
What are you gonna do,
1038
00:48:26,864 --> 00:48:30,702
put "proficient at blowjobs"
on your résumé?
1039
00:48:30,702 --> 00:48:33,413
(sucking sounds)
1040
00:48:33,413 --> 00:48:35,456
(chickens clucking quietly)
1041
00:48:35,456 --> 00:48:39,168
So I decided
to become normal.
1042
00:48:39,168 --> 00:48:41,254
- (phone ringing)
- I moved back to the city
1043
00:48:41,254 --> 00:48:43,756
and landed an
entry-level nine to five.
1044
00:48:43,756 --> 00:48:46,551
I worked during my
lunchbreaks, evening overtime,
1045
00:48:46,551 --> 00:48:49,929
and still never kept up
or did things quite right.
1046
00:48:49,929 --> 00:48:51,097
(phones ringing)
1047
00:48:51,097 --> 00:48:52,682
It was hell.
1048
00:48:52,682 --> 00:48:56,978
Commuting in rush hour to
a job that I hate...
1049
00:48:56,978 --> 00:48:58,855
I would rather
fuck a stranger.
1050
00:48:59,814 --> 00:49:01,149
(ringing)
1051
00:49:01,149 --> 00:49:03,401
Rosalie: When you
tried a regular job,
1052
00:49:03,401 --> 00:49:06,195
you'd come home,
and you'd be crying.
1053
00:49:06,195 --> 00:49:08,865
Yeah. That's no life. No.
1054
00:49:08,865 --> 00:49:12,535
Andrea: So I quit and got a
gig as a bike courier.
1055
00:49:12,535 --> 00:49:14,245
There was no
résumé required,
1056
00:49:14,245 --> 00:49:16,623
but there
was snow and ice.
1057
00:49:16,623 --> 00:49:18,291
I was falling off
my bike,
1058
00:49:18,291 --> 00:49:20,251
getting my tire caught
in sewer grates,
1059
00:49:20,251 --> 00:49:22,962
car doors being jut out
in front of me,
1060
00:49:22,962 --> 00:49:24,339
and so I wondered,
1061
00:49:24,339 --> 00:49:26,215
what was more dangerous,
1062
00:49:26,215 --> 00:49:28,176
- working as a bike courier--
- (sneezing)
1063
00:49:28,176 --> 00:49:29,636
or as a stripper?
1064
00:49:31,220 --> 00:49:34,807
I think, like, work in
general is exploitative.
1065
00:49:34,807 --> 00:49:36,768
It's hard to be empowered
under capitalism
1066
00:49:36,768 --> 00:49:39,145
when we're all
basically purchasing
1067
00:49:39,145 --> 00:49:40,647
our survival.
1068
00:49:40,647 --> 00:49:42,482
So, I'm disabled
and neuro-divergent,
1069
00:49:42,482 --> 00:49:44,567
and sex work was a
really good fit for me,
1070
00:49:44,567 --> 00:49:47,654
because it allowed me
to build a practice
1071
00:49:47,654 --> 00:49:50,114
that was specific
to my needs.
1072
00:49:50,114 --> 00:49:52,367
Sex work, for me,
gave me a way
1073
00:49:52,367 --> 00:49:54,118
to, like, do more
than survive.
1074
00:49:54,118 --> 00:49:55,536
It gave me
a way to live.
1075
00:49:55,536 --> 00:49:57,455
Do you feel like sex
work is something
1076
00:49:57,455 --> 00:50:00,541
that compliments your
artistic practice?
1077
00:50:00,541 --> 00:50:02,168
Yeah, definitely.
I don't think
1078
00:50:02,168 --> 00:50:05,338
that I could be an
artist without sex work.
1079
00:50:05,338 --> 00:50:07,173
Like, I'm not a
nepo baby.
1080
00:50:07,173 --> 00:50:08,675
I wish I was.
1081
00:50:08,675 --> 00:50:11,511
My artistic skills make
a lot of sense in sex work.
1082
00:50:11,511 --> 00:50:13,930
Like, it is
a performance.
1083
00:50:13,930 --> 00:50:15,515
It's gendered performance.
1084
00:50:17,517 --> 00:50:20,853
Andrea: I had deliberately
worded my agreement with my mom
1085
00:50:20,853 --> 00:50:24,649
to refer strictly
to hooking. (laughing)
1086
00:50:24,649 --> 00:50:26,109
I left stripping
out of it.
1087
00:50:28,486 --> 00:50:30,113
Alright. So, you work
seven-hour shifts,
1088
00:50:30,113 --> 00:50:31,322
minimum three days a week,
1089
00:50:31,322 --> 00:50:33,324
three shows per night.
1090
00:50:33,324 --> 00:50:35,243
Lap dances
are $20 per song.
1091
00:50:35,243 --> 00:50:38,871
Champagne room, $400
per hour per girl.
1092
00:50:38,871 --> 00:50:42,959
Now, whatever happens
in the champagne room...
1093
00:50:44,544 --> 00:50:46,546
Stays in the
champagne room.
1094
00:50:46,546 --> 00:50:48,131
There's a security guard
at the entrance there
1095
00:50:48,131 --> 00:50:50,466
to keep an eye on the time so
there's no discrepancy
1096
00:50:50,466 --> 00:50:53,511
with the, uh, song counts,
because sometimes--
1097
00:50:53,511 --> 00:50:55,430
(clearing throat)
- rarely here--
1098
00:50:55,430 --> 00:50:56,723
(clearing throat)
- customers,
1099
00:50:56,723 --> 00:50:59,809
uh, they try and
rip off the dancers.
1100
00:51:01,352 --> 00:51:03,104
So-- (clapping, grunting)
1101
00:51:03,104 --> 00:51:05,148
you want
to start tonight?
1102
00:51:05,148 --> 00:51:07,650
Andrea: I texted with Maurice
about my stripper name.
1103
00:51:11,613 --> 00:51:13,364
{\an8}Sophia means wisdom.
1104
00:51:13,364 --> 00:51:14,949
{\an8}The Holy Spirit.
1105
00:51:14,949 --> 00:51:16,576
{\an8}The divine feminine.
1106
00:51:21,914 --> 00:51:24,751
I'm not the best
pole dancer in the world,
1107
00:51:24,751 --> 00:51:27,962
so I had to learn how
to work my angles.
1108
00:51:27,962 --> 00:51:31,049
For me, there is nothing
more powerful than nudity,
1109
00:51:31,049 --> 00:51:35,553
eye contact, and a smile paired
with a few signature moves.
1110
00:51:35,553 --> 00:51:37,639
- Fireman!
- (siren wailing)
1111
00:51:37,639 --> 00:51:41,225
- The Twirl 'n' Squat.
- (someone wolf-whistling)
1112
00:51:41,225 --> 00:51:42,685
The Floater!
1113
00:51:43,895 --> 00:51:45,104
And Hollywood.
1114
00:51:45,104 --> 00:51:46,731
(crowd cheering)
1115
00:51:46,731 --> 00:51:47,941
Oh, and ATC.
1116
00:51:47,941 --> 00:51:49,233
That's ass to crowd!
1117
00:51:49,233 --> 00:51:50,735
Man:
Oh, yeah.
1118
00:51:50,735 --> 00:51:53,029
But I wasn't always the
professional you see here.
1119
00:51:57,325 --> 00:51:59,494
On my second shift,
1120
00:51:59,494 --> 00:52:01,496
I meet a guy
named Bob Abrams.
1121
00:52:01,496 --> 00:52:04,248
He called me over to him,
and he said, you know,
1122
00:52:04,248 --> 00:52:05,500
"Sit down and have
a drink with me.
1123
00:52:05,500 --> 00:52:06,918
I'll make it
worth your while."
1124
00:52:06,918 --> 00:52:10,004
So, what brings
you here tonight?
1125
00:52:10,004 --> 00:52:14,467
- Man: You are so fucking hot.
- (both laughing)
1126
00:52:14,467 --> 00:52:16,177
Do you know what it's like
having two kids at home?
1127
00:52:16,177 --> 00:52:17,512
Of course you
don't. (laughing)
1128
00:52:17,512 --> 00:52:20,431
Andrea: (laughing)
Yeah. Oh, my.
1129
00:52:20,431 --> 00:52:22,350
I love you. You're
fucking awesome.
1130
00:52:22,350 --> 00:52:23,977
(both laughing)
1131
00:52:23,977 --> 00:52:26,354
Andrea: His wife at home
with their newborn,
1132
00:52:26,354 --> 00:52:27,897
Bob Abrams
smelled of a man
1133
00:52:27,897 --> 00:52:30,567
who had everything
handed to him.
1134
00:52:30,567 --> 00:52:32,026
(glasses clinking)
1135
00:52:34,445 --> 00:52:36,030
(exhaling)
1136
00:52:36,030 --> 00:52:37,615
We got wasted.
1137
00:52:37,615 --> 00:52:40,994
Up in the VIP, I gave Bob
a passionate lap dance.
1138
00:52:40,994 --> 00:52:44,622
(upbeat music playing)
1139
00:52:44,622 --> 00:52:48,334
(Bob moaning)
1140
00:52:48,334 --> 00:52:53,381
(music playing,
Bob moaning)
1141
00:52:53,381 --> 00:52:56,801
(music playing)
1142
00:52:56,801 --> 00:52:58,261
Bob took his
dick out.
1143
00:52:59,554 --> 00:53:01,097
You are so hot.
1144
00:53:02,307 --> 00:53:04,267
Fuck. Let's fuck.
1145
00:53:05,810 --> 00:53:07,312
No. No.
1146
00:53:09,772 --> 00:53:12,066
We finally called it a
night at 15 songs.
1147
00:53:12,066 --> 00:53:13,401
(cash register ringing)
1148
00:53:13,401 --> 00:53:15,903
He wanted
to see me again.
1149
00:53:15,903 --> 00:53:18,740
Bob emailed me to arrange
our next meeting.
1150
00:53:18,740 --> 00:53:20,783
More on that later.
1151
00:53:20,783 --> 00:53:21,993
(typing)
1152
00:53:21,993 --> 00:53:24,037
Soon, I had regulars
at the strip club,
1153
00:53:24,037 --> 00:53:26,748
and Ron was the
cream of the crop.
1154
00:53:29,417 --> 00:53:31,127
Hello, mysterious man.
1155
00:53:32,253 --> 00:53:33,421
(altered voice)
Hello, Andrea.
1156
00:53:33,421 --> 00:53:35,006
(both laughing)
1157
00:53:35,006 --> 00:53:37,800
Andrea: Ron is one
of my regulars.
1158
00:53:37,800 --> 00:53:39,844
He was known at the club
by the other dancers
1159
00:53:39,844 --> 00:53:42,180
as being
Sophia's guy.
1160
00:53:42,180 --> 00:53:43,931
We'd sit on a couch,
1161
00:53:43,931 --> 00:53:45,600
watch the game,
1162
00:53:45,600 --> 00:53:46,934
eat a burrito.
1163
00:53:46,934 --> 00:53:48,603
All the while,
1164
00:53:48,603 --> 00:53:50,104
baby, I'm being paid.
1165
00:53:50,104 --> 00:53:51,231
It was so good.
1166
00:53:51,231 --> 00:53:52,440
We'd get to the VIP.
1167
00:53:52,440 --> 00:53:53,733
I'd take my shoes off.
1168
00:53:53,733 --> 00:53:55,068
He'd give me a foot rub.
1169
00:53:55,068 --> 00:53:56,653
Ron: You were wearing
those ridiculous heels.
1170
00:53:56,653 --> 00:53:58,112
- What do you call them?
- Pleasers.
1171
00:53:58,112 --> 00:53:59,864
Ron: Pleasers. Right. And
so you were complaining
1172
00:53:59,864 --> 00:54:02,200
about your feet being sore from
wearing those all day,
1173
00:54:02,200 --> 00:54:04,369
so I just naturally started
giving you a foot rub.
1174
00:54:04,369 --> 00:54:06,704
And that became, like,
a regular thing,
1175
00:54:06,704 --> 00:54:08,748
and I took it
really seriously,
1176
00:54:08,748 --> 00:54:10,667
because one time, I
said, you know,
1177
00:54:10,667 --> 00:54:11,960
"Is this your first
foot rub today?"
1178
00:54:11,960 --> 00:54:14,295
- And you said, "Well, no."
- (laughing)
1179
00:54:14,295 --> 00:54:15,797
So the next day,
I went to YouTube
1180
00:54:15,797 --> 00:54:17,757
and started searching how
to give foot massages.
1181
00:54:17,757 --> 00:54:19,092
I was like,
"I'm going to give you
1182
00:54:19,092 --> 00:54:20,551
a really good
foot massage if I can."
1183
00:54:20,551 --> 00:54:23,930
So... I started
bringing in the creams,
1184
00:54:23,930 --> 00:54:27,266
you know, getting really,
you know, professional about it.
1185
00:54:27,266 --> 00:54:29,560
You are one of the
good ones. That is for sure.
1186
00:54:29,560 --> 00:54:31,646
What do you think
is the secret
1187
00:54:31,646 --> 00:54:36,526
to the long-term relationship
that we have here?
1188
00:54:36,526 --> 00:54:37,819
Ron: You're a good
listener as well as having
1189
00:54:37,819 --> 00:54:39,445
a lot of stories
to tell,
1190
00:54:39,445 --> 00:54:41,656
and I mean, in
seven years,
1191
00:54:41,656 --> 00:54:43,783
I've gone through some
major life events.
1192
00:54:43,783 --> 00:54:45,618
And there's been things that
I've wanted to talk about
1193
00:54:45,618 --> 00:54:47,745
that I didn't feel
comfortable talking about
1194
00:54:47,745 --> 00:54:49,831
to, you know,
family or friends.
1195
00:54:49,831 --> 00:54:53,626
Andrea: Ron is an
ideal customer in a few ways.
1196
00:54:53,626 --> 00:54:56,879
You know, he
understands the context.
1197
00:54:56,879 --> 00:55:00,675
He knows he's going to see
you for a set period of time
1198
00:55:00,675 --> 00:55:02,760
for X amount of money,
1199
00:55:02,760 --> 00:55:04,429
and on top of that,
1200
00:55:04,429 --> 00:55:06,347
he's kind. He's respectful.
1201
00:55:06,347 --> 00:55:09,434
Ron: Well, to me, kindness and
respect are my core values,
1202
00:55:09,434 --> 00:55:10,852
and I don't really
understand--
1203
00:55:10,852 --> 00:55:13,438
I mean, I've read your
stories and heard stories
1204
00:55:13,438 --> 00:55:15,189
about clients
who are not that way.
1205
00:55:15,189 --> 00:55:18,067
Andrea: If only all customers
could be like Ron.
1206
00:55:20,236 --> 00:55:21,821
I actually really don't
even know this guy,
1207
00:55:21,821 --> 00:55:23,740
- if I'm being honest.
- Oh, really?
1208
00:55:23,740 --> 00:55:25,825
One night, I was chatting up
Stavros, an artist...
1209
00:55:25,825 --> 00:55:28,703
So, yeah. We actually met at
an ultimate Frisbee tournament.
1210
00:55:28,703 --> 00:55:31,789
Okay. A couple of
nerds. I like that.
1211
00:55:31,789 --> 00:55:34,208
...and his friend
Mark, a doctor.
1212
00:55:34,208 --> 00:55:35,710
Stavros:
Pretty much.
1213
00:55:35,710 --> 00:55:38,296
Mark:
So, Sophia...
1214
00:55:38,296 --> 00:55:39,756
Who touched you?
1215
00:55:41,549 --> 00:55:43,760
Um, what?
1216
00:55:44,552 --> 00:55:46,054
Who touched you?
1217
00:55:46,054 --> 00:55:48,139
What happened in your
childhood to bring you here?
1218
00:55:50,683 --> 00:55:52,226
Andrea: Apparently, Mark
would rather examine
1219
00:55:52,226 --> 00:55:54,604
my emotional wounds than
my dance moves.
1220
00:55:54,604 --> 00:55:58,233
Um, that's an incredibly
inappropriate question.
1221
00:55:58,233 --> 00:55:59,484
Dude.
1222
00:56:00,818 --> 00:56:02,820
Andrea: Asking
sex workers
1223
00:56:02,820 --> 00:56:06,824
to divulge previous
traumatic experiences,
1224
00:56:06,824 --> 00:56:08,409
that's called trauma porn.
1225
00:56:09,744 --> 00:56:11,829
The questions run
the gamut.
1226
00:56:11,829 --> 00:56:13,539
They may seem
kind of innocent,
1227
00:56:13,539 --> 00:56:14,999
you know, like...
1228
00:56:16,626 --> 00:56:18,127
Andrea and Max: What
was your childhood like?
1229
00:56:18,127 --> 00:56:19,879
(Andrea chuckling)
1230
00:56:19,879 --> 00:56:23,257
Andrea: "What happened along
the way to make you this way?"
1231
00:56:24,717 --> 00:56:27,178
"What broke you?"
1232
00:56:27,178 --> 00:56:29,931
You think something's
wrong with me
1233
00:56:29,931 --> 00:56:33,559
that I'm doing this
for money,
1234
00:56:33,559 --> 00:56:35,311
that I am broken.
1235
00:56:37,939 --> 00:56:40,024
It doesn't make any sense why
anyone would feel entitled
1236
00:56:40,024 --> 00:56:41,901
to ask us about our
childhoods--
1237
00:56:41,901 --> 00:56:44,028
- No. None of your business.
- Especially in a situation--
1238
00:56:44,028 --> 00:56:47,031
especially in a situation
where we're being hired
1239
00:56:47,031 --> 00:56:48,616
- to be sexy.
- Mm.
1240
00:56:48,616 --> 00:56:51,202
Andrea: You know,
it suggests that, like,
1241
00:56:51,202 --> 00:56:53,121
our trauma is part of
the sex appeal.
1242
00:56:53,121 --> 00:56:55,790
SJ: Yeah. Would you ask
that of your server?
1243
00:56:55,790 --> 00:56:57,709
You know, would you ask
that of, like, your dentist?
1244
00:56:57,709 --> 00:56:59,585
Like, I wouldn't
do that.
1245
00:56:59,585 --> 00:57:00,878
I don't have
to be a victim,
1246
00:57:00,878 --> 00:57:02,922
but now, I feel like
you are victimizing me,
1247
00:57:02,922 --> 00:57:04,340
because you are trying to
take things from me
1248
00:57:04,340 --> 00:57:06,217
that I didn't offer
to you. You're trying
1249
00:57:06,217 --> 00:57:07,927
to take things from me. You're
trying to take, you know,
1250
00:57:07,927 --> 00:57:09,554
my emotional labour.
You're trying to elicit--
1251
00:57:09,554 --> 00:57:11,389
What, do you want me to cry?
Do you want me to sit here
1252
00:57:11,389 --> 00:57:13,891
and cry and tell you about--
Like, that's predatory.
1253
00:57:15,268 --> 00:57:17,103
Andrea: One night, I
was riding high
1254
00:57:17,103 --> 00:57:20,940
on a '70s set guaranteed
to give any boomer a boner.
1255
00:57:20,940 --> 00:57:30,992
♪
1256
00:57:36,998 --> 00:57:38,916
Fancy a dance
in the VIP?
1257
00:57:38,916 --> 00:57:40,835
Soon as I finish
this beer.
1258
00:57:40,835 --> 00:57:43,087
Andrea: So, what brings
you here tonight?
1259
00:57:43,087 --> 00:57:44,922
Well, you know,
cat's away.
1260
00:57:44,922 --> 00:57:46,799
Andrea: Our banter was
solid, until...
1261
00:57:46,799 --> 00:57:49,594
So, um...
1262
00:57:49,594 --> 00:57:52,263
What's the worst thing that's
ever happened to you here?
1263
00:57:53,556 --> 00:57:55,183
Andrea: How do
I actually respond
1264
00:57:55,183 --> 00:57:57,477
to people who are asking
me for trauma porn?
1265
00:57:57,477 --> 00:58:00,355
Sometimes, I
deflect.
1266
00:58:01,731 --> 00:58:04,525
And sometimes, I
answer the question.
1267
00:58:04,525 --> 00:58:07,487
You know, I'll look a person in
the eye and say, "Rape."
1268
00:58:07,487 --> 00:58:09,447
Rape? Yeah.
1269
00:58:09,447 --> 00:58:10,907
That doesn't happen here.
1270
00:58:14,744 --> 00:58:16,120
Andrea: I told him
my story.
1271
00:58:18,289 --> 00:58:19,540
Remember Bob?
1272
00:58:20,583 --> 00:58:22,335
Bob shows up at
the club.
1273
00:58:22,335 --> 00:58:26,047
It's, like, a
Monday night at 6:00 PM.
1274
00:58:26,047 --> 00:58:28,216
We go up to the VIP, and
it's early enough
1275
00:58:28,216 --> 00:58:30,718
that there isn't even
security up there.
1276
00:58:30,718 --> 00:58:32,679
We're alone.
1277
00:58:32,679 --> 00:58:34,222
(grunting) Can I
take it out?
1278
00:58:36,683 --> 00:58:40,228
Andrea: I do my job, which is
to get naked by the third song.
1279
00:58:42,730 --> 00:58:44,691
(grunting) Let's fuck.
1280
00:58:44,691 --> 00:58:48,403
- No.
- Oh, come on. Why not?
1281
00:58:48,403 --> 00:58:49,862
I don't want to.
1282
00:58:49,862 --> 00:58:51,322
It'd be fun.
1283
00:58:51,322 --> 00:58:54,242
(laughing) I don't have
any condoms.
1284
00:58:54,242 --> 00:58:59,080
♪
1285
00:58:59,080 --> 00:59:00,665
But he doesn't listen.
1286
00:59:02,333 --> 00:59:03,835
He takes my hips,
1287
00:59:03,835 --> 00:59:06,254
forces me down,
1288
00:59:06,254 --> 00:59:08,464
and puts his
raw dick inside me.
1289
00:59:10,925 --> 00:59:12,427
Don't do that again.
1290
00:59:12,427 --> 00:59:17,599
Because I don't have a
good sense of my boundaries yet,
1291
00:59:17,599 --> 00:59:19,684
I do continue to
dance for him,
1292
00:59:19,684 --> 00:59:22,562
and it happens two
more times.
1293
00:59:22,562 --> 00:59:29,736
♪
1294
00:59:29,736 --> 00:59:31,613
Then he stops
the dances.
1295
00:59:32,822 --> 00:59:35,074
And I'm putting my
clothes back on.
1296
00:59:35,074 --> 00:59:37,368
What's the
matter, babe?
1297
00:59:37,368 --> 00:59:38,578
You look so sad.
1298
00:59:38,578 --> 00:59:41,581
Andrea: And I
say to him,
1299
00:59:41,581 --> 00:59:43,958
"I'm disappointed
in myself
1300
00:59:43,958 --> 00:59:47,295
for letting you
transgress my boundaries."
1301
00:59:48,421 --> 00:59:51,382
And obviously, there's
such a big element there
1302
00:59:51,382 --> 00:59:52,884
of victim blaming,
1303
00:59:52,884 --> 00:59:54,510
as if it's my fault,
1304
00:59:54,510 --> 00:59:55,720
and he replies...
1305
00:59:55,720 --> 00:59:58,348
Why? Do you have something?
1306
01:00:02,226 --> 01:00:05,313
Oh, yeah. That's
disturbing,
1307
01:00:05,313 --> 01:00:07,357
and I'm really sorry that
happened to you.
1308
01:00:07,357 --> 01:00:11,277
- Thanks.
- Yet, you came back.
1309
01:00:11,277 --> 01:00:14,656
I mean, it was
an isolated incident.
1310
01:00:15,782 --> 01:00:17,200
Most guys are fine.
1311
01:00:19,244 --> 01:00:23,081
So, you want
to go to the VIP?
1312
01:00:23,081 --> 01:00:26,167
Yeah. No. Not
after that story.
1313
01:00:26,167 --> 01:00:28,169
I am thoroughly turned
off now.
1314
01:00:29,420 --> 01:00:30,463
So why'd you ask?
1315
01:00:30,463 --> 01:00:33,174
Christ. I didn't
think you'd been raped.
1316
01:00:33,174 --> 01:00:35,093
You don't
look like the type.
1317
01:00:35,843 --> 01:00:37,428
Andrea:
The type?
1318
01:00:37,428 --> 01:00:40,098
What type of person
looks like they've been raped?
1319
01:00:40,098 --> 01:00:42,433
And what type of person
asks that question?
1320
01:00:42,433 --> 01:00:43,810
Dude.
1321
01:00:43,810 --> 01:00:47,146
Come on. Something must
have happened.
1322
01:00:47,146 --> 01:00:50,149
Women don't
just become strippers.
1323
01:00:50,149 --> 01:00:53,194
Man, I thought
we were having fun.
1324
01:00:53,194 --> 01:00:56,531
You really want me to relive my
trauma for your entertainment?
1325
01:01:00,368 --> 01:01:01,494
You know what?
1326
01:01:01,494 --> 01:01:02,954
Let's go to the VIP.
1327
01:01:02,954 --> 01:01:04,372
Now?
1328
01:01:04,372 --> 01:01:06,165
Yeah. Why not?
1329
01:01:06,165 --> 01:01:14,173
♪
1330
01:01:14,173 --> 01:01:17,677
Look. I don't want
a dance.
1331
01:01:17,677 --> 01:01:19,262
I want to apologize.
1332
01:01:21,514 --> 01:01:25,435
The only reason I asked you
that question before
1333
01:01:25,435 --> 01:01:28,563
is because I was sexually
abused as a child
1334
01:01:28,563 --> 01:01:32,317
and I was wondering
if you were, too.
1335
01:01:35,111 --> 01:01:38,156
I'm sorry.
I just thought
1336
01:01:38,156 --> 01:01:41,117
maybe you
were as well
1337
01:01:41,117 --> 01:01:44,245
and I-- I
don't know.
1338
01:01:44,245 --> 01:01:47,081
Andrea: Mark is a doctor.
1339
01:01:47,081 --> 01:01:49,500
He's not a sex worker.
1340
01:01:49,500 --> 01:01:52,587
There's people
in every industry
1341
01:01:52,587 --> 01:01:56,090
who have experienced some
form of abuse.
1342
01:01:56,090 --> 01:01:59,093
I would guess that it's
pretty equal across the board.
1343
01:02:00,011 --> 01:02:02,889
Uh, yeah.
(chuckling)
1344
01:02:02,889 --> 01:02:04,182
I hope you can
forgive me,
1345
01:02:04,182 --> 01:02:06,851
and you don't have
to dance for me.
1346
01:02:09,938 --> 01:02:11,231
Andrea: I don't know
all the reasons
1347
01:02:11,231 --> 01:02:14,400
why people ask
us these questions,
1348
01:02:14,400 --> 01:02:15,860
but I wish they wouldn't.
1349
01:02:21,866 --> 01:02:25,453
It didn't really occur to me
what had happened was rape
1350
01:02:25,453 --> 01:02:30,083
until I realized I hadn't
told my boyfriend about it,
1351
01:02:30,083 --> 01:02:31,835
which is always kind
of a flag,
1352
01:02:31,835 --> 01:02:33,253
because it usually
suggests to me
1353
01:02:33,253 --> 01:02:35,422
that there's some
type of shame
1354
01:02:35,422 --> 01:02:38,174
and I'm afraid
of talking about it.
1355
01:02:38,174 --> 01:02:42,137
I took the week off
from work.
1356
01:02:42,137 --> 01:02:45,765
I talked to the manager
1357
01:02:45,765 --> 01:02:47,434
who hired me.
1358
01:02:47,434 --> 01:02:50,186
I think this
is your fault.
1359
01:02:50,186 --> 01:02:52,355
There's security buttons
in the booth for a reason.
1360
01:02:52,355 --> 01:02:54,357
If you felt uncomfortable, you
should have hit the button.
1361
01:02:54,357 --> 01:02:58,862
You didn't,
so that's on you.
1362
01:02:58,862 --> 01:03:01,948
Robin: Well, you go from "You
can touch me here and here"
1363
01:03:01,948 --> 01:03:04,284
to something
shoved inside you,
1364
01:03:04,284 --> 01:03:05,827
and it happens so quickly.
1365
01:03:05,827 --> 01:03:09,039
Men know that people
aren't coming to the rescue
1366
01:03:09,039 --> 01:03:10,707
to sex workers.
1367
01:03:10,707 --> 01:03:13,168
Girls-- a lot of
Black girls, particularly--
1368
01:03:13,168 --> 01:03:14,461
are told to
keep their head down.
1369
01:03:14,461 --> 01:03:16,212
You're not supposed to
have any issues,
1370
01:03:16,212 --> 01:03:18,340
because it's
not worth your job.
1371
01:03:18,340 --> 01:03:21,634
The more money a
man seems to spend,
1372
01:03:21,634 --> 01:03:26,473
the more important he tends to
become versus performers.
1373
01:03:26,473 --> 01:03:30,810
Did I think about reporting the
incident to the police?
1374
01:03:30,810 --> 01:03:35,899
Ms. Werhun, the alleged incident
occurred at a strip club.
1375
01:03:36,900 --> 01:03:38,360
Now, first things first.
1376
01:03:38,360 --> 01:03:41,363
What kind of decent woman
works at a strip club?
1377
01:03:41,363 --> 01:03:43,907
- The kind that needs money.
- (distorted) Money!
1378
01:03:43,907 --> 01:03:46,326
(normally) And would you say
that money is a prime motivator
1379
01:03:46,326 --> 01:03:49,454
- in your life?
- Well, I need money to eat
1380
01:03:49,454 --> 01:03:52,415
and pay my rent and
clothe myself, so yes.
1381
01:03:52,415 --> 01:03:55,710
Fascinating. Now, let me
get this straight.
1382
01:03:55,710 --> 01:03:57,587
Did you write this book?
1383
01:03:57,587 --> 01:03:58,964
Yes.
1384
01:03:58,964 --> 01:04:02,509
Your Honour, Ms. Werhun's
book is called Modern Whore,
1385
01:04:02,509 --> 01:04:04,177
and as she's
clearly stated,
1386
01:04:04,177 --> 01:04:08,556
she is a modern whore
motivated by money.
1387
01:04:08,556 --> 01:04:10,600
Ms. Werhun,
is it possible
1388
01:04:10,600 --> 01:04:12,936
that you fabricated
a rape allegation
1389
01:04:12,936 --> 01:04:15,939
against a married family man
who earns six figures
1390
01:04:15,939 --> 01:04:20,193
just so you'd have another story
to tell, you know--
1391
01:04:20,193 --> 01:04:23,697
(distorted)
- for the money?
1392
01:04:25,031 --> 01:04:26,574
I got an email
from Bob
1393
01:04:26,574 --> 01:04:29,786
asking when he could
come in and see me again.
1394
01:04:29,786 --> 01:04:33,248
Smiley face, as if
nothing had happened.
1395
01:04:33,248 --> 01:04:35,417
I responded back,
1396
01:04:35,417 --> 01:04:37,544
"Do not come to the
club ever again."
1397
01:04:41,715 --> 01:04:45,302
On those nights where
something did happen to me--
1398
01:04:45,302 --> 01:04:47,345
- Mm-hmm.
- I don't have to be afraid
1399
01:04:47,345 --> 01:04:48,763
for a single second that
you're going to feel
1400
01:04:48,763 --> 01:04:53,226
like I must have done
something to provoke it
1401
01:04:53,226 --> 01:04:57,063
or that I, you
know, deserved it.
1402
01:04:57,063 --> 01:04:59,274
- Mm-hmm.
- A lot of sex workers,
1403
01:04:59,274 --> 01:05:00,900
when they are open with
their partners
1404
01:05:00,900 --> 01:05:03,445
about what they do, they get
that kind of attitude.
1405
01:05:03,445 --> 01:05:06,406
You've never, ever, ever,
ever been like that with me.
1406
01:05:06,406 --> 01:05:08,241
- Mm-hmm.
- So, thank you.
1407
01:05:08,241 --> 01:05:09,826
(chuckling) Yeah.
You're welcome.
1408
01:05:09,826 --> 01:05:10,952
(both chuckling)
1409
01:05:10,952 --> 01:05:12,454
And yeah. For a lot of people,
1410
01:05:12,454 --> 01:05:15,415
that reaction might be
a fear reaction.
1411
01:05:15,415 --> 01:05:18,168
The response to trying
to reduce the harm
1412
01:05:18,168 --> 01:05:21,504
is to coerce the person
to not do sex work
1413
01:05:21,504 --> 01:05:24,424
or not put themselves
in situations in the future
1414
01:05:24,424 --> 01:05:26,551
where those things
are possible.
1415
01:05:26,551 --> 01:05:29,137
A few years later, I saw
Bob at the club again.
1416
01:05:29,137 --> 01:05:31,139
(people chattering)
1417
01:05:31,139 --> 01:05:33,183
He was with an
entourage of people.
1418
01:05:33,183 --> 01:05:38,480
♪
1419
01:05:38,480 --> 01:05:42,275
In that moment, I didn't feel
like I could do anything.
1420
01:05:42,275 --> 01:05:45,320
I felt... frozen.
1421
01:05:45,320 --> 01:05:46,988
(people chattering)
1422
01:05:46,988 --> 01:05:48,573
(laughing)
1423
01:05:48,573 --> 01:05:50,450
It goes without saying
that the strip club
1424
01:05:50,450 --> 01:05:52,118
is a booze-drenched
environment.
1425
01:05:52,118 --> 01:05:53,578
(burping)
1426
01:05:53,578 --> 01:05:55,622
It's a bar, after all,
and a pick-up line.
1427
01:05:55,622 --> 01:05:57,332
Hey, can I buy
you a drink?
1428
01:05:57,332 --> 01:05:59,668
Um, yeah.
1429
01:05:59,668 --> 01:06:04,255
I was probably having upwards of
12 drinks a night at work,
1430
01:06:04,255 --> 01:06:08,009
and when I
wasn't at work,
1431
01:06:08,009 --> 01:06:09,761
you know, I was partying, too.
1432
01:06:12,430 --> 01:06:15,642
I had a habit
1433
01:06:15,642 --> 01:06:19,187
of getting blackout drunk
1434
01:06:19,187 --> 01:06:20,480
and hitting my head.
1435
01:06:20,480 --> 01:06:23,984
(glass shattering)
1436
01:06:23,984 --> 01:06:25,193
For the first time in my life,
1437
01:06:25,193 --> 01:06:26,987
I was having seizures.
1438
01:06:28,154 --> 01:06:29,322
- (glass shattering)
- Ah!
1439
01:06:29,322 --> 01:06:31,574
- (whip striking)
- Ah!
1440
01:06:31,574 --> 01:06:33,410
- May I have another?
- (whip striking)
1441
01:06:33,410 --> 01:06:36,496
Why did I keep doing
this to myself?
1442
01:06:37,998 --> 01:06:40,750
Late one night, I was drunk
and riding my bike home
1443
01:06:40,750 --> 01:06:44,546
with a shopping bag
dangling from my handlebars.
1444
01:06:44,546 --> 01:06:45,964
It got caught
in the front wheel.
1445
01:06:45,964 --> 01:06:48,591
- (tires screeching)
- I flew off the bike.
1446
01:06:52,971 --> 01:06:55,181
(glass shattering)
1447
01:06:55,181 --> 01:06:59,394
I had suffered a
traumatic brain injury,
1448
01:06:59,394 --> 01:07:00,770
a pretty bad one.
1449
01:07:00,770 --> 01:07:03,732
I'd scraped the entire left
side of my face,
1450
01:07:03,732 --> 01:07:05,942
and if I hadn't been
wearing a helmet,
1451
01:07:05,942 --> 01:07:08,111
I would be dead.
1452
01:07:08,111 --> 01:07:09,821
Given my history
of seizures,
1453
01:07:09,821 --> 01:07:12,407
I was eventually
diagnosed with epilepsy,
1454
01:07:12,407 --> 01:07:14,159
and alcohol
was a trigger.
1455
01:07:14,159 --> 01:07:16,786
Andrea, if you have
another drink,
1456
01:07:16,786 --> 01:07:18,788
you might have
a seizure and die.
1457
01:07:20,457 --> 01:07:22,459
You want to write
another book, don't you?
1458
01:07:24,419 --> 01:07:26,796
I was scared shitless
by that comment,
1459
01:07:26,796 --> 01:07:30,550
so I haven't
drank ever since.
1460
01:07:30,550 --> 01:07:33,470
Six weeks later,
I was back at the club,
1461
01:07:33,470 --> 01:07:36,556
no alcohol,
much less confidence.
1462
01:07:40,393 --> 01:07:41,978
Fancy a dance
in the VIP?
1463
01:07:42,938 --> 01:07:45,148
Yeah. Yeah. I'll pass.
1464
01:07:46,441 --> 01:07:48,568
Come back
in 15 minutes.
1465
01:07:48,568 --> 01:07:50,195
Maybe I'll
change my mind.
1466
01:07:52,697 --> 01:07:53,907
Okay.
1467
01:07:53,907 --> 01:07:56,451
Strippers face a
lot of rejection...
1468
01:07:56,451 --> 01:07:58,244
in lingerie,
no less.
1469
01:08:00,163 --> 01:08:02,916
Sober sex work is always a
really interesting topic
1470
01:08:02,916 --> 01:08:04,292
for me to speak on,
1471
01:08:04,292 --> 01:08:05,794
because I
have done sex work
1472
01:08:05,794 --> 01:08:09,673
for my entire adult life
and part of my youth,
1473
01:08:09,673 --> 01:08:13,843
and I've done it under the sort
of auspice of sobriety now.
1474
01:08:13,843 --> 01:08:15,303
But I've also
done it, you know,
1475
01:08:15,303 --> 01:08:16,972
while being an
intravenous drug user,
1476
01:08:16,972 --> 01:08:19,974
while being, you know, someone
that was a heavy drinker,
1477
01:08:19,974 --> 01:08:21,601
while being someone
that, you know,
1478
01:08:21,601 --> 01:08:24,270
has done various other
sorts of substances
1479
01:08:24,270 --> 01:08:26,231
and also hired
exclusively to do
1480
01:08:26,231 --> 01:08:27,607
a lot of, like,
pay-to-party events,
1481
01:08:27,607 --> 01:08:30,318
because men hate
to do drugs alone.
1482
01:08:30,318 --> 01:08:31,611
What do you think of
the stereotype
1483
01:08:31,611 --> 01:08:33,697
that we all use drugs
to do our jobs?
1484
01:08:33,697 --> 01:08:34,864
I think that goes
hand in hand
1485
01:08:34,864 --> 01:08:36,282
with a lot of
different tropes
1486
01:08:36,282 --> 01:08:37,826
that come
along with sex work.
1487
01:08:37,826 --> 01:08:40,203
Substance users are villains
or villainized in society,
1488
01:08:40,203 --> 01:08:41,871
and so, of course, we are
villains because we are
1489
01:08:41,871 --> 01:08:43,915
sex workers. So it sort of,
like, ties in with that.
1490
01:08:43,915 --> 01:08:47,752
What are some of the pros
and cons of sober sex work?
1491
01:08:47,752 --> 01:08:50,171
SJ: Start with the pros.
My judgment is clearer.
1492
01:08:50,171 --> 01:08:55,343
I'm a lot less susceptible to
my boundaries being pushed,
1493
01:08:55,343 --> 01:08:56,886
but then it's also, like...
1494
01:08:57,804 --> 01:09:00,473
I have to listen
to their bullshit.
1495
01:09:00,473 --> 01:09:03,059
I can't, you know,
numb the conversation.
1496
01:09:03,059 --> 01:09:04,894
I have to be engaged.
1497
01:09:04,894 --> 01:09:06,980
Another pro, I guess
you remember everything,
1498
01:09:06,980 --> 01:09:09,149
but another con is that I
remember everything, you know?
1499
01:09:09,149 --> 01:09:10,567
(laughing)
1500
01:09:10,567 --> 01:09:14,112
Bob returned... again.
1501
01:09:14,112 --> 01:09:17,657
He had started to earn a
reputation at the club
1502
01:09:17,657 --> 01:09:20,535
for becoming
belligerently drunk.
1503
01:09:20,535 --> 01:09:21,995
Want to give me a beer?
1504
01:09:21,995 --> 01:09:25,290
Andrea: You know, he's becoming
a very rowdy customer.
1505
01:09:26,666 --> 01:09:29,044
This time, things
were different,
1506
01:09:29,044 --> 01:09:32,172
because I was sober,
1507
01:09:32,172 --> 01:09:34,841
and I felt like I
was finally in a position
1508
01:09:34,841 --> 01:09:36,926
to be able to hold
him accountable.
1509
01:09:36,926 --> 01:09:39,054
You know, I wasn't
afraid anymore,
1510
01:09:39,054 --> 01:09:44,309
so I went to one of
my better managers, Phil,
1511
01:09:44,309 --> 01:09:47,020
and I told him
I wanted him out.
1512
01:09:48,813 --> 01:09:51,024
Well, I say we make sure
that he settles up,
1513
01:09:51,024 --> 01:09:54,069
because, uh, I don't want to get
in the way of anyone's money.
1514
01:09:54,069 --> 01:09:56,571
Then I'll inform him that
he's no longer welcome
1515
01:09:56,571 --> 01:09:58,156
in the club.
1516
01:09:58,156 --> 01:10:00,116
Andrea: I told the gals
what was going on.
1517
01:10:00,116 --> 01:10:02,953
Do you want me to throw
piss in his face?
1518
01:10:02,953 --> 01:10:05,955
Andrea: There's nothing like
stripper support.
1519
01:10:05,955 --> 01:10:07,290
Is this forever?
1520
01:10:08,458 --> 01:10:10,293
Yes.
1521
01:10:10,293 --> 01:10:11,461
Fuck you, man,
1522
01:10:11,461 --> 01:10:12,921
and your fucking place!
1523
01:10:12,921 --> 01:10:15,382
Andrea: Phil was
being a good manager,
1524
01:10:15,382 --> 01:10:19,302
and for that,
I'll always be grateful.
1525
01:10:19,302 --> 01:10:23,306
When you don't consider a sex
work workplace a real workplace,
1526
01:10:23,306 --> 01:10:26,559
it's going to be run by a
different kind of law.
1527
01:10:26,559 --> 01:10:31,064
It's going to be run by a law
that's outside law enforcement,
1528
01:10:31,064 --> 01:10:32,357
for better or worse.
1529
01:10:34,859 --> 01:10:35,777
(typing)
1530
01:10:35,777 --> 01:10:37,279
I think the victim trope
is prominent
1531
01:10:37,279 --> 01:10:41,950
because some people
would prefer us that way.
1532
01:10:41,950 --> 01:10:45,912
Being a victim is a
convenient title
1533
01:10:45,912 --> 01:10:48,832
when what you want to do is
actually victimize us.
1534
01:10:48,832 --> 01:10:50,959
We can never get
away from it.
1535
01:10:50,959 --> 01:10:54,421
The law also identifies
us as victims.
1536
01:10:54,421 --> 01:10:57,132
It takes consent
out of the matter.
1537
01:10:57,132 --> 01:10:58,675
It makes the assertion
1538
01:10:58,675 --> 01:11:02,012
that everything that we
do for money is by coercion.
1539
01:11:03,805 --> 01:11:05,682
We're either victims
1540
01:11:05,682 --> 01:11:08,310
who have no ability to
make choices for ourselves
1541
01:11:08,310 --> 01:11:09,811
or we're villains,
1542
01:11:09,811 --> 01:11:12,480
and the only choices we
make are bad and harmful.
1543
01:11:12,480 --> 01:11:15,066
And all we want to do
is hurt people,
1544
01:11:15,066 --> 01:11:17,360
particularly men.
1545
01:11:17,360 --> 01:11:21,698
But I don't think that
sex workers are even permitted
1546
01:11:21,698 --> 01:11:25,702
the grace of having
our work considered labour,
1547
01:11:25,702 --> 01:11:27,037
and I think that's wrong.
1548
01:11:27,037 --> 01:11:36,629
♪
1549
01:11:36,629 --> 01:11:38,173
You know,
there's things that I do
1550
01:11:38,173 --> 01:11:41,134
that keep me grounded and
remind me of who I am.
1551
01:11:41,134 --> 01:11:42,719
A lot of that has to
do with writing
1552
01:11:42,719 --> 01:11:45,430
and creative expression
in general and performing
1553
01:11:45,430 --> 01:11:47,390
and being silly,
being a little ham.
1554
01:11:48,600 --> 01:11:50,143
I'd like to be...
1555
01:11:51,144 --> 01:11:52,520
An artist.
1556
01:11:52,520 --> 01:11:54,731
I'd love to make
a living with my art.
1557
01:11:56,066 --> 01:11:59,402
But I can't
afford it, yet,
1558
01:11:59,402 --> 01:12:02,489
and so until
that day--
1559
01:12:02,489 --> 01:12:03,907
(laughing)
1560
01:12:05,075 --> 01:12:06,326
I work.
1561
01:12:08,954 --> 01:12:11,581
So long as the laws
don't protect us,
1562
01:12:11,581 --> 01:12:13,500
the stigma against
sex workers remains.
1563
01:12:13,500 --> 01:12:16,252
I can see your
cellulite, whore!
1564
01:12:16,252 --> 01:12:17,754
(snickering)
1565
01:12:17,754 --> 01:12:20,090
Alright, bud. That's
it. Night's over.
1566
01:12:20,090 --> 01:12:22,342
What are you doing, man? I
paid $10 for this beer.
1567
01:12:22,342 --> 01:12:24,844
- I'm not going anywhere.
- You've been nursing this beer
1568
01:12:24,844 --> 01:12:26,554
for almost two hours,
my man. Let's go.
1569
01:12:26,554 --> 01:12:28,390
- No. No. Come on! No!
- Let's go.
1570
01:12:28,390 --> 01:12:31,434
Shame: I'll get you! This
is not the last of me!
1571
01:12:34,854 --> 01:12:39,818
When it comes to my
own shame in sex work,
1572
01:12:39,818 --> 01:12:41,361
I don't have any.
1573
01:12:41,361 --> 01:12:42,779
The reality is,
1574
01:12:42,779 --> 01:12:45,073
not only have I
fucked for money,
1575
01:12:45,073 --> 01:12:48,326
I'm currently naked
on the internet.
1576
01:12:49,828 --> 01:12:51,371
I have no shame.
1577
01:12:51,371 --> 01:12:53,957
Let's be fucking
for real.
1578
01:12:53,957 --> 01:12:56,626
But when I
fell in love
1579
01:12:56,626 --> 01:12:59,838
and what I
did for work
1580
01:12:59,838 --> 01:13:03,425
was going to
affect him
1581
01:13:03,425 --> 01:13:05,593
and how his
family saw me,
1582
01:13:05,593 --> 01:13:08,346
that was the first time
I felt shame.
1583
01:13:08,346 --> 01:13:11,766
There's whorephobia against
the sex workers ourselves,
1584
01:13:11,766 --> 01:13:15,979
which, you know, brings us
the closest to violence,
1585
01:13:15,979 --> 01:13:18,940
and then there's all this sort
of, like, stigma by proxy--
1586
01:13:18,940 --> 01:13:20,275
- Yeah.
- That the people around us
1587
01:13:20,275 --> 01:13:22,652
have to experience just
by loving us.
1588
01:13:22,652 --> 01:13:24,446
Oliver: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
People might have
1589
01:13:24,446 --> 01:13:28,325
a perfectly happy relationship
with a sex worker,
1590
01:13:28,325 --> 01:13:32,412
and then they encounter
some kind of outside stigma.
1591
01:13:32,412 --> 01:13:34,331
And they can't
overcome it.
1592
01:13:35,749 --> 01:13:37,625
And they're missing out
because of that.
1593
01:13:37,625 --> 01:13:40,170
Yeah. Yeah!
1594
01:13:40,170 --> 01:13:41,588
(both laughing)
1595
01:13:41,588 --> 01:13:44,257
You taking the risk
1596
01:13:44,257 --> 01:13:47,510
and being brave and
being open
1597
01:13:47,510 --> 01:13:49,804
has forced me
to come to terms
1598
01:13:49,804 --> 01:13:52,724
with how I
talk about it
1599
01:13:52,724 --> 01:13:55,477
and how open I
am about it as well.
1600
01:13:55,477 --> 01:13:57,187
And is that
a good thing?
1601
01:13:57,187 --> 01:14:01,650
Yeah, of course. Yeah. I think
being truthful is important,
1602
01:14:01,650 --> 01:14:04,819
and I think being
honest is important.
1603
01:14:04,819 --> 01:14:07,155
I'm, you know,
sitting here on camera
1604
01:14:07,155 --> 01:14:09,783
because I hope that one day
you can be face out
1605
01:14:09,783 --> 01:14:12,452
and not be
assaulted, you know,
1606
01:14:12,452 --> 01:14:14,037
just because someone
knows you're a sex worker
1607
01:14:14,037 --> 01:14:15,955
or not be stalked online
or not be harassed
1608
01:14:15,955 --> 01:14:20,835
or, you know, banned
from apartments
1609
01:14:20,835 --> 01:14:23,838
and banned from
other types of work
1610
01:14:23,838 --> 01:14:26,758
and banned from,
you know, social spaces,
1611
01:14:26,758 --> 01:14:28,009
which has definitely
happened to me.
1612
01:14:28,009 --> 01:14:29,302
I think that that's the power
1613
01:14:29,302 --> 01:14:30,804
of, like, sex worker
storytelling.
1614
01:14:30,804 --> 01:14:32,347
It's, like,
reminding the public
1615
01:14:32,347 --> 01:14:34,265
that, like, we're actually
just, like, human.
1616
01:14:34,265 --> 01:14:38,395
It's not like sex workers
are these big, bad monsters.
1617
01:14:38,395 --> 01:14:39,813
Like, we're just people,
1618
01:14:39,813 --> 01:14:42,399
and, like, we deserve,
like, very basic rights.
1619
01:14:42,399 --> 01:14:45,193
We need to tell our stories
so that it normalizes sex work
1620
01:14:45,193 --> 01:14:48,154
and so that it normalizes
the quest for safety in our work
1621
01:14:48,154 --> 01:14:50,115
and the quest for respect
in our work and the quest for,
1622
01:14:50,115 --> 01:14:52,075
you know, basic, like, human
dignity and human rights.
1623
01:14:52,075 --> 01:14:54,661
I would like sex workers--
1624
01:14:54,661 --> 01:14:55,912
at least,
like, full service--
1625
01:14:55,912 --> 01:14:58,289
to kind of be seen
like a chiropractor.
1626
01:14:58,289 --> 01:15:00,333
- Not everybody believes in it.
- (laughing)
1627
01:15:00,333 --> 01:15:02,544
But like, the people who
love it love it.
1628
01:15:02,544 --> 01:15:03,962
That's right. That's right.
1629
01:15:03,962 --> 01:15:06,423
- And they swear by it.
- And they swear by it.
1630
01:15:06,423 --> 01:15:08,008
I'm so grateful
1631
01:15:08,008 --> 01:15:12,595
that despite your own
misgivings about my work...
1632
01:15:13,805 --> 01:15:15,181
You still love me.
1633
01:15:15,181 --> 01:15:16,433
Of course.
1634
01:15:19,936 --> 01:15:23,023
I just want to
thank you for...
1635
01:15:25,317 --> 01:15:27,694
(tearfully)
...not abandoning me.
1636
01:15:27,694 --> 01:15:30,322
I could
never abandon you.
1637
01:15:30,322 --> 01:15:31,531
Would not happen.
1638
01:15:33,116 --> 01:15:34,743
When you were born, I remember
1639
01:15:34,743 --> 01:15:38,955
just looking at you all night.
1640
01:15:40,081 --> 01:15:42,542
I would just watch you
while you were sleeping.
1641
01:15:42,542 --> 01:15:44,127
(both chuckling)
1642
01:15:44,127 --> 01:15:46,713
I think I like
being looked at.
1643
01:15:46,713 --> 01:15:47,922
(laughing)
1644
01:15:47,922 --> 01:15:49,549
Maybe that's part
of it.
1645
01:15:49,549 --> 01:15:50,967
(both laughing)
1646
01:15:50,967 --> 01:15:53,303
I think I associate
it with love and care.
1647
01:15:53,303 --> 01:15:54,721
Yeah.
1648
01:15:54,721 --> 01:15:57,932
The greatest privilege of
my life is being loved by you.
1649
01:15:57,932 --> 01:15:59,976
- Thank you, honey.
- So thank you.
1650
01:15:59,976 --> 01:16:02,646
Thank you. That makes
my life worthwhile.
1651
01:16:04,397 --> 01:16:06,524
Love you, Mommy.
1652
01:16:06,524 --> 01:16:07,984
(Andrea sniffling)
1653
01:16:11,363 --> 01:16:15,075
This is the part of the
film where the sex worker
1654
01:16:15,075 --> 01:16:18,453
is usually punished for
her deviant ways
1655
01:16:18,453 --> 01:16:21,581
or saved from whoring
by a white knight.
1656
01:16:21,581 --> 01:16:26,169
Eternally, we play the
role of victim or villain.
1657
01:16:26,169 --> 01:16:27,754
We need a new archetype.
1658
01:16:29,130 --> 01:16:30,548
- If the femme fatale--
- (coughing)
1659
01:16:30,548 --> 01:16:33,510
Is a bold, sexually
powerful villainess
1660
01:16:33,510 --> 01:16:36,304
who destroys men
to get what she wants,
1661
01:16:36,304 --> 01:16:40,767
the femme vitale is
her positive opposite,
1662
01:16:40,767 --> 01:16:45,021
a person who loves themself
and fights for their community.
1663
01:16:45,021 --> 01:16:46,272
(birds chirping)
1664
01:16:46,272 --> 01:16:49,693
They are loved and
give love,
1665
01:16:49,693 --> 01:16:51,653
pleasure, joy.
1666
01:16:51,653 --> 01:17:01,705
♪
1667
01:17:04,249 --> 01:17:06,876
When sex workers
tell our own stories,
1668
01:17:06,876 --> 01:17:09,754
we become the heroes,
not the victims,
1669
01:17:09,754 --> 01:17:11,423
of our
own journeys.
1670
01:17:12,799 --> 01:17:16,803
I have a story
that would remain hidden
1671
01:17:16,803 --> 01:17:21,099
if I let shame
take over my life,
1672
01:17:21,099 --> 01:17:23,310
and shame is
antithetical to truth.
1673
01:17:25,520 --> 01:17:26,980
Despite the odds,
1674
01:17:26,980 --> 01:17:29,190
sex workers
are here.
1675
01:17:29,190 --> 01:17:33,111
We are alive
and always will be.
1676
01:17:33,111 --> 01:17:36,531
One day, we will grow
like wildflowers,
1677
01:17:36,531 --> 01:17:38,742
unruly and free.
1678
01:17:38,742 --> 01:17:44,581
♪
1679
01:17:46,541 --> 01:17:56,509
♪
1680
01:17:57,552 --> 01:18:05,518
♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪
1681
01:18:06,811 --> 01:18:08,813
♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪
1682
01:18:10,857 --> 01:18:12,609
♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪
1683
01:18:12,609 --> 01:18:19,699
♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪
1684
01:18:21,701 --> 01:18:23,453
♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪
1685
01:18:25,163 --> 01:18:27,290
♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪
1686
01:18:28,833 --> 01:18:30,627
♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪
1687
01:18:30,627 --> 01:18:36,049
♪
1688
01:18:36,049 --> 01:18:38,134
♪ Ah ah ah ♪
1689
01:18:41,304 --> 01:18:45,433
♪ Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ♪
1690
01:18:45,433 --> 01:18:55,485
♪
1691
01:18:56,486 --> 01:19:03,243
♪
1692
01:19:03,243 --> 01:19:07,831
♪ Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ♪