YAS Podcast

Kit Monroe had a unique opportunity with the media recently.  It’s not often media reaches out directly to sex workers to write articles for them.  Usually, they write about us without talking to us.  But in this situation, Kit was able to speak for herself and for us, as a sex worker.  This episode, she and AM talk about the current climate in the clubs on the east coast.  Of course, things aren’t all roses there either.  But then again, that’s the issue these days isn’t it?  Time for industry reform!

Cheetah and Frida are two strippers and sex workers that live in Sweden.  Before Covid, they were able to travel across the border to other countries where working conditions are more favorable than Sweden.  But now with the lockdown, Sweden citizens are being banned from traveling to other European countries.  Now, they find themselves having to navigate in a country where the strip club industry is deteriorating.  Things are not what we may have thought over there.  Cheetah and Frita are giving us the full rundown.  It’s shocking.

Cat Hollis is a revolutionary, a force to be reckoned with and a very high in demand person.  She has created the Stripper Strike movement and is the driving force.  From Portland, Cat gave us the lowdown. This is one amazing lady!  Our episode got cut short but we have discussed a follow up, so stay tuned!

Izzie and AM have some things in common. They are both strippers and they are both amputees. Izzie is a current below the knee amputee and talks to AM about what it’s like being a disabled stripper and even went to work on crutches. With a looming below the knee amputation for AM, the two get intimate about what it’s like. Warning: At minute 29:50, Izzie recounts a story where a man followed her and became verbally aggressive toward her. This may be triggering for some people.

There is actually not a ton of sex worker podcasts.  Not as many as we’d like to see anyway.  So Danica and AM cross paths and swap podcast interviews. This week’s guest has a podcast of her own - 50 Plus a Tip.  Danica is from Canada, is a sex worker, a podcaster and a badass.  Spreading the message of education and compassion for all types of people.

Nova Caine and AM met online through a dispute in a comment thread on Instagram. The topic? Pole dancers getting shadow banned. Nova’s point? “What did you think would happen? Be our ally. It’s the only way to fix this.” Since then, the two have bonded and have similar dreams of industry reform. Nova’s has one of the most unique ways of healing her body through dance. As a veteran, a mother and a sex worker, her perspectives come from many angles and it’s fascinating.

This call is one from across the pond.  Two like souls getting together over Zoom, listen to Rebecca (aka KatsAndCrows) and AM talk about activism.  These two have bonded over actions taken through the movement of EveryBodyVisible, an activist group that protests discriminatory practices by social media giants.  Rebecca is fierce, bold and fearless but shows us her vulnerable side as well.  Both women commiserate over the difficulties in dating life.

Danielle and AM have never met… or haven’t they?  This episodes guest is a former stripper and now pole dance studio owner of The Vertitude in Canoga Park, California.  After chatting for a bit, these two find out that they most certainly crossed paths at some point and didn’t know it.  They reminisce on the old days and talk about the deterioration of the strip club scene in Los Angeles over the last two decades.

Lulu has been a stripper for long enough to have seen the changes in the industry.  At work places that used to pay the strippers to work, she has seen the work floor morph into a more abusive and exploitative system.  AM can relate, working in Los Angeles since 2002, there is definitely a difference with how strippers work and are treated now compared to two decades ago.

The only transgender pole dance/stripper show producer in Los Angeles, Daphne is challenging the norm. Just because transgender strippers haven’t often hit the stage like other strippers, doesn’t mean it has to remain that way. She wants to allow more opportunity for her community members and create a space for them to feel the freedom of performing with acceptance and love. Daphne gives us insight on the community she represents and teaches us a thing or two.