“Sex work is still demonized because sex workers aren’t thought of as real people. The greater community needs to get to know who sex workers are, see that they are human and have individuality and merit. Somewhere in here is also taking away the stigma of being a john.”

“In Canada, we allow our children to watch violence on television but shield them from sexual content, as though sex is evil and violence, merely entertainment. Well, in our world, sex is entertainment. And it beats any 9 to 5 at minimum wage on your feet four hours at a stretch for a power-hungry, low-status managerial asshole.”

As people who get looked down on a lot, adult entertainers are often very good at not putting ourselves above others. What we need to work on as a community, is not putting others above ourselves.

It is easy to believe we are worthless when the attitudes and behaviours that shape our society imply it so strongly.

Who was the first person to decide that adult entertainers are worthless? It is an interesting question when history provides multiple examples of whore power and reverence. How could an act once considered sacred, now become something that is vilified?

From the first sex worker found in world history in the “whore of Babylon” story of 4000 BC and the Goddess Ishtar who was reborn a virgin every morning and became a sex worker every evening to brothel signs and coins depicting sexual acts discovered in the ruins of Pompeii – the sex industry is present throughout our entire history.

Worship of the Goddess Ashera was led and dominated by women who sang special songs to their goddess and wove beautiful clothing for her. Sex was a predominant part of temple rituals and offerings were made to the priestesses in exchange.

From around 100 BC, Ashera was worshipped more than ever and an entire class of female, male, and trans priests and priestesses evolved. History records this as cultic sex and temple prostitution but clearly this was a widely accepted practice and a respected position in the community.

The sex industry is a part of the human experience and we are all members of a culture that extends beyond recorded time. We should feel proud of our roots and we can certainly learn from the history of our amazing culture.

There is no reason why we should put others above ourselves. We have nothing to be ashamed of. Other people are just as intimidated by us as we are by them. Unless… they’ve learned the truth – that we’re all equal. In which case, they just go around doing their thing and letting others do theirs, and life is not about who is better. No one is.