It's So Hard

"If you don't have any connection to disability from your own life, it's very easy to not understand it." -Sunyal Maroo

Sunyal Maroo was born with Ataxic Cerebral Palsy and began experiencing debilitating chronic nerve pain at the age of 17. He has forged a career that leverages his lived experiences in his professional life. After graduating, Sunyal worked in various roles at Curtin University. He is currently a valuable member of the IT & Risk Assurance team and serves as the chairperson of the Accessible @ Curtin Collective.

In this episode, Sunyal discusses abled bodied assumptions, his mental health journey, and his passion for risk management. He criticises Labor's NDIS Amendment Bill (2024) and urges abled folks to better advocate for and include disabled people, at all levels.

LinkedIn - https://au.linkedin.com/in/sunyalmaroo Contact - [email protected]

Recorded 21st July 2024

Disability is NOT a Bad Word Isabella Choate, TEDx

Nothing Without Us podcast Youth Disability Action Network (YDAN)

NDIS Ban Sex Work with Lua from Decrim WA Lua and Joni Boyd, Indymedia

Touching Base Resources and action steps

Mentions - @isabella.choate @disability_pride_fest, @katiaschwartz, @touchingbaseinc, @jordonsteelejohn, @littlelua.s, @mxstress.mercy, @checkout_chick463 

Contains explicit descriptions.

It's So Hard is produced by - Tess Louise®  Instagram - @softermedia  Website - itssohard.info 

S3:E113

"The decriminalisation, the advocacy, the work is for everyone, and therefore it should be designed with everyone in mind..." -Mercy

Recorded 12th May 2024

Coming soon...

Mercy and Lua are bringing  Smut Club to Naarm/Melbourne!

Workshops for WA-based sex workers - @decrimwa

Follow for updates - @littlelua.s, @mxstress.mercy, @puppygirlfemboy, and @smutclubfilmfest

Please contribute...

Decolonise Sex Work AU - @decolonisesexworkau "Mutual aid, free supplies, and more..." Transfer - Acc Name: P.iles | BSB: 734668 | Acc: 725397 Beem - @DecoloniseSW

Help Jasmine Stay Back and Recover - @Raatkiraaani"After being displaced because of the border restrictions..." Jasmine's podcast series - Migrant Sex Workers of Colour on Race Matters podcast

Palestine Australia Relief and Action (PARA)"Supporting Palestinians to live safe, happy and fulfilling lives in Australia..."

Clean Air Naarm (CAN) - @cleanairnaarm "Providing access to cleaner air supplies for artists..."

Mutual Aid So-Called Australia - @mutualaidsocalledoz "Find community fundraisers to contribute to..."

Contains explicit descriptions.

Mentions - Touching Base, Rainbow Labor WA It's So Hard is produced by - Tess Louise® Instagram - @softermedia Website - itssohard.info

S3:E112

"I think, unequivocally, in my opinion, that eugenics, ableism, the whorearchy, and decriminalisation are in an intrinsic ecology. Disabled rights are sex workers' rights. Sex workers' rights are disability rights. It is all interconnected..." -Lua Recorded 30th April 2023

Follow on Instagram for updates - @littlelua.s @mxstress.mercy @smutclubfilmfest

Contains explicit descriptions.

Mentions - Smut Club Film Festival It's So Hard is produced by - Tess Louise® Instagram - @softermedia Website - itssohard.info

S3:E111

"I'd say the biggest problem faced by the queer community in this country is homelessness..." -Joni Boyd

On 10th January 2024, Misty Farquhar from Rainbow Futures WA dropped an opinion piece in The West Australian about state Labor’s commitments to enact change for the local LGBTQIA+ community, which are yet to be fulfilled.

Misty Farquhar's article:  Labor all talk, little action in protecting LGBTIQA+ community

In their article, Farquhar discusses the following issues that need amending. If you're a WA resident, please raise these points with your local Member of Parliament:

• Mental health support for the queer community needs sustainable funding
• Intersex babies are being forced to undergo surgeries that they can’t consent to
• Discrimination is being enabled by WA’s out-of-date Equal Opportunity Act
• Trans folks are facing barriers when getting their ID updated to reflect their gender identity

Follow on Instagram - Rainbow Futures WA @rainbowfutureswa, V @puppygirlfemboy, Joni Boyd @checkout_chick463

Contains explicit descriptions.

Mentions -  Decrim WA and Indymedia It's So Hard is produced by - Jenn and Tess Louise® Instagram - @softermedia Website - itssohard.info

S3:E110

"Today is International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers..."

This episode was initially released on 16/12/2021.

Mentions:

• Jasmin Raat Ki Raani - @currypawrn on Instagram
• Spotify: "Migrant Sex Workers of Colour: We Are Here To Take Up Space" on Race Matters podcast
• Listen online: "Migrant Sex Workers of Colour: We Are Here To Take Up Space" on Race Matters podcast
• Jordon Steele-John - @jordonsteelejohn on Instagram

Contains explicit descriptions.

It's So Hard is produced by - Jenn and Tess Louise® Instagram - @softermedia @jennbrownhere Website - itssohard.info

S3:E109

"I find myself being very cautious when it comes to other people's expectations - especially uncommunicated expectations - of what they want from me as a trans sex worker." -V

Follow on Instagram - V @puppygirlfemboy, Joni Boyd @checkout_chick463

Contains explicit descriptions.

Mentions - Decrim WA and Indymedia It's So Hard is produced by - Jenn and Tess Louise® Instagram - @softermedia Website - itssohard.info

S3:E108

Sasha Sinns has worked as a full-service sex worker under a range of legal models. She joins Tess for a chat about a Bill that was recently introduced by opposition leader Nicola Centofanti. This Bill proposes a Nordic model of criminalisation in South Australia.

Action Steps:

1. Follow @sashasinnsaus, @sinsouthaustralia, and @scarlet_alliance
2. Sign the petition to block this Bill
3. Contact an MP in SA and let them know that The Nordic Model would be even less safe than the current criminalisation model. Encourage them to discuss the full decriminalisation of sex work with SIN (Sex Industry Network in SA).

More information:

• Scarlet Alliance's media statements
• Tess's Interview with Joni Boyd from Indymedia:  Failures of the Nordic Model and Sex Work as a Labour Issue

Contains explicit descriptions.

It's So Hard is produced by - Jenn and Tess Louise®
Instagram - @softermedia
Website - itssohard.info

S3:E107

"We're both facing looking for work as out trans women now, and that's something that neither of us have dealt with before." -Joni Boyd

Follow on Instagram - V @puppygirlfemboy, Joni Boyd @checkout_chick463,

Contains explicit descriptions.

Mentions - Decrim WA and Indymedia It's So Hard is produced by - Jenn and Tess Louise® Instagram - @softermedia Website - itssohard.info

S3:E106

"I think, unequivocally, in my opinion, that eugenics, ableism, the whorearchy, and decriminalisation are in an intrinsic ecology. Disabled rights are sex workers' rights. Sex workers' rights are disability rights. It is all interconnected..." -Lua

Follow on Instagram for updates - @littlelua.s @mxstress.mercy @smutclubfilmfest

Contains explicit descriptions.

Mentions - Sex and Disability Zine, Smut Club Film Festival, Touching Base It's So Hard is produced by - Jenn and Tess Louise® Instagram - @sohardpod Website - itssohard.info

S3:E105

Lua and Mercy chat about neurodiversity and late ADHD/autism diagnoses. Lua touches on the grief of wishing they knew sooner and Mercy shares how their relationship with masking shifted over time. We'll continue this conversation in episode 105 by exploring the intersection between sex work and disability.

Follow on Instagram for updates - @littlelua.s @mxstress.mercy @smutclubfilmfest

Contains explicit descriptions.

Mentions - Smut Club Film Festival It's So Hard is produced by - Jenn and Tess Louise® Instagram - @sohardpod Website - itssohard.info

S3:E104