It's So Hard

By Tess Lyrez

I'm Tess Lyrez, a Western Australia–based and touring Ȿ:/ 𝒲₃ᵣ. Listen in as I chat with guests about life in and around the Ȿ₃* industry.

Website - softermedia.net... more

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FAQs about It's So Hard:

How many episodes does It's So Hard have?

The podcast currently has 126 episodes available.

It's So Hard episodes:

October 10, 2025 115. Silencing within Orgs feat. Nat Tang, Chloe Durand, Stuart Venables, and Gemma Frances: "Stop being a hack brutha..."
"The movement is not found in the four walls of just one organisation. And if you are the sort of person who is prone to speaking out — sometimes against your own self-interest, just on the basis that it's the right thing to do — you will find that your capacity for change is not bound to one particular organisation..." -Chloe Durand

In this episode, we chat about the toxic patterns that show up in political parties, Ȿ:/ 𝒲 orgs, and other organising spaces.

Many thanks to former WA Greens co-conveners Nat Tang (@natchiching) and Chloe Durand (@nicotene_dundee), former WA Greens secretary Stuart Venables (@ssvenables), and ex-culty Gemma Frances (@unhinged.oracle) for your insights.

Recorded 23rd August 2025

Host - Tess Lyrez @softermedia Sound - Michael Unwin @___mauja___

Leave a review or sign up to my mailing list - softermedia.net

Contains explicit descriptions.

S3:E115
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1h 41min
July 01, 2025 114. When Policy Doesn't Work feat. Nat Tang: "Our enemies are organising against us..."
Nat Tang (@natchiching) is the former Policy Convener for The Greens WA. In 2022, she consulted Decrim WA while developing the party's Ȿ:/ 𝒲 policy.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of consulting grassroots communities, whether Ȿ:/ 𝒲 and domestic violence should be framed as women's issues, and the stigma and limitations we encountered while working on decriminalisation efforts.

Recorded 21st June 2025

Host - Tess Lyrez @softermedia Sound - Michael Unwin @___mauja___ Mentions - @demyunn

Website - softermedia.net

Contains explicit descriptions.

S3:E114
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1h 48min
February 11, 2025 Moments: Me on Making Emotional Labour Visible - with thanks Sabah & Pris (links in notes)
This moment was recorded LIVE as part of Consent Conversations at Smut Club. The rest of this discussion is coming soon.

Many thanks to Sabah and Pris for deepening my understanding of consent and emotional labour. This conversation couldn't fully capture my mistakes in the deleted episode or the depth of their feedback and advice. For more insights, I recommend following and supporting them directly.

Sabah - @badgalcovphephe

Pris - @prisbackedup and @decolonisesexworkau

It's So Hard is produced by - Tess Lyrez Instagram - @softermedia Website - softermedia.net
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7min
February 02, 2025 Moments: V on Decrim 4 Dummies
Decrim 4 Dummies is a workshop by V from Decrim WA. This 101 entry-level session breaks down everything you need to know about the SW laws in unceded, so-called Western Australia - and beyond.

Tickets to Decrim 4 Dummies (live episode)

Tickets to Consent Conversations (live episode)

Smut Club events and info

This moment is from episode 112.

Mentions - Smut Club @smutclubfilmfest, V @puppygirlfemboy, Lua @littlelua.s, & Mercy @mxstress.mercy

It's So Hard is produced by - Tess Lyrez Instagram - @softermedia Website - softermedia.net
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2min
August 20, 2024 113. The Future of the NDIS feat. Sunyal Maroo: "It's politics 101..."
"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
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1h 29min
June 30, 2024 112. Reflections on the Decrim Movement (2024) feat. Lua, Mercy, and V: "The translation error..."
"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
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48min
May 13, 2024 111. Reflections on the Decrim Movement (2023) feat. Lua and Mercy: "The girlboss image thing..."
"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
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41min
February 02, 2024110. Trans Rights and The Law feat. V and Joni Boyd: "What laws could be passed to make things better?"
"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
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31min
December 17, 2023109. The Angry Episode (re-released) part 1
"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
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32min
October 22, 2023 108. Everyday Transphobia feat. V and Joni Boyd: "It's a lot of emotional labour..."
"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
...more
43min

FAQs about It's So Hard:

How many episodes does It's So Hard have?

The podcast currently has 126 episodes available.