Peepshow Podcast

We are really excited to bring you a special episode that examines the interplay between sexuality and motherhood.

After a brief update on some changes in the podcast and in our lives, we discuss two recent articles that came out after FOSTA/SESTA were signed into law. The first is a DailyBeast article written by Amy Zimmerman about the ways in which FOSTA/SESTA is putting sex workers at risk. The second is a BuzzFeed article written by Jenny Heineman and Brook Wagner about the lack of meaningful data on sex trafficking.

We then move on to the theme of our show: motherhood. We first talk to Burlesque performer Ruby Rockafella, who performed and modeled throughout her pregnancy. She talks to us about what that experience was like for her and why continuing to perform as a mother is important to her.

We then do something unconventional for our show: a roundtable discussion rather than an interview. In this roundtable, Penny Trait, Alex Bishop, and Peepshow Podcast co-host Jessie Sage talk about the unique challenges of being both sex workers and mothers. We also talk about some burgeoning projects they are working on to help sex worker mamas in need.

This is the last episode that will bring you interviews and insights from this year's AVN in Las Vegas. We had a great time there, talked to tons of amazing people in the industry, and are happy that we got to share all of that with you on the podcast.

This final episode will begin on the expo floor with short interviews featuring Sammi Ross (@SammiRoss), Nathan Bronson, Sam Phillips (@SamsPajamaParty), Ramona Flour (@RamonaFlour), Karina Latina (@cutebbwlatina), Ela Darling (@ElaDarling), Bad Dragon (@bad_dragon), and Ginger Banks (@GingerBanks1).

We then talk to Goddess Kyaa (@GoddessKyaa). Goddess Kyaa talks to us about her history, her career in financial domination, and the ways that her marriage to River Enza (@River_Enza) has changed her.

Lastly, we talk to Dr. Paul Maginn (@planographer), professor and host of The (Sub)Urbanista Podcast (@SubUrbanistaPod). He talks about the research he has collected regarding fandom at AVN, as well as the work he has done on the geography of sex toy consumption and pornography.

We begin Episode 12 by bringing in Kate D'Adamo (@katedadamo) from survivorsagainstsesta.org to help us cover the news. She discusses the status of FOSTA and SESTA and what the implications of the law will be for the sex work community as a whole. She also talks about the work that sex work activists are doing and how to get involved.

We then go back to the AVN expo floor and interview Westley Woods (@thewestleywoods) about his career in gay porn and the new iWantGayClips division of iWantEmpire.

Lastly, we talk to Chelsea Poe (@chelseapoe666) from Trouble Films (@troublefilms) about the petition she initiated to remove trans slurs from mainstream porn, her career and the projects she is working on, and why she thinks that collaboration among performers is the best way to avoid exploitation in the industry.

We start Episode 11 on the floor of the AVN Expo, talking to iWantEmpire's (@iWantEmpire) adult content producer and pro domme Violet Doll (@VioletDoll). We talk to her about her the evolution of her career and her creative process.

We then move onto our news segment, where we are joined by VICE Motherboard (@motherboard) assistant editor and journalist Samantha Cole (@samleecole), to discuss Reddit, Deepfakes, issues of consent.

Lastly, we feature an extended interview with queer porn icon Courtney Trouble (@courtneytrouble) of Trouble Films (@TROUBLEfilms). She talks to us about Riot Grrrl ideology, queer pornography, and the politics of AVN.

This is a special episode coming out of the BDYHAX Convention in Austin, TX. PJ and I had the opportunity to be there last week. The convention is a 3-day celebration of human enhancement, transhumanism, and biohacking that brings together industry experts, curious newcomers, and everyone in between. We spend this episode talking to several of the people who both spoke at and attended the convention.

We first bring you a short interview with convention Director and Co-founder Trever Goodman (@Beluosa), who talks to us about body hacking generally, and about SexTech Friday, which is new to the convention this year.

We then bring you some field recordings of conversations with conference attendees.

Lastly, we talk to Angel Giuffria (@aannggeellll), a bionic actress and congenital amputee. She talks about representation as an actor of difference and integrating prosthesis into her body; and Hilary Malatino (@HilaryMalatino), of Then we have three interviews for you: First we talk to Convention Director Trevor Goodman, and then to host, Angel Giuffria, and lastly to speaker Hiliary Malatino about the history of intersex medicine.

We start Episode 9 on the floor of the AVN Expo, talking to cam performers and clip producers about their hopes for the convention. We hear from Christy Ocean (@ChristyOcean), Scarlet Raven (@ScarletRaen_69), Little Puck (@littlepuck), Miss Lollipop (@MissLollipopMFC), and Scarlett Fox (@ScarlettFoxPlay).

We interview Dr. Lynn Comella (@LynnComella), from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, about her new book Vibrator Nation. Vibrator Nation is the history of feminist owned, sex-positive sex toy shops. She explores the way these early businesses created space for women, and then talks about the tension between feminist activism and entrepreneurship.

Next we interview Dominic Rystan (@DomTheStud), a non-binary content creator and performer with a clip store on ManyVids (@Manyvids). He sat and talked to us about the complicated politics of having a clip store on Manyvids as a non-binary performer. We dive into his story, into the politics of gender identity on the site, and the implication this has for non-binary performers.

We begin Episode 8 discussing OK Cupid's policy change push users to use real first names. We look at Kate Conger's (@kateconger) article, "OK Cupid's Real Name Policy is Dumb."

Next we chat with Julian Gill-Peterson (@gpjulian) about his upcoming book Histories of the Transgender Child, which shatters the widespread myth that today's transgender children are a brand new generation. He does this by uncovering a previously unknown twentieth century history during which they not only existed, but played a central role in the medicalization of trans life.

Finally, we chat with Cam4 Cam Coach Nikki Night (@Nikki_Night). We talked to Nikki about her work as a cam model, how she got into coaching, and what sort of advice she gives to new models. We also talked a lot about constructions of gender, the art of erotic performance, and the value of sex work.

In Episode 7, we interview cam model Ginger Banks (@gingerbanks1) and journalist EJ Dickson (@ejdickson) about the sexual assault allegations leveled against Ron Jeremy.

These allegations are nothing new, but what is new is the attention that they are now garnering and so what we explore in this episode is what has changed in the industry and in society writ large so that these allegations are finally getting attention.

Importantly, we see the stakes of this story as being much bigger than Jeremy's reputation. We are focusing on this story because it speaks to a much broader question of whose allegations of sexual assault are believed or even heard.

As background to the episode:

Ginger Banks put together the following YouTube video, which chronicles the story:

Allegations of Sexual Assault Against Ron Jeremy and Exxxotica's Resonse

Jessie Sage wrote a short blog reflecting on the story as a spectator and Chicago's Exxxotica:

Ron Jeremy, Exxxotica, and Twitter as a Form of Resistance

EJ Dickson wrote a piece for Rolling Stone about Ron Jeremy:

Inside Ron Jeremy Sexual Misconduct Allegations

We end this special edition of the Peepshow Podcast by reflecting on the fact that the experiences that so many women in and around the adult industry describe of being sexual violated cannot be blamed on one bad apple. Responsibility also belongs to a society that creates conditions for pervasive sexual assault by dismissing women and stigmatizing sex workers.

We begin Episode 6 talking about maternal health outcomes for African American women, as they are outlined in NRP's piece, "Black Mothers Keep Dying After Giving Birth."

Next we chat with Jayne Swift (@jamswift13) about her research on and work in The Lusty Lady, a West coast based peep show that is known for his effective labor unionization. She argues, contrary to popular belief, that the internet did not kill the peepshow. We also discuss the sociality of sexuality, gentrification, objectification and sex-positive feminism, and more. You can find more about her project at https://lustyladyoralhistory.wordpress.com.

Finally, we chat with Shaleece Haas (@shaleecehaas), director of the documentary Real Boy (@realboymovie). The film chronicles the journey of a young trans man, and its impact of his transition on the relationships with those closest to him: his mom, his best friend, and his mentor. We discuss the film, and also the ways in which it spoke to us, as parents of a trans kid.

In Episode 5, we interview Apryl Williams (@AprylW) and Moriah Ella Mason (moriahellamason.com).

We also talk about sex workers being stopped at international borders, and issues of sexual harassment in VR.

We start by discussing Jessie's recent Cyborgology (@cyborgology) post about sex work, social media, and border crossing. We then go on to talk about issues of sexual assault in VR, with attention to Tom Woodley's Future of Sex (@Futureofsex) article.

Next we interview Apryl Williams, a sociology professor who focuses on race, media, and culture. She talks to us about race and internet dating. Specifically, she talks about the way in which the algorithmic matching on sites like Tinder and OKCupid demonstrate implicit racial bias, and how this bias impacts the romantic lives of people of color.

She also tells us about a new research project she is starting to collect dating stories of online dating from women of color, a project she will call "Alt Right, Swipe Left."

Finally, we chat Moriah Ella Mason. Ella is a queer polyamorous Jew, a survivor, a former sex worker, and an interdisciplinary artist, bodyworker, and educator. We talk to her about her one woman show, Sex Werque, where she explores how we perform eroticism and consume intimacy, both in the club and at home. We also discuss gender construction, performance, art, and more.