Can pole dancing help the fight for sex workers’ rights?

Siân and Lulu meet the UK’s slinky queen of campaigning for sex workers’ rights while literally grinding on a stick! Pole dance performer, instructor, competition director, proud sex worker and activist Gemma Rose joins the pod to talk de-stigmatising the industry, using pole to educate about workers’ rights and creating a new wave of allies.

Gemma has been sprinkling her distinctive sexy style into pole dancing studios and strip clubs across the UK and internationally with a hot dollop of activism. Her signature workshop and seminar “Why You Should Give A F*ck About Strippers” uses the craft of pole dancing itself to debunk harmful narratives about sex work, inform pole dancers about the reality of the job and celebrate the strippers who pioneered the art of pole.

We talk about the complexities of giving general audiences a truthful, nuanced look at sex workers’ lives, why Gemma founded her own pole dancing competition, and how everyone (inside or outside the pole studio!) can take up the fight for sex workers’ rights.

Find Gemma on Instagram @gemmarosepole and her website: www.gemmarose.co.uk

Gemma’s podcast The 6am Club is available on all major streaming platforms.

Gemma’s stripper-driven pole dance competition PDSM is on Instagram @pdsmuk and website: www.poledancestrippermovement.co.uk

Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying the show, you can help us keep making it by becoming a a Patreon or leave a tip by buying us a Ko-Fi !

Pole the Other One! was created by Siân Docksey. This episode was edited by Alice Rosenthal with original music by Amelia Bayler. Find us on Instagram: @poletheotherone

What's it like living with ADHD?

Political journalist, author and radio presenter Marie Le Conte talks all things neurodivergence and pole dancing!

Siân catches Marie during a gap from reporting on politics all around the world to gush about the absolute joy of pole dancing and why we are so evangelical about this weird, difficult, and wonderful thing in our lives. We chat in more depth about Marie's experience of living with ADHD: is it a superpower, or a disability, or both? How does an ADHD diagnosis tie in to your sense of personal identity?

Follow Marie on Instagram / Bluesky / Substack, and check out her three published books and articles here!

Thanks for listening! You can support the show by becoming a Patreon , Liking and Subscribing or buying us a Ko-Fi .

Pole the Other One! was created by Siân Docksey. This episode was edited by Alice Rosenthal with original music by Amelia Bayler. Find us on Instagram: @poletheotherone

What do stand-up comedy and pole dancing have in common?

After a hit Edinburgh Fringe Festival run of her show Bahookie, Scottish stand-up, writer and producer Jay Lafferty joins us to chat all things comedy and pole! From managing broken ribs to writing callbacks into a pole routine, we get the tea on how Jay brought these two mediums together to make a completely unique solo show.

Follow Jay on Instagram @jayjaylaffs

Thanks for listening! Give us a Like, Share and Subscribe, and you can support the show by becoming a Patreon (i.e., a LEGEND): or buying us a Ko-Fi

Pole the Other One! was created by Siân Docksey. This episode was edited by Alice Rosenthal with original music by Amelia Bayler. Find us on Instagram: @poletheotherone

What's the point of doing competitions?

Pole artist, instructor, competition judge and award-winning choreographer Ayesha Agogo joins us to talk COMPETITIONS: Why bother doing them? How do they help you develop as a performer? And will Steve Bennett ever take down Siân and Lulu's mega cringe Chortle Student Comedian videos?

Follow Ayesha for classes, workshops and collaborations on Instagram: @ayeshaagogopole

Thanks for listening! Give us a Like, Share and Subscribe, and you can support the show by becoming a Patreon (i.e., a LEGEND): or buying us a Ko-Fi

Pole the Other One! was created by Siân Docksey and co-hosted with Lulu Popplewell. This episode was edited by Alice Rosenthal with original music by Amelia Bayler. Find us on Instagram: @poletheotherone

What is sex-positivity? How do you put enthusiastic consent at the centre of everything you do?

Queer academic, recently qualified pole instructor and linguist Dr Alon Lischinsky is a specialist in the language around sexuality. Siân and Lulu chat to the most intellectually qualified deviant they know about power dynamics in porn, how to flip the script on sexy stuff, and how to help complete beginners literally flip around a sexy stick.

Follow Alon for slinky pole on Instagram @alon_lk and drag for introverts @lamia.lone

Thanks for listening! Give us a Like, Share and Subscribe, and you can support the show by becoming a Patreon (i.e., a LEGEND): or buying us a Ko-Fi

Pole the Other One! was created by Siân Docksey and co-hosted with Lulu Popplewell. This episode was edited by Alice Rosenthal with original music by Amelia Bayler. Find us on Instagram: @poletheotherone

What actually happens in a strip club?

Pole dancer, stripper and organiser with Bristol Sex Workers Collective Luna Minxx gives us the debrief! We talk about the difference between pole dancing in studios and in the club, how Luna is bringing stripper skills to her workshops, and why sex workers need the same rights as all other workers. Lulu tries to organise an ethical stag do and Siân finally gets to talk to someone about raccoons.

Follow Luna for pole dancing workshops and activism on Instagram @luna.minxx

Thanks for listening! Give us a Like, Share and Subscribe, and you can support the show by becoming a Patreon (i.e., a LEGEND): or buying us a Ko-Fi

Pole the Other One! was created by Siân Docksey and co-hosted with Lulu Popplewell. This episode was edited by Alice Rosenthal with original music by Amelia Bayler. Instagram: @poletheotherone

What does pole dancing tell us about the human species? We ask a real anthropologist!

Lucy Davies is a pole dancing anthropologist who did their Masters thesis on the wonderful world of pole. We talk about how pole dancing can help you redefine the relationship with your body, gender and identity on your own terms. Also how pole can be a form of self-care, and the peculiar relationship that pole dancers have with physical pain.

Please note that this episode contains multiple references to explosives, which is one of 400 reasons it's not suitable for kids, probably.

Thanks for listening! Give us a Like, Share and Subscribe, and you can support the show by becoming a Patreon (i.e., a LEGEND): https://www.patreon.com/poletheotherone?fan_landing=true&view_as=public or buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/poletheotheronepodcast

Pole the Other One! was created by Siân Docksey and co-hosted with Lulu Popplewell. This episode was edited by Alice Rosenthal with original music by Amelia Bayler. Instagram: @poletheotherone

What happens when your art becomes your job?

Pole dancer, tattooist and artist Lana talks to us about moving pole dancing from strip club into studios and self-expression vs. capitalism. We also test the limits of how much visual stuff we can do through the podcasting medium, and Lulu's patience with astrology.

Follow Lana on Instagram & TikTok for art, illustrations & tattoos: @moysilks

Thanks for listening! Give us a Like, Share and Subscribe, and you can support the show by becoming a Patreon (i.e., a LEGEND): https://www.patreon.com/poletheotherone?fan_landing=true&view_as=public Or buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/poletheotheronepodcast

Pole the Other One! was created by Siân Docksey and co-hosted with Lulu Popplewell. This episode was edited by Alice Rosenthal with original music by Amelia Bayler. Instagram: @poletheotherone

Is pole dancing like therapy? Who better to ask than an actual therapist!

Siân and Lulu have a counselling sessio- sorry, INTERVIEW with Nika Jelendorf, pole dancer and practicing Gestalt Psychotherapeutic Counsellor. We ask: how do mental health professionals look after their own mental health? How much of your true self should you bring to work? And, crucially: who would be the most psychologically upsetting person to see on a pole?

Have a little sit down, tell us about your mother and listen to the first episode of Series 2! Find out more about Nika's work here: https://nikajelendorf.uk

Thanks for listening - please Like, Share and Subscribe! You can support the show by becoming a Patreon (i.e., a LEGEND): https://www.patreon.com/poletheotherone?fan_landing=true&view_as=public

Or buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/poletheotheronepodcast

Pole the Other One! was created by Siân Docksey and co-hosted with Lulu Popplewell. This episode was edited by Alice Rosenthal with original music by Amelia Bayler. Instagram: @poletheotherone

Is pole dancing a feminine art form?

Queer pole dance performer, instructor and goth queen of kittens CAT LEE joins us for a chat about honouring the stripper origins of pole, finding a style that works for you, and opening up pole spaces to everyone while keeping it cosy for the girls, the gays and the theys.

Follow Cat for news about their performances and classes on Instagram @the_pole_cat !

Pole the Other One! is produced and hosted by Siân Docksey, with original music by Amelia Bayler. This episode was edited by Magenta Bridges with support from Sam Nicoresti.

You can find us on Instagram @poletheotherone , support the podcast on Patreon at Patreon.com/poletheotherone , or drop us a lovely tip in the form of a Ko-Fi at ko-fi.com/poletheotheronepodcast .

Thank you for listening! Please Like, Subscribe & Share, tell your friends about the show, and have fun on all your own sexy stick adventures.