Table of Contents
Thriving in Sex Work: heartfelt advice for staying sane in the sex industry
Part One: Demons
Fear: An Introduction
Making Friends With Our Fears
Practical Advice: Managing Acute Anxiety
Practical Advice: Physical Safety
Practical Advice: Learn Self-Defense (No Excuses!)
Heartfelt Advice: Surviving the Bad Call
Practical Advice: The Law and Legal Trouble
Practical Advice: Safer Sex
Shame: An Introduction
Shame, Low Self-Esteem, and Stigma
Exercise: Spending Time with Shame
An Open Letter to My Fellow Sex Workers: Shame, Fear, and the Erotics of Discretion
Coming Out and Being Outed
Heartfelt Advice: How to Come Out
Heartfelt Advice: If You’ve Been Outed
Practical Advice: What to Do If You’ve Been Outed
An Open Letter to My Fellow Sex Workers: Respect the Work
Low Self-Esteem: An Introduction
Feeling Ugly and Unworthy
Aging
Plastic Surgery
Empathy Exercise
Forgiveness Exercise
Envy: An Introduction
Envy
Heartfelt Advice: Navigating Insecurity, Resentment, and Envy From Coworkers
Heartfelt Advice: Navigating Insecurity, Resentment, and Envy From Clients
Part Two: Tools of the Trade
The Biz: An Introduction
Building the Business You Want
Marketing
Motivation
Keeping Up with New Technology (Or Not . . .)
What Do Clients Want?
Exercise: Your Ideal Client
Practical Advice: Cultivating the Clients You Want
Intimidation and Coercion
Review Sites
Heartfelt Advice: When a Client Makes You Feel Like Crap
Money: An Introduction
Money Exercises
Practical Advice: Money Challenges
Voluntary Simplicity
Part Three: Sex Work and Self-Care
Sex Work and Self-Care: An Introduction
You Need a Buddy—Better Yet, a Bunch
Get Yourself a Good Therapist—No Excuses!
Have a Hero/ine
Sadness, Depression, and Suicidal Thoughts
Dissociation
Pleasure
Part Four: Sex Work and Relationships
Sex Work and Relationships: An Introduction
Sex Work and Relationships
Heartfelt Advice: How to Work with a Broken Heart
Part Five: Life After The Life
Life After The Life: An Introduction
Heartfelt Advice: What to Expect Getting Out
Don’t Fear the Future
When Falling in Love Means Getting Out of The Biz: Marriage and Retirement
Heartfelt Advice: Work After Sex Work
Practical Advice: Work After Sex Work
Conclusion
Back to the Future
Appendix
Special Thanks & Acknowledgements
Definitions
Winter and Depression Survival Checklist
Resources Referred to in Text
Additional Resources