S3 E9: I'm an Immigrant Six Times Over, and My Heart Helps Me Find a Sense of Home with Savannah
When We're Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But
Release Date: 03/03/2025
S3 E12: I Needed to Do Something With My Hands—Now I Make Custom Leather Harnesses with Mia Walsch
When We're Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But
In this special crossover episode of When We're Not Hustling and Hobby Whores, Jessie Sage speaks with Mia Walsch, an Australian leatherworker and former sex worker, about her journey into leather crafting during the extended lockdowns in Melbourne. The conversation explores Mia's transition from sex work to a creative outlet that became a side hustle, as she intricately crafts leather harnesses and other items, emphasizing the therapeutic benefits of working with her hands. They discuss the challenges of selling on platforms like Etsy and the ethical considerations Mia faces as a vegetarian...
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S3 E11: What Does It Mean to Be Human? More Importantly, What Does It Mean to Have Humanity? with Zalika
When We're Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But
In this episode of When We're Not Hustling, Jessie Sage speaks with Zalika U. Ibaorimi, PhD, about the complex intersections of race, gender, and sex work. They discuss how Blackness disrupts conventional categories of identity and the limitations of the term "sex worker" in encompassing the diverse experiences within the sex industry. The conversation delves into the historical and systemic dehumanization of marginalized bodies, particularly focusing on the concept of "no humans involved" as a police code and its broader implications in Black studies. Zalika, an anti-disciplinary artist and...
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S3 E10: What Do Mobile Peepshows, Burlesque and Non Profits Have in Common? Ruby
When We're Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But
In this episode of When We're Not Hustling, Jessie Sage speaks with Ruby about her extensive work with the Peers Victoria Resources Society, a nonprofit supporting sex workers in Victoria, BC. Ruby shares insights into the organization's history and services, such as night outreach and harm reduction programs. She discusses the challenges sex workers face, including legal issues under the Nordic model and societal stigma, and highlights efforts to reform Canadian sex work laws. Ruby also touches on her personal journey from being sex work-adjacent to advocating for sex worker rights and her...
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S3 E9: I'm an Immigrant Six Times Over, and My Heart Helps Me Find a Sense of Home with Savannah
When We're Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But
In this episode of When We're Not Hustling, Jessie Sage interviews Savannah, a UK-based full-service sex worker turned webcam model and contemporary artist. Savannah discusses her self-care guide for sex workers, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging sex workers as full people with complex lives beyond their jobs. She shares how art has helped her find a sense of home and belonging as an immigrant and how it aids in processing her experiences of survival and stigma. Savannah's work includes the Self Care for Sex Workers Journal, aimed at promoting well-being and balance for sex workers,...
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S3 E8: I Am a Pro Domme and a Pro Wrestler—I Like to Play the Heel with Katarina
When We're Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But
In this episode of When We're Not Hustling, host Jessie Sage and guest Katarina "The Domme Kat" Pierce delve into her journey from TV production and journalism to becoming a co-founder of the Sex Work Survival Guide, a nonprofit providing crucial resources and education to sex workers. The conversation covers the challenges and stigmas within the sex industry, the importance of safety and community, and the unique blend of creativity and empowerment found in wrestling and BDSM. Katarina highlights her passion for wrestling as both an art form and a means of personal expression, illustrating...
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S3 E7: I Make Art From Bones and I Like Homesteading, Too with Miss Faith Rae
When We're Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But
In this episode of the When We're Not Hustling podcast, host Jessie Sage welcomes Ms. Faith Rae, a Canadian sex worker and multidisciplinary artist. The conversation explores Faith's life outside her work persona, delving into her passions for sustainability and art. Faith shares her unique craft of creating art with ethically sourced animal bones, a practice that connects her with nature and offers a sense of healing and honoring life cycles. Her dedication to sustainability extends to her lifestyle choices, including plans to build a homestead with permaculture principles. Throughout the...
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S3 E6: Stripping and Cam Modelling Isn't as Fun as Making Instant Noodles with Steph Sia
When We're Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But
In this episode of When We're Not Hustling, host Jessie Sage sits down with Steph Sia, a multidisciplinary artist and content creator from Vancouver, to discuss her diverse experiences in the adult industry. As a stripper, podcaster, and online content creator, Sia shares insights into balancing work and personal life while navigating the challenges and misconceptions surrounding sex work. The conversation also explores her unique YouTube channel, Sia Slurps, where she reviews instant noodles, highlighting her passion for creative expression beyond the industry. Throughout the episode, Sia...
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S3 E5: The Most Taboo Subject in the World Isn't Sex, It's Perimenopause
When We're Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But
In S3 E5 of When We're Not Hustling, Jessie Sage sits down with Jet Setting Jasmine, an award-winning adult film director, psychotherapist, and master fetish trainer, to discuss perimenopause, evolving identities, and the challenges of navigating life, family, and sex work with autonomy and care. They explore the impact of bodily changes, the importance of boundary-setting, and Jasmine’s unique approach to parenting and education through travel. This episode offers a candid look at embracing new phases of life with confidence, community, and self-acceptance. In this Episode: 00:02:51...
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S3 E4: I'm No Longer the Object of Men's Desires—I'm the Subject of My Own Story with Suzannah Weiss
When We're Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But
In this episode of When We're Not Hustling, host Jessie Sage sits down with Suzanna Weiss, a sexologist and author of Subjectified: Becoming a Sexual Subject. Weiss shares her journey toward sexual empowerment, beginning with overcoming an eating disorder tied to societal objectification and evolving through experiences like sex parties and sex writing. Her book challenges traditional narratives around women’s sexuality, urging women to reclaim agency and become active participants in their own desires, rather than passive objects of male fantasy. This episode offers a nuanced discussion on...
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S3 E3: Urban Warriors Sometimes Carry Seeds and Scythes with Xanthe Rhea
When We're Not Hustling: Sex Workers Talking About Everything But
In this episode of When We're Not Hustling, Jessie Sage sits down with long-time friend Xanthe Rhea to discuss her journey from stripping to full-service sex work. Xanthe shares insights into the financial pressures dancers face, including the challenges of "pay-to-work" club systems, and how these experiences shaped her transition within the industry. Beyond sex work, the conversation explores Xanthe's passion for urban farming, her background in herbalism, and her commitment to holistic health practices. They discuss the philosophical differences between herbalism and Western medicine, as...
info_outlineIn this episode of When We're Not Hustling, Jessie Sage interviews Savannah, a UK-based full-service sex worker turned webcam model and contemporary artist. Savannah discusses her self-care guide for sex workers, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging sex workers as full people with complex lives beyond their jobs. She shares how art has helped her find a sense of home and belonging as an immigrant and how it aids in processing her experiences of survival and stigma. Savannah's work includes the Self Care for Sex Workers Journal, aimed at promoting well-being and balance for sex workers, and her latest book, Salute the Light Within You, which explores her journey through domestic violence and addiction recovery. The episode underscores the importance of destigmatizing sex work and recognizing the humanity of those within the industry.
In this Episode:
00:04:07 Introduction to Savannah, a full-service sex worker and artist, and the topics of the interview including self-care and art.
00:06:46 Savannah discusses her background, her transition from full-service sex work to webcam modeling, and her art practice.
00:11:01 Savannah talks about how her art is a response to her experience of erasure and survival as an immigrant and sex worker.
00:19:09 Savannah and Jessie discuss the difficulty of recognizing safety and security after years of survival mode.
00:28:04 Discussion on the importance of self-care for sex workers and the creation of Savannah's journal.
00:32:42 Conversation about financial stigma and challenges faced by sex workers in managing money.
00:41:43 Discussion about the boundaries and care dynamics in sex work, and how these experiences translate to Savannah's art.
00:56:00 Jessie wraps up the episode with final thoughts and asks Savannah about her current interests and projects.
Guest:
Savannah is an Indian Web Cam Model, 6 time Immigrant and Contemporary Artist based in London, UK.
In 2022 she published the Self Care for Sex Workers Journal which centres the lives, well being and spirits of Sex Workers as deserving and vital.
Born from her understanding of Self Care and Community as Reclamation from a stigma induced Survival Mode existence, the Journal offers a holistic guide to well being through eye opening, step by step guidance around nutrition, finance, rest, pleasure and diversifying in business and life aspirations.
Rooted in doing less and letting go, and creating expansion through rest and replenishment, the prompts provide release from the hustle and grind aspects of our Labour, to move from surviving to thriving, from burn out to balance.
Instagram: @selfcare4sxwkrs
X/Twitter: @selfcare4sxwkrs
Books:
Queenie, by Candice Carty-Williams
Podcasts:
Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
The Rest:
Host: Jessie Sage
Producer: Emily Foster
Music: Benjamin J Benamati
Sponsor: Assembly Four
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