It's So Hard

"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...

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 dire...

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 @puppygirlfem...

"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. H...

"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... Decolon...

"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 -  S...

"I'd say the biggest problem faced by the queer community in this country is homelessness..." -Joni Boyd On 10 th 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 L...

"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 - @jord...

"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 W...

"We're both facing looking for work as out trans women now, and that's something that neither of us have dealt with before." -Joni Boyd 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:E106

"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 Follow on Instagram for updates - @littlelua.s @mxstress.mercy @smutclubfilmfest Contains explicit descriptions. Mentions - Sex and Disability Zine , S...

Lua and Mercy chat about neurodiversity and late ADHD/autism diagnoses. Lua touches on the grief of wishing they knew sooner and Mercy shares how their relationship with masking shifted over time. We'll continue this conversation in episode 105 by exploring the intersection between sex work and disability. Follow on Instagram for updates - @littlelua.s @mxstress.mercy @smutclubfilmfest Contains ex...

Before we peel back the layers of Child Sexual Abuse, what exactly is CSA? What did it mean for Jenn? And how does it still impact her life? Lifeline 13 11 14 13YARN (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander folks) 13 92 76 1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 Bravehearts 1800 627 393 @braveheartsprotectkids Blue Knot Foundation 1300 657 380 @blueknotfoundation SAMSN 1800 472 676...

Ariela Moscowitz and Isidoro Rodriguez discuss the definition of sex work, who enters the industry, and the power of stigmas. Ariela unpacks the 4 legal models that govern sex workers all over the world: criminalisation, legalisation, the Nordic model, and decriminalisation. Ariela is the Director of Communications for Decriminalize Sex Work , an organisation pursuing a state-by-state strategy to...

Tess gives an overview of Shirley Finn's story. We discuss Shirley's pressures and motivations, including but not limited to sex work. It was beyond the scope of this episode to track Shirley's interactions with individual detectives and politicians. However, it is worth exploring. See links below. Contains explicit violent descriptions. Mentions - Decrim QLD Hosts -  Jenn and Tess Louise® Website...

In this episode, we explore the fragile relationships between sex work representation, confidentiality, and intersectionality. We also discuss the future of It's So Hard . Contains explicit sexual descriptions. Mentions - Progressive Therapeutic Collective , Isidoro Rodriguez , Joni Boyd , and Decrim WA Hosts -  Jenn and Tess Louise® Website - itssohard.info Music - "No Justice", The Empress 2021...

Lil Hoe asked, "What are you most grateful for that has come out of starting a podcast together?" Contains explicit sexual descriptions. Hosts - Jenn and Tess Louise® Website -  itssohard.info Music -  "No Justice", The Empress 2021  by  Lil Hoe S2:E99

After a stressful run-in with the medical system as a fat person, Jenn chats about self-advocacy and moving through her freeze/fawn responses. Contains explicit sexual descriptions. Hosts - Jenn and Tess Louise® Website -  itssohard.info Music -  "No Justice", The Empress 2021  by  Lil Hoe S2:E98

It's fair to say we've both had a bit on and we've got a bit to say in ep 97 of It's So Hard, a podcast about the sex industry and other sexy things... Jenn and Tess discuss the death of George Pell and it's impact across victim-survivor communities. Jenn shares her recent learning about advocacy and direct action, and a little activist experiment she took part in in response to the media frenzy o...

We're into 2023 for ep 96 of It's So Hard, a podcast about the sex industry and other sexy things. Jenn and Tess chat about all things "resolutions", and how we're both embracing the chaos of life and trying to be okay with things that are unresolved! Jenn also shares a family rant and we shout out everyone who has been facing challenges this holiday period. For more tips from Jenn about managing...

We get creative for ep 95 of It's So Hard, a podcast about life in and around the sex industry... and other sexy things. After our discussion last week about sex education in schools and the importance of modelling balanced conversations about sex, Tess got inspired. She created a thought scenario game called What Would Jenn Do? Enjoy the discussions about consent and boundaries and do tell us......

Let's talk about sex, baby! Welcome to an educational and empassioned ep 94 of It's So Hard, a podcast about the sex industry and other sexy things. This week, Jenn and Tess discuss sex and relationship education from a few different angles. They recount their own experiences, and Jenn shares a recent encounter with the classroom content in a religious school - fair warning, it's not great... Jenn...

We're chatting current events and change in ep 93 of It's So Hard, a podcast about life in and around the sex industry and other sexy things. Recorded on Friday the 2nd of December in the wake of a signficant national news story, Jenn and Tess talk about some of the legislative and procedural barriers that victim-survivors of rape, sexual and relational violence face when trying to report their ex...

We have a slight ASMR tinge to ep 92 of It's So Hard, a podcast about sex, relationships, the sex industry, mental health and other life stuff!  Jenn is out of hospital and provides a mental health update while also trying to be discreet in a local library... quite a task! We also discuss the current legal system as it relates to abortion in Western Australia. The government has released an online...

Welcome to ep 91 of It's So Hard, a podcast where a civvy and a SWer chat about life in and around the sex industry. We welcome back SWer advocate and manager of Magenta, Lena Van Hale to chat about navigating performance and personas at work, the unique and often unrecognised labour of talk bookings and the complexities of duty of care boundaries for clients facing mental health battles. Content...