Books

SEX LIES & STATISTICS BY DR BROOKE MAGNANTI

Dr Brooke Magnanti was once upon a time also known as Belle de Jour, the name by which she produced her first books as the Diary of a London Call Girl. Magnanti was a worker in the UK and her story was turned into a TV series. Magnanti worked as a call girl while completing her doctoral studies in the UK in the early 2000s and over a decade later, has written this research driven consideration of public perceptions of sex and public policy. This is an examination which flies directly in the face of mass media coverage.

COMING OUT LIKE A PORN STAR BY JIZ LEE

This one is interesting for anyone who has ever watched porn (which, let’s be honest, is pretty much everyone). Some of the best known porn stars in the world have contributed to this, a collection of tales about how these people have told their families about their work and the industry they live in. The voices here are varied across genres of performance – and Jiz Lee is a genderqueer performer, which is key to comprehending the breadth of experiences written here.

THRIVING IN SEX WORK BY LOLA DAVINIA

The Amazon reviews on this are worth a read – chock full of sex workers lauding it for its smart advice, support and encouragement. On top of that, many of the comments are from people who clearly see this as a career and wish to build their business with solid advice. Given how old the industry is, a book that gives tips and tricks should be lauded for its potential to keep workers safe, especially in a high risk profession. As a person who isn’t a sex worker, I found this book gave me insight that I had previously lacked, and definitely gave me a stronger understanding of the realities of a trade that isn’t failing any time soon.

SEX WORK MATTERS BY MELISSA HOPE DITMORE

This one covers all angles, and includes discussion around male and trans sex workers, with contributions from activists, workers and academics on issues around intimate relationships, money and harassment in the industry. This is worth picking up if you wish to see insight into the more personal side of juggling sex work with other life commitments and realities. This was an eye opener for me, and showed me a lot about my own unconscious bias and presumptions.

REVOLTING PROSTITUTES BY MOLLY SMITH AND JUNO MAC

This is brand new to the deck of possible reading options on this topic, and so addresses some very contemporary issues around migration, white supremacy, and modern labour rights. The book questions the place of sex worker rights in the broader political atmosphere and where sex workers belong in conversations about feminism. It directly addresses the idea that you have to be anti-prostitution to support sex workers, which is the point of view I found most interesting here. This one is important – even if you find yourself disagreeing with it.