A conversation about Borderline Personality Disorder (with Kayla Spicer)

Jan 22, 2025 1h 36m 8 insights Episode Page ↗
Spencer Greenberg speaks with Caitlin Bailey about the evolutionary sociology of sex and the systemic oppression of sex workers. They discuss how criminalization and stigma harm not only sex workers but also broader societal freedoms and public health efforts.
Actionable Insights

1. Advocate for Decriminalization

Support the decriminalization of sex work, as it increases sex workers’ negotiating power, makes healthcare more accessible, and reduces vulnerabilities to violence and exploitation by allowing them to operate legally and report crimes.

2. Provide Accessible Healthcare

To effectively reduce sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among sex workers, make healthcare services, including clinics, testing, and prevention, easily accessible, as sex workers are more likely to use these resources when not criminalized.

3. Feminist Alliance with Sex Workers

Feminists should actively stand with sex workers, protecting their platforms for information exchange and work, as this directly supports reproductive health, access to contraception, and women’s rights broadly.

4. Shift Perspective on Sex Work

When considering sex work, move beyond concerns about individual vulnerability and recognize that sex workers have historically and currently contribute to every community, acknowledging their humanity and agency.

5. Acknowledge Inevitability of Sex Work

Understand that sex work cannot be eliminated, only made less safe through criminalization; therefore, focus on policies that prioritize safety and autonomy rather than eradication.

6. Screen Potential Clients

If you are an independent sex worker, ask potential clients for the name and contact information of other sex workers they’ve seen to gather feedback and screen for safety.

7. Verify Client Identity

Before an appointment, confirm the client’s identity by checking their ID and verifying their employment or ties to the community to ensure the reference checks are valid for that person.

8. Inform a Trusted Contact

Before entering a client’s space, call a friend in front of the client to let them know your location, who you’re with, and when to expect to hear from you, enhancing personal safety.