Industry activists MelRose Michaels and Jessie Sage have launched On The Whorizon, a new podcast about the future of sex work and how to navigate it. The podcast, sponsored by sex work collective Assembly Four, is available on all major podcast platforms as well as YouTube, and aims to strengthen awareness around the political, societal, and personal impacts on the sex work industry.

Guests on the podcast have included Carol Leigh, who coined the term “sex work” in the 1970s, undocumented sex work activist Maya Morena, comic and writer Kaitlyn Bailey, sex work theorist and “Thot Scholar” moses moon,  FSC Industry Relations Advocate Lotus Lain, journalist and photographer Adrie Rose, and sex work and technology researcher Dr. PJ Patella-Rey.

Topics have included facial recognition software, banking discrimination, sex work history, and the intersections of race, class, nationality and sex work. The most recent episode, which tackles Crypto and Payment Processing issues, includes the sex workers and sex work activists like Siri Dahl, Rez Hoe and Maiia.

“We lay the foundation for the past and present ‘War on Whores’ with the aim to educate and help listeners understand the historical context that’s lead sex workers to where we are today,” says Sage. “In early next year, we focus more on the actual ‘work of sex work’ and what it means to work within the sex industry in a contemporary context.”

On The Whorizon is powered by Sex Work CEO, an educational platform for sex workers, featuring courses, resources, informational blogs and influencer advocacy programs. Launched on International Sex Workers Day this past June, the free platform is driven by its mission to educate performers and help shape the future of sex work, to help content creators grow their business as independent entrepreneurs.

Both Sage and Michaels have previous experience with successful podcasts. Sage hosts the long-running Peepshow Podcast with her partner PJ Patella-Rey. Prior to launching Whorizon, Michaels hosted Seen Not Heard, where she first began highlighting the voices of independent creators. 

“The issues we face are complex and rapidly changing, and I want the conversations we have to reflect that,” says Michaels. “While we’re the middle of a culture war, we’re also at an inflection point in sex worker power.  We need to be sharing information within our community, as well as with those who ally with us. But Whorizon is first and foremost a podcast for sex workers, and I want to center sex worker experiences and insight.”

The first four episodes of On The Whorizon are available to listen to now on all major podcast platforms. New episodes are released on the 1st and 15th of every month.

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