Amazing podcast Megan! Wow. I really appreciate the way you bring nuance to larger cultural conversations. It reminds me of the edges of ecosystems as they begin to overlap.
Thank you for sharing parts of your story so courageously! ❤️
Your guest was informative and I learned from both of you.
Thank you for these vital stories.
My mind turns to the question: “if we knew our basic needs could be met by our community would we turn to these desperate “solutions” as much?!?”
Could we create a society where we meet the needs of our most vulnerable?
Perhaps these questions are not actually answerable, but my heart wonders…
Thank you so much for your kind words! I love the ecosystem analogy—what a beautiful way to describe these conversations.
And I completely agree—a strong, connected community where people support one another could make such a difference. When people have real relationships and opportunities, they wouldn’t feel pushed into these ‘desperate solutions’ as often. It’s a big question, but one worth asking.
I appreciate you listening and engaging so thoughtfully! ❤️
This was an eye opening podcast. I’m not sure you’re aware of this, but a lot of massage therapy instructors actually advocate for legal prostitution… As a student, we had an entire class day devoted to learning how to identify which “massage” places to avoid applying, so that we didn’t get roped into a happy ending one… My main instructor would take the opportunity, when job searches were brought up, to mention, “I wish they’d just legalize prostitution so that these places didn’t have to call themselves Massage XYZ;” but you’re saying trafficking would actually get worse if that happened… So there is no real solution except fixing the heart problem that is causing the demand?
I really appreciate you taking the time to listen and leave such a thoughtful comment! ❤️🩹I actually went to massage school as well and learned something very similar—I hadn’t thought about it in a while, but your comment reminded me of those discussions. It makes sense that those in massage therapy would be frustrated with the situation and see legalization as a potential solution. And yes, your conclusion is correct—what we’ve seen in other countries shows that legalization often leads to even more exploitation, not less. At its core, this really is a heart problem driven by demand. The book I mentioned, The Case Against the Sexual Revolution, is a really insightful deep dive into exactly this—where do we go from here? Definitely worth a read! Thanks again for reading/listening leaving such a thoughtful response.
Prostitution is personally and socially corrosive.
Besides nobody actually believes it’s just work. When a manager tries to get ‘extra work’ from a female employee we all rightfully see the humiliation and the game.
Shame movies and memes make people think prostitution is something different
Also, this is the kind of comment you leave on someone’s personal vulnerable story when they open up about their sex experience? Did you even read or listen? 🤦🏻♀️
I did see that you criticise the whole industry but I’d say with a soft touch. There was a tone of minimising or normalising, which honestly I get; it’s hard to speak about something that impacts or requires condemning one’s own past and requires great vulnerability to do it publicly.
I think a couple times you mentioned that sugaring was just a natural next step when you’re having casual sex anyway. Or that it’s largely a demand problem and not supply. Just a couple examples of what I mean by criticising with a soft touch.
Also, just FYI, there was a whole part about mindgeek promising they got consent from people but they don’t for the videos they post. But that contradicts the whole premise and title of the episode that consent is not enough. So holding mindgeek to just a consent bar refutes your main point that consent is not enough. Just flagging in case you want to remove that part or add context, etc.
I appreciate you listening, but I think you're misinterpreting my approach. A ‘soft touch’ isn’t the same as minimizing or normalizing—it’s called nuance. Condemning something outright without understanding the psychological, societal, and economic factors that pull people into it doesn’t actually help anyone. My goal isn’t to play moral arbiter but to shed light on the reality of the industry, the demand-driven nature of exploitation, and the ways women get trapped in cycles they don’t immediately recognize as harmful.
As for the MindGeek point, I wasn’t arguing that consent is the sole issue—quite the opposite. The industry weaponizes the idea of ‘consent’ to absolve itself of deeper ethical concerns, which is exactly why I say consent alone isn’t enough. Holding them accountable for faking consent doesn’t contradict my argument—it reinforces it. But I appreciate the engagement.
Fair enough, I probably did misinterpret your approach. I just stated the perception it gave me as a reader and listener.
It’s unfortunate but I also note now that your goal isn’t to play moral arbiter. I think it’s a great missed opportunity. With your background you have all the reason and credibility to play moral arbiter and let young women reading know where this path goes.
A big problem in our society is that too many people aren’t willing to clearly call things out that are wrong and right. We’re all taking a ‘soft touch’ or no touch as we’re too worried about offending. If we’re not willing to call things out as wrong then those things will slowly become normalised as right. In the case of prostitution this is more jarring than in many other cases. It went from something on the fringes of society that was shunned and frowned upon that was mostly due to men’s proclivities (the demand), to something so normal (simply swipe on apps to get started) that now women are great champions of it (the supply) even as it harms them most of all. This happened because not enough people are willing to stand up and be moral arbiters and to say it’s wrong; while the other ‘side’ has no such qualms. But I digress; it doesn’t have to be your battle to fight; I just thought you went so far in sharing your story that it would’ve been great if you’d gone all the way to try and drive change.
Oh, I promise you, plenty of people believe “sex work is just work”—they’ve built an entire movement around that slogan. I get what you’re saying—Hollywood and social media have absolutely glamorized prostitution in a way that doesn’t reflect reality. The whole Pretty Woman fantasy or the high-class escort trope make it seem like a world of luxury, power, and choice. But anyone who’s actually been in it knows that’s not the full picture.
That said, the issue isn’t just that pop culture misrepresents prostitution—it’s that these misrepresentations help sustain an industry that preys on vulnerability. When people buy into the “sex work is just work” narrative without questioning the deeper power imbalances, they dismiss the real harm, the exploitation, and the long-term consequences many face.
So yeah, it’s a shame that movies and memes make people think it’s something it’s not. But the real problem is that too many people take that surface-level narrative at face value and refuse to look deeper.
Amazing podcast Megan! Wow. I really appreciate the way you bring nuance to larger cultural conversations. It reminds me of the edges of ecosystems as they begin to overlap.
Thank you for sharing parts of your story so courageously! ❤️
Your guest was informative and I learned from both of you.
Thank you for these vital stories.
My mind turns to the question: “if we knew our basic needs could be met by our community would we turn to these desperate “solutions” as much?!?”
Could we create a society where we meet the needs of our most vulnerable?
Perhaps these questions are not actually answerable, but my heart wonders…
Thank you so much for your kind words! I love the ecosystem analogy—what a beautiful way to describe these conversations.
And I completely agree—a strong, connected community where people support one another could make such a difference. When people have real relationships and opportunities, they wouldn’t feel pushed into these ‘desperate solutions’ as often. It’s a big question, but one worth asking.
I appreciate you listening and engaging so thoughtfully! ❤️
This was an eye opening podcast. I’m not sure you’re aware of this, but a lot of massage therapy instructors actually advocate for legal prostitution… As a student, we had an entire class day devoted to learning how to identify which “massage” places to avoid applying, so that we didn’t get roped into a happy ending one… My main instructor would take the opportunity, when job searches were brought up, to mention, “I wish they’d just legalize prostitution so that these places didn’t have to call themselves Massage XYZ;” but you’re saying trafficking would actually get worse if that happened… So there is no real solution except fixing the heart problem that is causing the demand?
I really appreciate you taking the time to listen and leave such a thoughtful comment! ❤️🩹I actually went to massage school as well and learned something very similar—I hadn’t thought about it in a while, but your comment reminded me of those discussions. It makes sense that those in massage therapy would be frustrated with the situation and see legalization as a potential solution. And yes, your conclusion is correct—what we’ve seen in other countries shows that legalization often leads to even more exploitation, not less. At its core, this really is a heart problem driven by demand. The book I mentioned, The Case Against the Sexual Revolution, is a really insightful deep dive into exactly this—where do we go from here? Definitely worth a read! Thanks again for reading/listening leaving such a thoughtful response.
Prostitution is personally and socially corrosive.
Besides nobody actually believes it’s just work. When a manager tries to get ‘extra work’ from a female employee we all rightfully see the humiliation and the game.
Shame movies and memes make people think prostitution is something different
Also, this is the kind of comment you leave on someone’s personal vulnerable story when they open up about their sex experience? Did you even read or listen? 🤦🏻♀️
So your issue you found is with the “power imbalance” not with the prostitution per se?
No, absolutely not. Did you read the blog post at all? If you did, the answer would be clear.
I did! And I listened to your whole conversation.
I did see that you criticise the whole industry but I’d say with a soft touch. There was a tone of minimising or normalising, which honestly I get; it’s hard to speak about something that impacts or requires condemning one’s own past and requires great vulnerability to do it publicly.
I think a couple times you mentioned that sugaring was just a natural next step when you’re having casual sex anyway. Or that it’s largely a demand problem and not supply. Just a couple examples of what I mean by criticising with a soft touch.
Also, just FYI, there was a whole part about mindgeek promising they got consent from people but they don’t for the videos they post. But that contradicts the whole premise and title of the episode that consent is not enough. So holding mindgeek to just a consent bar refutes your main point that consent is not enough. Just flagging in case you want to remove that part or add context, etc.
I appreciate you listening, but I think you're misinterpreting my approach. A ‘soft touch’ isn’t the same as minimizing or normalizing—it’s called nuance. Condemning something outright without understanding the psychological, societal, and economic factors that pull people into it doesn’t actually help anyone. My goal isn’t to play moral arbiter but to shed light on the reality of the industry, the demand-driven nature of exploitation, and the ways women get trapped in cycles they don’t immediately recognize as harmful.
As for the MindGeek point, I wasn’t arguing that consent is the sole issue—quite the opposite. The industry weaponizes the idea of ‘consent’ to absolve itself of deeper ethical concerns, which is exactly why I say consent alone isn’t enough. Holding them accountable for faking consent doesn’t contradict my argument—it reinforces it. But I appreciate the engagement.
Fair enough, I probably did misinterpret your approach. I just stated the perception it gave me as a reader and listener.
It’s unfortunate but I also note now that your goal isn’t to play moral arbiter. I think it’s a great missed opportunity. With your background you have all the reason and credibility to play moral arbiter and let young women reading know where this path goes.
A big problem in our society is that too many people aren’t willing to clearly call things out that are wrong and right. We’re all taking a ‘soft touch’ or no touch as we’re too worried about offending. If we’re not willing to call things out as wrong then those things will slowly become normalised as right. In the case of prostitution this is more jarring than in many other cases. It went from something on the fringes of society that was shunned and frowned upon that was mostly due to men’s proclivities (the demand), to something so normal (simply swipe on apps to get started) that now women are great champions of it (the supply) even as it harms them most of all. This happened because not enough people are willing to stand up and be moral arbiters and to say it’s wrong; while the other ‘side’ has no such qualms. But I digress; it doesn’t have to be your battle to fight; I just thought you went so far in sharing your story that it would’ve been great if you’d gone all the way to try and drive change.
Oh, I promise you, plenty of people believe “sex work is just work”—they’ve built an entire movement around that slogan. I get what you’re saying—Hollywood and social media have absolutely glamorized prostitution in a way that doesn’t reflect reality. The whole Pretty Woman fantasy or the high-class escort trope make it seem like a world of luxury, power, and choice. But anyone who’s actually been in it knows that’s not the full picture.
That said, the issue isn’t just that pop culture misrepresents prostitution—it’s that these misrepresentations help sustain an industry that preys on vulnerability. When people buy into the “sex work is just work” narrative without questioning the deeper power imbalances, they dismiss the real harm, the exploitation, and the long-term consequences many face.
So yeah, it’s a shame that movies and memes make people think it’s something it’s not. But the real problem is that too many people take that surface-level narrative at face value and refuse to look deeper.