What I’m Reading
Alongside the Sex Industry Book Club, this week I read Dr. Bo Ruberg’s Sex Dolls at Sea: Imagined Histories of Sexual Technologies.
The book examines the history of the first sex dolls, the dames de voyage, tying it to sailor culture. These early “women of travel,” were made of scraps of clothing and straw and were thought to be passed around the ship as travel companions, keeping lonely sailors company at night.
One of the interesting theses of the book is that while these stories of the first sex dolls are often told in order to praise the inventiveness and ingenuity of the men at sea—real sex tech heroes!—this ignores the place that women, and especially sex workers, had in this history. (Not to mention queer desires—after all, as Ruberg points out in the book, what image could be more homoerotically charged than that of sailors laying in close contact to one another passing a masturbatory aid they all share.)
While Ruberg doesn’t doubt that there were in fact various sex dolls at sea, they do wonder if that is all that was going on. Indeed, she suggests that some of the language about the sex dolls seems to be lifted from the coded language that escorts used to advertise their services. Indeed, the notion of a travel companion itself is still common parlance in sex work advertising.
Ruberg suggests that part of the story of the sex doll is also a story of the erasure of sex work labor, one that repeats itself over and over again in the history of sex tech. The book, in part, is an attempt to tell the story that isn’t told, the story of the sex workers, the women, the non-white folks, and queer people that accompanied sailors on their journeys and, more importantly, pushed technological innovation at the service of desire.
I would highly recommend reading the book, but if you don’t have that kind of time, you can also listen to the Sex Industry Book Club episode where it was discussed!
What I’m Thinking About
It would be very difficult for me to work as a sex worker in the current milieu and not be thinking about monkeypox. After all, a large part of my job is to guard my health in order to safely work—to protect not only myself, but my clients and partners as well. I take this responsibility very seriously and for this reason, I was very frustrated—though not surprised—with the governmental (non)response to the virus.
I spent the better part of last week trying to schedule an appointment for the vaccine and was told by every clinic and by the County Health Department itself that they understand why sex workers should be near the top of the list, but that the state of PA (where I live) will not allow them to administer it to anyone but men having sex with other men.
There are so many reasons why this stance is problematic, many of which I outlined in the article I got mad enough to write for my local alt weekly. I can’t say for sure whether this article had any impact, but what I can say is that me (and three of my friends) got vaccine appointments the day after it was published. For that reason alone, I’m glad I set some of my other work aside and made this a priority worth fighting for.
What I’m Excited About
This week I’m in Washington, DC at the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Summit, a yearly conference aiming to bring together folks from different corners of sexual advocacy. I came to this event three or four years ago and got a lot out of it and I’m looking forward to being back this year!
The conference has a line-up of presentations on topics ranging from sex work policy to internet freedom to reproductive justice. There will also be a burlesque show and a naughty storytelling event/pajama party. I’m considering reading some of my work at the latter event—that is, if I can figure out how to get on the lineup!
The first day I got here I also did a photoshoot with a photographer I haven’t shot with in 7 years. It was fun to see them again, and I always enjoy being seen through the eyes of someone new—every photographer brings something unique to my shoots. Can’t wait to share my new pics!
I’m also seeing a few new and old friends while here. If you’re in the greater DC area and you’re interested in getting together, please reach out! I’m offering anything from social dates to longer engagements. For more info check out my tour page on my website.
Availability & Booking
I will be in Washington, DC until Monday, August 8th. I would love to meet some new friends here!
After that my schedule is a bit crazy!
Aug 9-11: Pittsburgh
Aug 15-16: Pittsburgh
Aug 18: St Louis
Aug 19-21: Buffalo
Aug 22-31: Pittsburgh
Sept 2-5: Boston
Sept 6-22: Pittsburgh
Sept 23-26: NYC
My travel calendar is kept up to date on my website. 
