Sex Work

It’s the oldest profession.

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “Sex sells,” well, they really weren’t kidding! The amount of money that moves around in the economy related to sex work is enough to make someone’s head spin.

What does sex work look like?

Some common kinds of sex work include (but are not limited to):

• Acting or performing in porn, adult films, or subscription streaming fansites
• Escorting, prostitution, one-on-one sessions
• Online cam modelling
• Erotic massage or body rub
• Sugardaddy / rent boy arrangements
• Findom / finsub / cashpig dynamics
• Stripping or exotic dancing at a club
• Professional domination

Some people choose to do sex work as a side hustle, because it makes them a lot of money, because they get to be their own boss, or because they just enjoy doing the work. But there are downsides too: doing sex work can follow you for the rest of your life if people find out or if you have a public footprint, especially in today’s world where everything is preserved digitally. Even though it seems like everyone started doing Onlyfans during the peak of the pandemic, there is still a taboo around doing anything sexual as a job.

Legality

Sex work is different than human trafficking. If it’s chosen freely and consensually, it’s sex work. If it’s forced or coerced, if you’re working for someone who controls the decision making and the money, or if they prevent you from leaving the work, it may be trafficking.

Before you decide to get into this kind of work or hire a worker, check with local laws so you can evaluate your risk and comfort level. In Canada, some forms of sex work are not criminalized but some still are.

Why hire a sex worker?

• Gain experience or learn about a kink with an expert in a non-judgmental setting
• Saves time if it’s too hard to find dates in person or on the apps
• Avoid dating and romance altogether and just enjoy having no strings attached sex
• Indulge in a specific fantasy or scene of your own choosing
• Be with a particular porn performer or stripper that you find really hot
• Be with someone who’s really good at sex since it’s their job

Resources

Maggies Toronto, Butterfly Asian and Migrant Sex Worker Support Network, Sex Workers’ Action Program, and TomQ are some organizations in Canada that have resources and information for workers.

Don’t forget: people who do sex work rely on their sexual health to be able to earn their living, so many of them use multiple prevention tools and get tested more frequently than the average person. They have to be experts because their jobs require it!