Don’t be surprised if I hesitate slightly when I introduce myself. I go by so many names that I sometimes forget my own. In my writing life it’s Juliet November. In my offline life, it’s none of your business.
I’m a white, working-class queer femme hooker with a big laugh and a daily meditation practice that I cherish. Normally Toronto-based, but currently spending 6 months in San Francisco studying/practicing anti-racist organizing with the Catalyst Project (www.collectiveliberation.org), unlearning whore-hating bullshit, both internalized and not, living a good life, writing for fun, practicing integrity, compassion and humour, buying high-waisted panties, swearing and texting more than is probably good for me.
Life plans include working to bring people together to build grassroots power so we can fight white supremacist, transphobic, homophobic, ableist, whore-hating capitalist patriarchy, build communities that rely on each other instead of prisons, policing and the state, create jobs, healthcare, childcare, education, housing and food systems that put people before profit and find ways to love each other through and with our differences.
I’m not aiming for instant insurrection but to leave the ground we walk better for those who will follow us.
There will still be hookers after the revolution and I plan to be one of them. I am, after all, a born whore.
Hello,
I’m Jillian, LOTL’s online editor. I was at The Red Rattler event last week and I apologise for not introducing myself. It was quite a night!
I very much enjoyed your performance and I wanted to let you know I’ve linked your blog to the review Elena wrote of the evening, which I put on the LOTL website.
Here is the link – http://lotl.com/default2.asp?Category=532&parentid=358
Hopefully that’ll give you some good click-throughs.
Hope you’re well!
Regards,
Jillian
Hi!
I stumbled across your blog through an awesome blog hopping chain! Angry Black Anarchist, to Angry Black White Girl to flooring and whoring to You! I am in the process of creating a network of friends and allies who do sex work both where I live and anywhere to share with and support me as I go. I love your blog. Drop me an email sometime.
Sunshine
pbb08@hampshire.edu. (not sure if my email showed up before).
I think your work is amazing! Keep it up,
whore-hugs
Joanne
lol @ the introduction hesitation. If the person I’m introducing myself to outside of work is an older male the pause is lengthy. ‘who am I today?’
identity crisis!
Oh I know – the name thing is crazy. I decided to swap working girl names but had accidentally used both with a booking for a new client. I explained it away but was put off by the snotty guy at reception when I got to the hotel with my overnight bag – my room key wasn’t there as promised and he had to ring the room and confirm with the client I was his guest and I thought it all marked me out as “whore” so much I spluttered, fucked up and gave my real name. Then had to spend an entire overnight booking answering to my real name cause he latched onto it. GRRR.
I think your blog is wonderful, thanks for letting people hear a first-hand perspective and informed opinion on sex work. I particularly like your thoughts on whores of privilege– I would love it if you had the time in the future to write about how you think sex workers who aren’t in positions of privilege can be granted more rights and freedoms to leave sex work if they choose or stay in it and flourish as you are doing. Reading your thoughts has given me a lot of insight; thanks for educating the public to be critical of whore-hating bullshit.
I love your blog and you’re post on the Buddhist blog about prostitution was right-on–if you can email me directly through my profile I have an important question for you about a writing project I’m working on – thanks!