#1195 Kaytlin Bailey: The History of Sex Work, and What Sex Workers Need Politically

Dec 29, 2025

Kaytlin Bailey, a sex worker rights advocate and founder of Old Pros, delves into the rich history of sex work dating back thousands of years. She critiques anti-sex-work feminists, emphasizing the importance of listening to sex workers. The conversation touches on the stigma they face, the impacts of platforms like OnlyFans, and the need for decriminalization over legalization. Kaytlin also discusses the diversity of motivations for sex work, consent, and the importance of legal protections to ensure safety and health for all workers.

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INSIGHT

Anti-Sex Work Feminism Redirected Energy

Sex-negative feminists historically tried to erase erotic labor, focusing energy away from contraception and abortion rights.
Bailey argues policing women's sexual choices harmed feminist causes and diverted attention from larger justice issues.

INSIGHT

Visibility Doesn’t Equal Rights

Visibility of sex work (OnlyFans, social media) hasn't consistently reduced stigma or yielded equal rights.
Bailey warns visibility can provoke reactionary backlashes even as political organizing and decriminalization efforts grow.

INSIGHT

Exploitation Is Industrywide, Not Unique

Sex work is not uniquely exploitative compared with industries like agriculture or mining where trafficking is higher.
Bailey cites empirical data showing sexual exploitation is overrepresented among vulnerable groups, not inherently tied to sex work.

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Kaytlin Bailey is a sex worker rights advocate, comedian, and writer. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Old Pros, a nonprofit that uses storytelling to advocate for sex worker rights. Host of The Oldest Profession Podcast, she is also the creator of The Oldest Profession, a mad dash through 10,000 years of history from a sex worker’s perspective, which can be performed as a lecture or a theatrical performance.

In this episode, we start by talking about the history of sex work and how old it is. We discuss what a sex worker is. We talk about a feminist approach to sex work, the arguments used by sex-negative feminists, and social stigma against sex work. We debunk arguments made by sex-negative feminists. We talk about occupational health and safety. We debunk assumptions people make about sex workers. We discuss legal approaches to sex work, including the “End Demand” approach, legalization, and decriminalization. Finally, we talk about the legal protections sex workers need.

A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, BERNARDO SEIXAS, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, PHIL KAVANAGH, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, YANICK PUNTER, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, HEDIN BRØNNER, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ALEX CHAU, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, VALENTIN STEINMANN, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, BR, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, DAVID PINSOF, SEAN NELSON, MIKE LAVIGNE, JOS KNECHT, LUCY, MANVIR SINGH, PETRA WEIMANN, CAROLA FEEST, MAURO JÚNIOR, TONY BARRETT, NIKOLAI VISHNEVSKY, STEVEN GANGESTAD, TED FARRIS, HUGO B., JAMES, JORDAN MANSFIELD, CHARLOTTE ALLEN, PETER STOYKO, DAVID TONNER, LEE BECK, PATRICK DALTON-HOLMES, NICK KRASNEY, RACHEL ZAK, DENNIS XAVIER, CHINMAYA BHAT, RHYS, AND ALEX MACLEOD!

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