The Daily Dot Surveys New Efforts to Include Sex Worker Voices in Academia

The Daily Dot Surveys New Efforts to Include Sex Worker Voices in Academia

NEW YORK — A Daily Dot article out today highlights the movement to make sure academic research on sex work reflects the voices and experiences of actual sex workers, a goal of which mainstream academia has historically fallen short.

The article is part of the Daily Dot’s new sex work-oriented vertical, Pleaser, and was written by journalist Jake Hall, who specializes in sexualities and queer issues and authored the book, “The Art of Drag.”

Hall chronicles recent efforts to platform and amplify the voices of sex workers, including those by U.K. activist Vee Holt and the Sex Work Research Hub, a “sex worker-led academic network” that works to “engage with policy-makers, connect researchers, and fight the impact of existing, stigmatizing research.”

Also featured is New York-based Dr. Angela Jones, who sent out a call on Twitter for “sources written or produced by sex workers.” Her mentions, Hall reports, “were quickly flooded.”

Jones then collaborated with Dr. Heather Berg and Dr. PJ Patella-Rey, fellow academics who are also former sex workers, to produce a Sex Worker Syllabus, unveiled in August 2021.

“In the spirit of mutual aid and crowdsourced knowledge — both staples of sex work activism,” Hall writes, “the Sex Worker Syllabus is a living document that continues to grow and shift in response to feedback.”

The Daily Dot article calls projects like the Sex Worker Syllabus “crucial in bringing the perspectives of actual sex workers into academia, an arena that too often relies on claims of impartiality to evade accountability.”

As Jones explained, “A lot of academics, especially those without lived experience, are writing about sex work. They’re building careers on that work, but they’re not actually citing sex workers.” 

These civilian researchers, Vee Holt noted, now “have to contend with the fact that we’re in the room with them too, and we’re holding them accountable.”

To read Jake Hall’s “Academia excludes sex workers. A new generation of sex work researchers is changing things,” visit the Daily Dot’s Pleaser.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Adult Industry Educational, Networking Platform 'Imperfectly You' Launches

Imperfectly You, an educational and networking platform for adult industry workers, has officially launched.

Segpay to Launch News Network for High-Risk Merchants

Segpay has announced that it will launch the Segpay News Network (SNN) on April 15.

Age Verification Watch: Patching the Holes

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Pineapple Support to Host Autism Spectrum Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group for performers and creators who are, or suspect they may be, on the autism spectrum.

ImLive Launches Revamped Member Loyalty Program

Cam platform ImLive has revamped its member loyalty program.

GoFundMe Set Up for Danny Ferretti's Medical Expenses

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Fangear founder Danny Ferretti, who requires extensive lung surgery.

Byborg Acquires Cuties AI

Byborg Enterprises has acquired adult artificial intelligence startup Cuties AI.

Irish Government Releases Report on Sex Work Decriminalization Legislation

The Irish government has released a report reviewing a 2017 law that decriminalized sex work across the country.

Texas Bill Would Require Age Verification for Online Sex Toy Sales

A new bill in the Texas state legislature would require online retailers to implement age verification of purchasers before selling “obscene devices” to anyone in that state.

New York Assemblyman Proposes Banning the Term 'Sex Work'

Republican New York Assembly Member Brian Maher has introduced a bill to prohibit the use of the term "sex work" in government documents.

Show More