The toughest thing about measuring that type of thing:
1. The rise in mental health issues among the general population, especially younger people.
2. Sex work is more and more mainstream and visible. And Cardi B’s hits in 2017 openly rapped about about, erm, explicit activity. Stigma today is less than it used to be.
My guess: I’m sure sex worker mental health issues is higher than the general rest of the population. But the gap has probably narrowed from now vs 20 or even 5 years ago.
All I know is that I’m looking at Erin Andrews and think she could still make a great sex worker after her journalism career, but something about her says resiliency. Her mindset is something I can’t compare myself to, so she only subjects herself to what she allows. It’s got to be a struggle for anyone going down the rabbit hole of sex work. Everything has its price and this is the hard life that is chosen, hopefully. Not a fan of trafficking.
Q: Do Sex Workers Have More Mental Health Problems?
A: NO
First of all what is “mental health”? A definition for example is :
Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.
That is all the people in the world, living their unique life experiences, falling and getting up, being happy and sad at times, being asleep and awake as long as they live.
The “mental health” business is a billion dollar industry that preys on the “pursuit of happiness” idea and makes their money selling “snake oil” and some “ideas” to solve made up “mental health problems.”
People in “good mental health” are often sad, unwell, angry or unhappy, and this is part of a fully lived life for any human being, regardless of their profession, nationality or race.
The “mental struggles” we all face as humans, are, in fact, universal.
It is just life, life is like riding a bicycle, you learn by trying and falling until you unconsciously learn to balance without having to think about it, and you unconsciously know that to keep riding you must keep moving or you loose your balance.
Increasing our knowledge increases the strength of our minds and help us to keep moving ahead in life as we learn to get up every time we “fall”.
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
It’s unlikely women decide from becoming a doctor, lawyer, executive or stripper.
Most likely get into stripping when things have gone bad, and they need money. So, if that is the starting point, the bar is already set pretty low.
NiceSpice is right, as sex work has become more acceptable in the mainstream. But it’s still not the type of work that many parents would be proud to say their daughters do.
So, that can cause women to think society looks down on their profession. That can lead to mental health issues too.
I don't know the girls that post here regularly seem quite normal to me anyway, but we do seem to have a few supposedly male posters that are a few bulbs short of a lighted chandelier.
Some dancers i have seen are using it to supplement their income and support a fancier lifestyle. Some of them have luxury cars, rolexes, $1000+ purses. Stuff they couldn’t get so easily working a regular $20 or less an hour job.
There doesn’t seem to be a genuine need of money in some cases, it seems to be wanting to support a better lifestyle.
The "visibility" is mostly in rap/hip-hop tracks, I don't know how meaningful that is. Seems similar to saying that there's widespread understanding of what it's like to be in the infantry and be in combat, because so many people play video games like "Call of Duty".
The worst job in the world is having to be Icee. What a useless piece of shit. Asshole literally is 100% wrong 100% of the time. With the advent of the internet some stupid shit becomes popularized. Being a thin skinned mentally ill fuck up seems to be a new fad. "I don't feel safe"! Why? Did someone express an opposing opinion? Since young people seem to all prize, cherish mental illness, and wear it as a badge of honor, of course dancers have more mental illness, but only because of age/society.
Simone Biles, the weak-kneed quitter is now a poster child, while Kerri Strug, fucking tough as nails winner is forgotten. Both Olympians, one an embarrassment (Simone) and one the epitome of tough (Kerri).
Finessing, hustling, scamming and robbing is mentally weak behavior. The escorting or full service dancers likely require much more mental toughness than the finesser non extras ones.
—>The "visibility" is mostly in rap/hip-hop tracks, I don't know how meaningful that is. Seems similar to saying that there's widespread understanding of what it's like to be in the infantry and be in combat, because so many people play video games like "Call of Duty".
Of course only a teeny tiny minority will listen to a Cardi B song and then then go straight over to the local titty bar. But of those who do, there’s a decent amount of young females who will go online and create aspiring dancers posts asking something like “I wAnNA bE a StRiPpErrrrrr BUUUUT I’m a skinny young white girl without a large boootay, will any club hire me???????? 🥺”
Believe me, they didn’t get their odd impressions from actual dancers, who are quick to talk about strip club manager hiring racism (whether that is fair or unfair). There really is a ton of aspiring dancers who get their notions from rap music. And there is also young males who go into a titty bar for the first time with lots of singles because of rap videos too. (But I’m biased and have absolutely zero complaints on the guys’ impressions there 😁)
And no, Cardi B isn’t some niche and one has to be super into hip hop to have heard of her. Somebody could just simply walk into a bar to hear her. Or watch South Park
https://youtu.be/PRbhp0pcO2c
And I agree that entertainment isn’t obligated to be a reliable source of education. But it IS an influence to get people to pay attention to it. And if a source of entertainment continues to stay in the spotlight, then there is something reflected in the culture that is the reason why. And Cardi B didn’t only release one track related to sex work, but several and they have stayed popular.
And heck, the US military pays attention to video games and tries to use it to its advantage. So I don’t get why Call of Duty was the analogy you chose to disagree with me.
https://gamerant.com/call-duty-modern-wa…
Also, another point. When the PS5 console was released a couple of years ago, there was an absurd amount of memes circulating around about “helping my girlfriend shoot her onlyfans videos so she can buy me one” Granted, a lot of them were widely mocked for being “simp” memes—but I personally considered that the next step for mainstream acknowledgment and grudging acceptance for that behavior.
https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/girl… There were other memes about onlyfans in general WAY more than boyfriends wanting a shiny new toy, but since I want to prove a point about reduced stigma, I’m mostly focused on that.
Are social media algorithms going to detect that I’m a sex worker and push more of that stuff into my feed? No doubt. But I’ll hear random stuff about “stripping” every here and there from my vanilla life as well and I pay attention to what is said.
Yes, I know the US military doesn't want teenagers to know how fake Call of Duty is, before they sign their recruitment contract.
It was more the hair bands that started with strippers in videos than rappers: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL… . Mainstreaming stripping should have been easier in the age of air dancing, but it didn't seem to happen. Attention from mass entertainment doesn't automatically lead to real mainstream understanding/acceptance. Didn't work for black people with minstrel shows. I hope you're right that caricatures of strippers in rap sparks curiosity, which leads to people learning the reality. Can't say as I've seen that myself. Shows like P-Valley are a positive step I suppose. Like minstrel shows transitioning to Good Times, What's Happening and the Huxtables.
Mental Health problems is a myth. Overall sex workers tend to be more out there, and they may be more likely to use drugs. But all you are seeing are the issues dealth with by people who are living beyond the pale.
—>“Attention from mass entertainment doesn't automatically lead to real mainstream understanding/acceptance.”
Yeaaaaah there is the unfortunate reality IMO that sex work isn’t being embraced out of the goodness of people’s hearts. I agree with you there. People who grew up with hair metal got to have the privilege of living in different economic circumstances. It’s mostly that a lot of us do sex work because economic opportunity is not a (widespread) thing and has gotten ever worse since the 1980s. And since more are choosing to do sex work (or personally know somebody who is), people prefer to reduce the shaming while they are participating in it. Cie la vie 🤷🏻♀️
Plus I think the hair metal stuff was more “I did cocaine off this stripper’s ass, YAY” from men. Not from a female saying something like “I fucked this trick and enhanced my life from the money”?
Correlation does not equal causation. Do Sex Workers Have More Mental Health Problems, or are those with Mental Health Problems more likely to chose Sex Work? Glad to see the author at least acknowledged it, but the comments here don't seem to.
Sex Work is stressful, but it is also usually done by people who have been cast into the role of family scapegoat. This is true for Whites, Blacks, and Asians, but maybe not always with hispanics who are just trying to earn a living.
"Mental Illness" is just an idea created to codify this marginalization. It is meaningless.
Idk, I don’t base my views off just correlation, but just interacting with strippers both IRL and online for the past 6.5 years. If you type in “mental health” and “traumatized” and “isolated” in the search bars of r/stripper and stripperweb there is definitely enough collective experiences from a wide range of posters where dancers outright blame the club for their own mental state. It’s not guaranteed of course—and quite a few dancers (me included) give credit to the strip clubs for making it easier to escape shitty life circumstances and have more positive self-development. (Plus enjoying fun stuff like traveling and setting your own schedule).
But for every one post of that type, there are several more where dancers have a pretty grim view of their personal experiences and struggling to mentally protect themselves from toxic people.
It eases one's path through life if you don't challenge people's stereotypes. In some ways it's easier for sex workers if they don't hide their traumas and angsts. Because that's the stereotype. If you're a young woman with a baby, a husband who changes a diaper once a month, up to date on your bloated mortgage and student loans, you probably feel a lot of pressure to hold it all in. If you kvetch, people might be mildly sympathetic to your face, but call you a whiny ingrate behind your back.
A thread where someone is attempting to share their genuine experience and understanding dominated by people wanting to challenge it because that person probably doesn't understand their own experience?
32 comments
The way fast money. A fast lifestyle. Affects their ability to function in square jobs. How money becomes a direct reflection of their self worth.
The stress of coping with what they do.
It all adds up over time.
1. The rise in mental health issues among the general population, especially younger people.
2. Sex work is more and more mainstream and visible. And Cardi B’s hits in 2017 openly rapped about about, erm, explicit activity. Stigma today is less than it used to be.
My guess: I’m sure sex worker mental health issues is higher than the general rest of the population. But the gap has probably narrowed from now vs 20 or even 5 years ago.
I will play along and answer your question.
Q: Do Sex Workers Have More Mental Health Problems?
A: NO
First of all what is “mental health”? A definition for example is :
Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.
That is all the people in the world, living their unique life experiences, falling and getting up, being happy and sad at times, being asleep and awake as long as they live.
The “mental health” business is a billion dollar industry that preys on the “pursuit of happiness” idea and makes their money selling “snake oil” and some “ideas” to solve made up “mental health problems.”
People in “good mental health” are often sad, unwell, angry or unhappy, and this is part of a fully lived life for any human being, regardless of their profession, nationality or race.
The “mental struggles” we all face as humans, are, in fact, universal.
It is just life, life is like riding a bicycle, you learn by trying and falling until you unconsciously learn to balance without having to think about it, and you unconsciously know that to keep riding you must keep moving or you loose your balance.
Increasing our knowledge increases the strength of our minds and help us to keep moving ahead in life as we learn to get up every time we “fall”.
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi.
It’s like the reflective version of SJG.
It’s unlikely women decide from becoming a doctor, lawyer, executive or stripper.
Most likely get into stripping when things have gone bad, and they need money. So, if that is the starting point, the bar is already set pretty low.
NiceSpice is right, as sex work has become more acceptable in the mainstream. But it’s still not the type of work that many parents would be proud to say their daughters do.
So, that can cause women to think society looks down on their profession. That can lead to mental health issues too.
There doesn’t seem to be a genuine need of money in some cases, it seems to be wanting to support a better lifestyle.
Hi, nice to meet you.
Simone Biles, the weak-kneed quitter is now a poster child, while Kerri Strug, fucking tough as nails winner is forgotten. Both Olympians, one an embarrassment (Simone) and one the epitome of tough (Kerri).
Of course only a teeny tiny minority will listen to a Cardi B song and then then go straight over to the local titty bar. But of those who do, there’s a decent amount of young females who will go online and create aspiring dancers posts asking something like “I wAnNA bE a StRiPpErrrrrr BUUUUT I’m a skinny young white girl without a large boootay, will any club hire me???????? 🥺”
Believe me, they didn’t get their odd impressions from actual dancers, who are quick to talk about strip club manager hiring racism (whether that is fair or unfair). There really is a ton of aspiring dancers who get their notions from rap music. And there is also young males who go into a titty bar for the first time with lots of singles because of rap videos too. (But I’m biased and have absolutely zero complaints on the guys’ impressions there 😁)
And no, Cardi B isn’t some niche and one has to be super into hip hop to have heard of her. Somebody could just simply walk into a bar to hear her. Or watch South Park
https://youtu.be/PRbhp0pcO2c
And I agree that entertainment isn’t obligated to be a reliable source of education. But it IS an influence to get people to pay attention to it. And if a source of entertainment continues to stay in the spotlight, then there is something reflected in the culture that is the reason why. And Cardi B didn’t only release one track related to sex work, but several and they have stayed popular.
And heck, the US military pays attention to video games and tries to use it to its advantage. So I don’t get why Call of Duty was the analogy you chose to disagree with me.
https://gamerant.com/call-duty-modern-wa…
Also, another point. When the PS5 console was released a couple of years ago, there was an absurd amount of memes circulating around about “helping my girlfriend shoot her onlyfans videos so she can buy me one” Granted, a lot of them were widely mocked for being “simp” memes—but I personally considered that the next step for mainstream acknowledgment and grudging acceptance for that behavior.
https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/girl…
There were other memes about onlyfans in general WAY more than boyfriends wanting a shiny new toy, but since I want to prove a point about reduced stigma, I’m mostly focused on that.
Are social media algorithms going to detect that I’m a sex worker and push more of that stuff into my feed? No doubt. But I’ll hear random stuff about “stripping” every here and there from my vanilla life as well and I pay attention to what is said.
It was more the hair bands that started with strippers in videos than rappers: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL… . Mainstreaming stripping should have been easier in the age of air dancing, but it didn't seem to happen. Attention from mass entertainment doesn't automatically lead to real mainstream understanding/acceptance. Didn't work for black people with minstrel shows. I hope you're right that caricatures of strippers in rap sparks curiosity, which leads to people learning the reality. Can't say as I've seen that myself. Shows like P-Valley are a positive step I suppose. Like minstrel shows transitioning to Good Times, What's Happening and the Huxtables.
SJG
Tower of Power - What is Hip? - School of Rock AllStars Team 2 - Record Bar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ6hUBKo…
Kick Out the Jams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRjaQryF…
Yeaaaaah there is the unfortunate reality IMO that sex work isn’t being embraced out of the goodness of people’s hearts. I agree with you there. People who grew up with hair metal got to have the privilege of living in different economic circumstances. It’s mostly that a lot of us do sex work because economic opportunity is not a (widespread) thing and has gotten ever worse since the 1980s. And since more are choosing to do sex work (or personally know somebody who is), people prefer to reduce the shaming while they are participating in it. Cie la vie 🤷🏻♀️
"Mental Illness" is just an idea created to codify this marginalization. It is meaningless.
SJG
Wendy O. Williams performed in live sex shows in Time Square.
But for every one post of that type, there are several more where dancers have a pretty grim view of their personal experiences and struggling to mentally protect themselves from toxic people.
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/8202-th…