Episode 48: Trust, Nuance, & the Sex Industry

On this week’s episode, Tracey and Cayly are welcoming back Stacey Hallal of Curious Comedy Theater (https://www.curiouscomedy.org/people/staff)) to talk with them more about sex, relationships, and — more specifically — the sex industry.

Today’s question:  Is the sex industry good or bad?

Buckle up, friends. This conversation explores everything from strip clubs to pornography to sex shops and more. It’s another open, honest, and fun dialogue about sex and relationships, exploring topics like trust, confidence, and the importance of acknowledging nuance.

- Exploitation in the sex industry and why this industry is more susceptible

- Can women feel empowered by the sex industry?

- How Stacey’s attitude towards strip clubs changed over time and her experience in different strip clubs in Portland

- Going to a strip club with your partner

- Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LD1ORBI/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1)

- Is it ok to appreciate the beauty of someone other than your partner?

- How do trust and reassurance play into engaging in the sex industry with a partner?

- Why Stacey, Cayly, and Tracey would rather be alone than in a relationship where they are constantly looking for validation from a partner

- Why we don’t want to have our sexuality turned off when we’re not with our partner

- Don’t Advertise Your Man by Sippie Wallace (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf9gvuVXt0U)

- Why it can be hard to find someone you don’t find boring

- Shame around sex and the benefits of sharing a fantasy with a partner

- Cayly’s experience of going to the strip club with a past partner and how this went from good to bad

- The benefits of starting off open in a relationship

- The importance of self-trust in relationships

- Encouraging our partners to continue to be the people we fell in love with

- What role can the sex industry play for people when they’re not in a relationship?

- When did Cayly, Tracey, and Stacey start watching pornography?

- How the sex industry gave Cayly permission to own her sexuality and allowed her to explore her sexual identity while staying intentionally single

- How Tracey started to explore the sex industry at the end of her marriage

- She Bop in Portland (http://www.sheboptheshop.com/)

- Has our culture lost the ability to recognize nuance?

- I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman (https://www.hulu.com/i-love-you-america)

- And more!

Piquing Our Curiosity:

Curious Comedy Theater (https://curiouscomedy.org/), a nonprofit theater in Portland, Oregon the mission to “improve the lives of kids, adults, and seniors through the art of comedy.” Today’s guest, Stacey Hallal, serves as artistic director at Curious Comedy and Tracey performs improv here a couple of times a week. Find them online here (https://curiouscomedy.org) or on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/Curious.Comedy).