The Oldest Profession Podcast

In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey dives into the life of Anthony Comstock who dedicated his life to eradicating “obscenity” and restricting women's reproductive rights.  This episode uncovers how Anthony Comstock's lobbying efforts resulted in the Comstock Act, which criminalized the distribution of “obscenity” which included information about contraception. It also highlights the stories of individuals who fought against Comstock's oppressive campaign, including sex educators. Through this historical lens, the episode underscores the importance of understanding the shared history between the criminalization of porn and the criminalization of birth control, emphasizing the relevance of sex worker rights for the broader movement to increase access to reproductive health care. For more resources on this episode, please visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/comstock-act/ This episode was made possible through recurring tax deductible contributions from listeners like you. We’d also like to thank our Season 5 sponsors A Great Idea, New Moon Network, and Tryst.link. Original Music by Adra Boo Music by Epidemic Sound The Oldest Profession Podcast is produced by Old Pros, a non-profit media organization creating conditions to change the status of sex workers in society. If you value our mission, please consider making a recurring contribution that you can commit to, and that we can count on. To learn more visit us at oldprosonline.org, which is also where you can get Old Pros t-shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and more. Of course, proceeds from our shop go to support Old Pros.        

Exciting news!⁠ Get ready for the triumphant return of The Oldest Profession Podcast — Season 5 is coming your way!⁠ Hosted by Kaytlin Bailey, this season will feature 10 compelling episodes focused on historical old pros, the origins of bad laws that continue to wreak havoc on our lives today, and resource guides to help our audience become even better allies in the movement for sex worker rights.⁠ ⁠   Save the date for the big premiere on September 1st and stay tuned for new episodes dropping every other Friday.⁠ ⁠     The Oldest Profession Podcast reminds listeners that sex workers have always been part of the story.   Available on all major podcast platforms.⁠ ⁠     https://oldprosonline.org/the-oldest-profession-podcast/   Hosted by Kaytlin Bailey Produced & Edited by Marie Cecile Anderson Original Music by Adra Boo  

On January 25, 1917, over 300 sex workers in San Francisco marched to protest the imminent closure of their brothels. This was the first sex worker led protest in the United States. But why does January 25th still matter today? Tune into The Oldest Profession Podcast, hosted by Kaytlin Bailey, to learn more about this important date in American history.  For more resources on this episode, visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/why-january-25th-still-matters-today/ Theme song by Adra Boo

Lizzie Lape (1853-1917) was a prolific businesswoman and Madam in the Midwest during the 19th century. She owned numerous brothels and saloons throughout Ohio and even maintained a future President of the United States as one of her regular customers. Lizzie Lape traversed the state of Ohio seeking, establishing, and succeeding in every business venture she touched. Yet most Americans have never heard of her until her great-great-granddaughter set out to uncover and share her story. This week on The Oldest Profession Podcast, we're honored to bring you the story of Lizzie Lape. For more resources on this episode, visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/lizzie-lape-ohio-madam/ Theme song by Adra Boo Music by Epidemic Sound

This week we are delving into the story of Maimie Pinzer, a Jewish SWer born in Philadelphia, PA in 1885. Her life was brilliantly preserved in a remarkable correspondence she had with a wealthy philanthropist, Fanny Quincy Howe. The Maimie Papers is Maimie’s side of that correspondence and gives us another first-hand account of the lives of SWers at the turn of the twentieth century. The Maimie Papers was written by historian Ruth Rosen, an award-winning journalist and Professor Emerita at University of California Davis. Ruth Rosen joins host Kaytlin Bailey to discuss the life and legacy of Maimie Pinzer. For more resources on this episode, visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/the-maimie-papers-with-ruth-rosen/ Theme song by Adra Boo

Explore the fascinating life of Mae West, a trailblazing actress and unapologetic sex symbol who challenged societal norms in entertainment. Discover her early years and family influences that shaped her ambitions. Delve into her incredible resilience, from prison to Hollywood stardom, and her ingenious ways of turning challenges into humor. Learn about her lasting legacy in the arts, her bold performances, and her significant impact on the LGBTQ+ community and the stigma surrounding sex work. Mae West truly left her mark on history!

Madison Phillips is back again for the second episode of our two part series on the Old Pros of Raleigh, NC.⁠ Madison is a recent graduate of NC State University with a masters in Public History, centered on museum studies and local history. In this episode, Madison shares more of her thesis research and riveting stories about the colorful characters who lived and worked as SWers in Raleigh during the early 1900s.⁠ For more resources on this episode, visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/sex-work-in-raleigh-north-carolina Theme song by Adra Boo

Madison Phillips is a recent graduate of NC State University with a masters in Public History, centered on museum studies and local history. Madison wrote her thesis about the Old Pros of Raleigh, North Carolina, focused from about 1900 to 1930. Joining us for a two part series on The Oldest Profession Podcast, Madison shares her thesis research with your host, Kaytlin Bailey. The two discuss the colorful characters who lived and worked as SWers in Raleigh, NC during the early 1900s. For more resources on this episode, visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/sex-work-in-raleigh-north-carolina Theme song by Adra Boo

The infamous madams of Water Street in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, were dear friends and colleagues. Mary Amazeen Baker (1859-1930) and Alta Warren Roberts (1855-1940) operated houses near each other and were well-known for their different but equally compelling reputations about town, and enduring commitments to their communities. Learn more about Mary and Alta on this week’s episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, with your host Kaytlin Bailey. For more resources on this episode, visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/infamous-madams-of-water-street-portsmouth-new-hampshire/ Theme song by Adra Boo Music by Epidemic Sound

Known as the “Diamond Queen of the Demi–Monde,” Lulu White was one of the most notorious and financially successful madams of the Storyville red-light district of New Orleans. Much of Lulu White’s early life remains a mystery, but we do know that she was born in Selma, Alabama in 1868, and over the course of her life, she named Cuba, Alabama, and Jamaica as her birthplaces. Learn more about Lulu White and her legacy on this week’s episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast with Kaytlin Bailey. For more resources on this episode, visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/lulu-white-storyville Theme song by Adra Boo Music by Epidemic Sound