This week in Open to Debate a sex worker rights advocate and a human rights attorney have a passionate and vigorous debate about these laws, with the common goal of figuring out what’s best for sex workers. Arguing “yes” it is ok to pay for sex, is Kaytlin Bailey, who is the founder and executive director of a nonprofit organization that seeks to change how society views sex workers. Arguing “no” is Yasmin Vafa, who has advocated on the federal and international level for protecting women and ot...
Jul 02, 2024•53 min
In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey celebrates the life of Pamela Churchill Harriman, a remarkable woman whose journey kept her at the forefront of history through the 20th century. Born in 1920, Pamela came of age on the cusp of WWII, marrying Randolph Churchill days before Hitler began bombing London. After divorcing the prime minister's son she embarked on a career as prominent socialite and companion of the rich and powerful in the high society of Milan, New...
Jan 05, 2024•49 min
n this thought-provoking episode of The Oldest Profession podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey explores the shared historical context of the stigma and criminalization of homosexuality and prostitution. Kaytlin discusses the origins of negative attitudes towards homosexuality and “non-traditional” sexual practices in the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This episode highlights how these religious beliefs have shaped social mores and contributed to the marginalization of both LGBT...
Dec 22, 2023•40 min
In this eye-opening episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey dives into the dark history of the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland and the homes for unwed mothers in the United States. These institutions were once touted as charitable organizations for "fallen women" and pregnant teens, but concealed a dark reality of exploitation and abuse. Kaytlin Bailey exposes the shocking treatment of these women, the heart-wrenching stories of forced separations from their children, and th...
Dec 08, 2023•29 min
In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, your host Kaytlin Bailey explores the life of prolific madam, Carol Erwin, who daringly thrived across the American West during the Great Depression and World War II. Kaytlin Bailey brings Carol's journey to life, with a particular focus on her establishment in Fairbanks, Alaska. Set against the backdrop of gold rushes and boomtowns, Carol's story shines a light on women's resilience amid legal constraints. Shaped by a nomadic upbringing and fear...
Nov 22, 2023•57 min
In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey explores the significance of December 17th, which is the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. This day has been observed by sex worker advocates and allies worldwide since December 17, 2003. Originally conceived as a memorial for the victims of the Green River serial killer in Seattle, this event reignited the sex worker rights movement and has kept the movement alive for the last twenty years. In this episod...
Nov 10, 2023•27 min
Join host Kaytlin Bailey on The Oldest Profession Podcast as she uncovers the chilling history of The American Plan, a government program that aimed to target promiscuity and prostitution in the United States from 1917 into the 1970s. Initially conceived as a necessary tool to protect enlisted men from venereal disease, these laws led to the forced institutionalization and imprisonment of thousands of women. For more resources on this episode, please visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/...
Oct 27, 2023•42 min
Join us on The Oldest Profession Podcast as we pay tribute to the remarkable life and legacy of Margo St. James. Known as the mother of the contemporary sex worker rights movement in the United States, Margo's impact was immeasurable. In 1973, she founded COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics), a pioneering organization that championed the rights of sex workers. She organized the first and second World Whore’s Conference bringing sex worker rights advocates from all over the world together. Her...
Oct 13, 2023•31 min
In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, hosted by Kaytlin Bailey, we go on a journey to uncover the history and lasting legacy of the Mann Act, also known as the White Slave Law. Enacted in 1910, the Mann Act made it illegal to transport women across state lines for “immoral purposes.” Sold to the American people as a way of combating “white slavery” the Mann Act was broadly interpreted to include extra marital affairs, consensual interracial relationships in addition to adult sex work...
Sep 29, 2023•29 min
In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey pays tribute to Carol Leigh, a hero in the sex worker rights movement. Carol Leigh, also known as “The Scarlot Harlot," was a multi-talented artist, author, performer, filmmaker, advocate, and political provocateur. She is credited with coining the term "sex work," which became a cornerstone of the sex worker rights movement. Carol Leigh founded the San Francisco Sex Worker Film and Arts Festival and co-founded BAYSWAN, the Ba...
Sep 15, 2023•28 min
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, includi...
Sep 01, 2023•38 min
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 ev...
Aug 24, 2023•1 min•Season 5Ep. 1
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...
Jan 25, 2023•30 min
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...
Nov 30, 2022•45 min
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 Univ...
Nov 16, 2022•42 min
Mae West was an actress, writer, and unapologetic sex symbol. She enchanted the American stage with unabashed humor and demand for social change. Mae West dominated every facet of performing arts for eight decades, from vaudeville to Broadway, Hollywood to the Vegas Strip. She left an indelible legacy on this nation's history and carried a torch for sex workers. Learn more about Mae West's legacy on The Oldest Profession Podcast, with your host Kaytlin Bailey. For more resources on this episode,...
Oct 05, 2022•1 hr 5 min
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/...
Sep 21, 2022•41 min
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 re...
Sep 07, 2022•42 min
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 we...
Aug 24, 2022•29 min
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...
Aug 10, 2022•36 min
In 1867, Madam Fan Jones bought the Sky Blue House of Pleasure just outside of Bangor, Maine’s red-light district called “The Devil’s Half Acre.” The Sky Blue House of Pleasure was the most popular and longest running brothel in the city and stood until 1950. Today it is the site of a parking lot for the Federal Building in downtown Bangor, but her story lives on. Learn more about Madam Fan Jones and her legacy on this week’s episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast with Kaytlin Bailey. For more...
Jun 22, 2022•25 min
On this special episode, host and human rights activist Lakeesha Harris gathers a legendary roundtable of leaders in the Black Sex Worker movement: performer/activists Sinnamon Love and Jet Setting Jasmine of the BIPOC Adult Industry Collective, and historian/professor Dr Charlene Fletcher. Together, they discuss the legacy of sex workers in fine art museums, Black women who are silenced in the archives, pleasure influence, mental health care, colorism at the strip club, and more! And Lakeesha g...
Jun 17, 2022•54 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Old Pros Historian, Dr. Charlene J. Fletcher, and podcast host, Kaytlin Bailey, discuss who was Jezebel? How did her legacy become synonymous with morally depraved, wicked, women? Was she an old pro? Who ruined her reputation? Spoiler: some dude. For more resources on this episode, visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/who-was-jezebel/
Jun 08, 2022•54 min
Check out this teaser for an update from Old Pro News!
Jun 03, 2022•3 min
On February 1, 1900, the Everleigh Sisters (Minna and Ada) opened what would become the best brothel in Chicago, and for a time, the world. The Everleigh Sisters successfully ran their establishment for eleven years, frequented by politicians, princes, and other men of influence. Why then did the mayor force them to shut down in 1911 after gaining such notoriety? Learn more about the Everleigh Sisters, this week on The Oldest Profession Podcast with Kaytlin Bailey. For more resources on this epi...
May 25, 2022•52 min
This week, on Old Pro News, we have an extra long interview with Zola Z. Bruce and Mariah Grant from the Sex Workers Project at the Urban Justice Center in New York City. We discussed the Safe Sex Workers Study Act, FOSTA-SESTA, OnlyFans, and many other topics related to tech freedom. For more resources on this episode, visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/oldpronews-008 Bios Zola Z. Bruce MSSW is a social worker, activist and artist who focuses on helping people to create the life they ...
May 20, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Stella Darby, beloved madam of Pendelton, Oregon, was said to be a benevolent person, always giving food and clothing to those in need and encouraging her employees to pursue an education, save money, and to strive for more. Stella Darby’s kindness and strong relationships within her community led to the success of her brothel, becoming one of Pendleton's most popular locations for over forty years — a location you can still visit today! Learn more about Stella Darby this week on The Oldest Prof...
May 11, 2022•29 min
This week, on Old Pro News, we’ll tell you about two new online reporting programs, only one of which we believe will actually keep sex workers safe. Then, we’ll be chatting with Tamika Spellman, the Advocacy Manager of the harm reduction organization HIPS DC, about the #DECRIMNOW campaign and why we need to center — and pay! — black trans women in the movement. And we’ll fill you in on recent sex work related legislation in Lousiana and Ohio, and why this makes Lakeesha feel like the government...
May 06, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Mary Magdalene is one of the most famous, mysterious, and perhaps controversial women in the Bible. She’s been called a friend to Jesus, his wife, one of his most devout followers, and a prostitute. Who is Mary Magdalene and how did her story become aligned with sex workers around the world? Find out this week, as Kaytlin Bailey rewrites the age-old stigma of Mary Magdalene on The Oldest Profession Podcast. For more resources on this episode, visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/stigma-o...
Apr 27, 2022•40 min
This week, on Old Pro News, we’re talking decrim strategies in Rhode Island and dominatrix discrimination from DoorDash. Our guest is Geo, an activist from Sex Workers Against Criminalization New Orleans, who shares her story of being an undocumented sex worker in the United States. Then I explain what the 14th amendment has to do with the personhood of sex workers. For more resources on this episode, visit our website: https://oldprosonline.org/oldpronews-006/ GUEST BIO AND LINKS Our guest this...
Apr 22, 2022•42 min
