October is my favorite month of the year! The heat finally breaks, the air is crisp, and the changing leaves are beautiful in my neck of the woods. This October is exceptional because so many exciting things are happening on the show!
Episodes
We have three amazing guests this month, plus our first-ever live event!
On October 7, Galen Grace will join us for a special episode with a live storytelling performance! The original piece he performs on the show is a work of creative non-fiction intended for live storytelling. Structured around a tattoo he got this summer, the story recounts two trips he took to the desert Southwest in recent years — “trips” in multiple senses of the word — as part of a quest to heal his grief from a series of personal losses and get his “spiritual groove” back. The events changed his life in ways he never imagined and brought him face-to-face with his mortality.
I loved talking to him about the experiences he recounts in the story. We didn’t get a chance to talk about his initial awakening in 2004 on the show, but you can read about it on his website. I am also very excited that I have a tantra session planned with him this week — something I’ve always been curious about but have never experienced. If you live in Pittsburgh and want to experience this, you can find more information about that here.
He will also be traveling this fall. He will be in St Petersburg, FL from 11/26-12/3, servicing all of the Tampa Bay area. You can find out more about that and other future travel on his Tryst ad.
On October 14, my friend Kaytlin Bailey will join us to discuss her show “Whore’s Eye View,” which combines comedy with a historical perspective on sex work, blending stand-up comedy with a real history lecture. She shares how her father’s military background and her experiences as a sex worker influenced her writing, exploring themes of exploitation and violence across different professions. Through her show, Kaitlyn aims to provide a nuanced understanding of sex work by juxtaposing it with other forms of labor and highlighting the boundaries and consent involved in both.
Kaytlin also talks about her passion for boxing, which started as a way to channel her aggression and has become a recreational hobby. She explains how boxing has helped her process emotions, overcome trauma, and stay connected to her body. Jessie and Kaitlyn discuss the parallels between their experiences in sex work and boxing, emphasizing the importance of boundaries, consent, and self-discovery in both fields.
Kaytlin also shares insights from her travels and experiences boxing in different countries, noting cultural differences and similarities in boxing gyms worldwide. The episode concludes with Kaytlin discussing her upcoming projects, including future performances of “Whore’s Eye View,” and sharing resources for listeners interested in sex worker rights advocacy.
Her show will be running in NYC at HERE Arts Center from October 10-27, so if you’re in NYC, make sure to check it out!
On October 21, I’ll be chatting with Gem DeMilo about turning 40 and choosing to remain single, and the changes that have come to her life because of it. She shares her journey of moving from Chicago to North Carolina and the breakup that led her to embrace being single. She talks about the personal growth she’s experienced, emphasizing the importance of friendships and self-love. The conversation also touches on societal expectations of romantic relationships and the stigma of being single, especially for women. Gem highlights how she has found fulfillment and love in non-romantic relationships, such as friendships and her connection with her cat, Jean-Claude.
We also talk about financial independence for women, and the concept of “solo poly” as another way of identifying one’s relationship status. She ends the episode talking about her upcoming 40th birthday celebration in New Orleans, viewing it as an opportunity to celebrate her life in a way that fulfills her, regardless of traditional milestones like marriage.
You can find her in North Carolina, and her travel schedule is kept up to date on her website. You can also find her on X and Instagram.
On October 28, we will be dropping the recording of our first live event! Emily Foster, our producer, will be hosting the event, and playing the guitar and singing. We will have a panel that includes myself, former guest of the show Adrie Rose, and founder of Working Girls Press, Molly B. Simmons. We will also have a few readers who will be reading passages from The Holy Hour: Ashley Ramos, Melissa Milk, and Nicci from SWOP Pittsburgh.
If you are in Pittsburgh, we would love to see you there on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 7pm at Stay Gold Books. Many friends of the show will be there!
Get your tickets here.
After Parties
For our October After Parties, we have an old friend of the show: Melissa Milk! Due to the special nature of the last show of the month, we will only have 3 After Party episodes this month. But Emily, Melissa, and I cover a ton of topics in the three episodes, including some of the work that Melissa and I have done together, and you don’t want to miss them!
Guest Recommendations
Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner
Secure Love: Create a Relationship That Lasts a Lifetime by Julie Menanno
Candida Royalle and the Sexual Revolution: A History from Below by Jane Kamensky
Normal Women: 900 Years of Making History by Philippa Gregory
Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap
Jessie’s Updates
October will be a very busy month for me! I’m just getting back from Indianapolis, Indiana, where I toured for the first time with my friend Mia Grey. I had a great time catching up with her and making new connections!
Right after the live event on the 16th, I’ll be headed to Philadelphia, PA from the 17th to the 20th for a conference and to tour. My schedule is fairly filled up, but I will have space for perhaps one more appointment for those interested in seeing me in Philly!
In terms of the conference, I will be giving a talk at Philly’s Fatcon, talking about sexuality and fatness. I’m very excited to be a part of this event.
Support the Podcast
If you’re loving the season so far and want to help us reach more listeners, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!
And as always, if you’re subscribed to our Patreon for at least $5/month, you get all episodes and After Parties a week before they drop!
Sponsors & Collaborators
As always, we want to express our gratitude to Assembly Four for continuing to support our podcast through sponsorship. We also want to make sure to shout out our collaborator Black Venom Digital. If you are looking for a website or branding services, make sure to check us out! And lastly, I want to remind everyone that we are not a 501(c)(3) fiscally sponsored project of the Social Good Fund. This means that you can set up a recurring tax-deductible donation to help keep us going. If you’re interested in doing that, we have made it easy on our website!
We hope you enjoy all of the content we have planned for you this month! As always, feel free to reach out with questions, suggestions, and comments!
xoxo