In this episode of When We’re Not Hustling, Jessie Sage interviews Olivia Snow, a writer, professor, and dominatrix, to discuss the intersections of academia, labor rights, and the surveillance of sex workers. Olivia shares insights from her research on algorithmic surveillance and how technology, particularly smartphones, profiles sex workers. The conversation delves into themes of class, labor, and societal perceptions of sex work, weaving in elements from Olivia’s dissertation on cannibalism and capitalism in 19th-century American literature. Together, Jessie and Olivia reflect on their experiences and the broader implications of their work, offering a nuanced look at the complexities of the industry.
In This Episode:
00:01: Introduction to When We’re Not Hustling
01:23: Podcast Overview with Host Jessie Sage
02:44: Season Finale and Guest Introduction: Olivia Snow
05:01: Olivia Snow on Academia and Sex Work Research
06:53: Surveillance and Sex Work: A Discussion
10:22: Historical Context of Surveillance in Sex Work
12:30: Olivia Snow’s Academic Background
20:18: Cannibalism and Capitalism in American Literature
28:02: Class Dynamics and Sex Work
50:18: Sex Work, Queer Identity, and Community Dynamics
Guest:
Dr. Olivia Snow is a writer, professor, and dominatrix based in New York City. She’s currently a Visiting Assistant Researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles’s Department of Gender Studies and Center for Critical Internet Inquiry (C2i2), where she studies sex work, labor rights, tech, and policy. She’s written for WIRED, The Daily Beast, Jezebel, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Nation, Slate, and Motherboard/VICE, and she’s been quoted in stories on sex work and whorephobia for Business Insider, Buzzfeed, CNN, The Daily Dot, Fast Company, Forbes, Glamour, The Guardian, Inside Higher Ed, Mashable, MEL Magazine, The New York Post, Paper Magazine, Polygon, Prism, TechCrunch, The Washington Post, and more.
You can find Olivia:
Website: doctrixsnow.com
Instagram: @mistresssnowphd
Recommendations:
Pretty Baby, by Chris Belcher
The Rest:
Host: Jessie Sage
Producer: Emily Foster
Music: Benjamin J Benamati
Sponsor: Assembly Four
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