Annie Sprinkle brings 'sex-positive' message to Sudbury conference

Annie Sprinkle might justhave one of the most interesting resumesyou've ever read:former sex worker andporn actor,artist,academicand activist. This week, the self-described "sex-positive feminist" brought her message to Greater Sudbury.

• What Canada can learn from Swedish and German prostitution laws

California-basedSprinklewas invitedto give the keynote address at a conferencethis week called "Building Inclusive Communities with Sex Workers."

It aimed in partto help break down some of thestigma around sex work,and help Sudburyprofessionals who interact with sex workers including police, social and health care workers to gain a more nuanced understanding of the profession and the people involved.

"People think they know us, or they layer on their own prejudice andjudgmentalismover us," said Sprinkle, whoseown foray into sex work started 42 years ago.

"I was a young hippie, and I started out in a massage parlour in Tucson, AZ, and was doing massage, and it was the time of free love," she said.

"I was interested in exploring sex. And then at18, I ended up making a porn film, and I stayed inprostitutionand makingpornfor 22 years and then bridged into art about sex."

'Alot of us really love our work'

"I developed what I call 'Post-Porn'," she continued. "[It's]more experimental and conceptual and feminist and queer ... and kind of opened a door for people to make stuff more outside the usual."

Sprinkle bornEllen F. Steinberg went on to become the first pornographic actor and sex worker in the USto achieve aPhD. She studiedhuman sexuality, interviewing sex workers about what they wanted to learn in continuing education.

It turns out they didn't want to learn how to sew or work in a factory. They wanted to learn financial management.

"We're a pretty smart bunch, actually ... People are smart in different ways. Whores are my heroes ... they're always fighting different kinds of stigma and their own shame and difficult situations."

Sprinkle acknowledged that her career has been a happy and interesting one based on choice and not desperation.

"I've been lucky ... for some sex workers, they really need to get out of the business. But, a lot of us really love our work."

Listen to the complete interview with Annie Sprinkle here.

Up North9:27Porn star with PhD speaking in Sudbury about sex worker rights

Annie Sprinkle has a PhD in sexuality and gives out awards to sex workers for their contribution to society. We'll meet the former prostitute, porn star and activist who is in the north to tell her story.