Ours Is a Future Where Sex, Erotic, and Adult Industry Work Is Recognized as Valid Labor
How Gathering as Peers Is Co-Creating Ways of Being to Carry Us into the Future
Introduction
Hi. I am Jason Wyman / Queerly Complex. I am one of four Co-Founders of Culture Tending Commons, which includes Crystal Mason, Vanessa Rodriguez Minero, and Wendy Martinez Morroquin. We co-create tools, tactics, activities, and ways of gathering that grow Power-With.
One of those ways of gathering is called Peer Exchanges. Peer Exchanges gather affinity groups to explore topics, share ideas and resources, and connect with one another around topics crucial to that affinity group. Within the Peer Exchange, everyone is a comrade, and we have developed guides and flows to time and space that are grounded in solidarity, camaraderie, and equity.
In January 2025, I took our Peer Exchange Toolkit to Fivestar of Filthy Studios. Fivestar is a close friend, client, and comrade. In our conversations post election, Fivestar saw a need to gather her community in response to Project 2025. Together, we launched the first Sex Worker / Erotic Professional / Adult Industry Worker Peer Exchange.
What follows is the result of ten months of gatherings. Some were more open / a bit wider and invited more into circle to share around a specific topic. Some were a bit smaller as a way to craft, modify, and adapt to the specific needs, wants, and desires of sex workers, erotic professionals, and adult industry workers.
What’s resulting from our gathering as peers is a deeply committed core producing Sex Worker / Erotic Professionals / Adult Industry Workers Peer Exchanges, a wider circle contributing ideas, knowledge, skills, and resources, and a model others can use, adapt, or modify to also gather as peers.
I am incredibly proud of the what we are collectively creating through Culture Tending Commons and the Sex Worker / Erotic Professionals / Adult Industry Workers Peer Exchanges. We are demonstrating through practice that Power-With is possible here and now, which means it has always been here and will always be here.
And that is truly a power We All could use right about now.
What follows is what we—Fivestar, Polly Bombshell, and Amanda “Dusty” Wallace of Filthy Studios, Savannah Sly and Sasha Bee of EPA United and New Moon Fund, Ian O’Brien of PASS Certified, and I co-created over these last 10 months. It includes:
Who We Are & Where We Stand
How Do We Gather & What Do We Believe
An Agenda to Explore Addressing, Managing, Transforming Conflict
Notes from Our Peer Exchange by
Looking to deepen or brush up on your facilitation skills? Join Jason Wyman and Crystal Mason (with Culture Tending Commons) on Saturday, December 4, 2025, via Zoom for Facilitation for the Future.
Who We Are & Where We Stand
We are a collective of sex workers, erotic professionals, adult industry workers, allies, and advocates united to foster a society that values and respects our labor, our rights, and our humanity. Our goal is to dismantle stigma, combat discrimination, and eliminate systemic barriers in society. Our work is self directed while budding from our shared ideals; we call this autonomous collective action.
Through open dialogue, intersectional organizing, and mutual aid, we aim to:
Advocate for fair treatment, safe working conditions, and access to basic resources such as banking, housing, and healthcare.
Mobilize our collective power to combat the inequities perpetuated by hostile entities, discriminatory policies, and social misconceptions.
Build a cohesive and resilient community that transcends silos and fosters collaboration across all facets of our industries.
Amplify our voices in the media and public discourse to challenge stereotypes and promote accurate, humanizing narratives.
Ours is a future where sex, erotic, and adult industry work is recognized as valid labor, where our contributions are celebrated, and where we are empowered to thrive with dignity, safety, and autonomy. We believe in the transformative power of connection, education, and shared action to achieve a just society.
How Do We Gather & What Do We Believe
We intentionally gather small groups of peers together in mutual aid, care, and exchange to ensure all can participate / contribute and be heard, seen, and witnessed.
We center the needs of those most at risk by:
Reaching out to, including, and prioritizing those with lived experiences in the topics/spaces we are discussing/organizing around
Learning about the systems of racism, cisheteropatriachy, ableism, and ageism that negatively affect many sex workers, erotic professionals, and adult industry workers so that we can challenge them and not replicate them in our own communities and organizing.
Recognizing that what harms our colleagues harms all of us.
We strive to use technology (e.g. video conferencing, document creation & sharing, social media, messaging, AI, etc.) thoughtfully, with special consideration towards:
Anonymity and confidentiality
How data is stored and used
Commercial interests
Accessibility
We articulate goals, outcomes, roles, and agreements for Peer Exchanges by:
Providing clear communication of who’s doing what, when, and where
Using calendars or role charts to coordinate effectively and avoid burnout or duplication
Providing clear marching orders, next steps, or follow up
Setting meeting times for ease of understanding how / when to participate
We practice grace and patience for each other and ourselves by:
Assuming good intentions while staying open to feedback about your impact
Recognizing that we come from different backgrounds and experiences
Acknowledging that everyone makes mistakes.
Avoiding exclusion or shunning.
Rejecting punishment-based (anti-carceral) approaches
Committing to resolving issues directly with each other rather than through institutions
Co-creating an informed, collaborative process for addressing and transforming conflict
We make it accessible for people to get involved in Peer Exchanges by:
Honoring contributions at all levels, durations, and frequencies
Providing transparent and varied communication channels that meet people where they are (e.g. email, Signal thread, texting, etc.)
Designating an easy to access platform for updates, next steps, and decisions, ensuring they are documented so no one is left out / behind.
We acknowledge own boundaries and capacities and commit to not overcommitting
We practice discretion by:
Not sharing who is involved in this group so you do not accidentally out them
Being explicit about what information is just for the group and what can be shared out
We do not collaborate, convene, or communicate with law enforcement.
An Agenda to Explore Addressing, Managing, Transforming Conflict
Main Question
What tactics, tools, practices, and theories do we have or do we draw from to address, manage, and ultimately transform conflict within our sex workers, erotic professionals, and adult industry workers communities?
Goal
To gather up to 20 sex workers, erotic professionals, and adult industry workers to share strategies, tools, practices, and theories that can aid our intersecting communities in addressing, managing, and transforming conflict as a means to disrupt cycles of punishment, shame, exclusion, and abandonment.
Outcomes
A focused conversation between 12-20 sex workers, erotic professionals, and adult industry workers
An agenda informed by sex workers, erotic professionals, adult industry workers, advocates, and allies that can be easily replicated by others to facilitate conversation about addressing, managing, and transforming conflict
A list of strategies, tools, practices, and theories with citations that will be published and shared with the broader sex workers, erotic professionals, and adult industry workers communities
A step along the path of our Visionary Solidarity Statement
Links
Agenda
0:00 Casual Arrival
Play music and greet people as they arrive.
Invite people to share their name, pronoun, and where they are calling from in chat.
0:05 Grounding Breath
Invite people to connect with their body and being through breath.
0:10 Visionary Solidarity Statement, Guiding Principles, Agenda Review, Introductions
Share link to agenda in chat.
Read Visionary Solidarity Statement aloud.
Read Guiding Principles 1, 5, 8, 9 aloud.
Review Main Question, Goals & Outcomes on Agenda aloud.
Ask for any clarifying questions, feedback, or comments.
Check for understanding and consensus.
Invite people to introduce themselves
0:20 Three Case Studies on Conflict
Premise / History - SAVANNAH
In response to escalating political, economic, and social attacks against sex workers, erotic professionals, and adult industry workers, we (Fivestar of Filthy Studios, Ian O’Brien of PASS, and Jason Wyman / Queerly Complex) have gathered sex workers, erotic professionals, adult industry workers, advocates, and allies over Three Peer Exchanges to share ideas, resources, and tactics on topics crucial to our intersecting communities.
This has led to a Visionary Solidarity Statement, Guiding Principles, and the formation of a small Planning Team, including Fivestar, Polly Bombshell, and Dusty from Filthy Studios, Savannah Sly and Sasha Bee from EPA United and New Moon Fund, Ian O’Brien from PASS Certified, and Jason Wyman / Queerly Complex.
Over the Summer and Autumn of 2025, the Planning Team identified TWO crucial conversations / inquiries which keep coming up within the sex worker, erotic professional, and adult industry communities: Addressing, Managing, and Transforming Conflict AND Structures for Raising Funds from Fans (towards mutual aid and advocacy).
Together, the Planning Team adapted the Spring 2025 Peer Exchange model to include a refined Visionary Solidarity Statement, more precise Guiding Principles, additional forms for facilitating crucial conversations, and a broader, more diverse outreach list to engage in the conversations to generate shareable strategies, tools, practices, and theories.
For this conversation, our Planning Team pulled THREE CASE STUDIES based on personal and collective experiences that demonstrate aspects of conflict that frequently occur.
The FIRST CASE STUDY looks at Interpersonal Conflict between individuals or personal beefs that can lead to bigger conflicts when left unresolved or not addressed.
The SECOND CASE STUDY looks at Organizational Conflict or what happens when someone undermines movement organizing.
The THIRD CASE STUDY looks at Sexual Assault and the ripples of harm that generate conflict among individuals, groups, organizations, and businesses.
Each Case Study is timed and has a short overview and some initial guiding questions. Peers will be invited to first think about their responses for 2 minutes. Then, we will open conversation among the group. Notes will be taken during the conversation.
Check for understanding.
The Case Studies
15 min - FIRST - Interpersonal Conflict - DUSTY
Situation: We’re all at an industry event. Some people start talking about collabing, and others feel left out. Someone voices feeling excluded and/or unsupported.
Discussion Focus: How do we balance group inclusion with business goals? What steps can we take to avoid shunning?
25 min - SECOND - Organizational Conflict - IAN
Situation: An individual begins to take unilateral actions at odds with the collective’s principles. For example:
They give interviews to the media, presenting strategies and demands that the group hasn’t agreed on.
OR…They start separate meetings with the broader community, positioning themself as the group’s “leader.”
OR…They involve law enforcement in their local activities.
OR…When confronted, they proclaim they are being ‘unfairly targeted’ and threaten to publicly undermine the group on social media
Discussion Focus: What accountability structures could prevent or address unilateral actions without creating a culture of policing or mistrust? How might we communicate transparently with the broader community so misinformation doesn’t spread?
30 min - THIRD - Sexual Assault - FIVESTAR
Situation: A performer posts on social media about experiencing assault on set with another performer. The accused performer maintains innocence, and the community is divided about how to interact with both performers.
Discussion Focus: How do we chart a course towards truth, understanding, and repair while also having to navigate legal considerations, public perception, capacity, and know-how? What practices, strategies, policies, and resources are already available to cultivate safety for sex workers, erotic professionals, and adult industry workers, specifically around sexual assault? What is the role of a group in accusations of harm?
1:30 Summary of Conversation
Share survey to collect resources.
Jason (or someone else) summarizes the conversation thus far, including strategies, tools, practices, and theories shared.
Ask for any citations to be shared via CHAT so we can gather links.
1:45 Checking for Actions
See if there are any follow up / action items or next steps.
Ask WHO is going to do them for every item.
1:50 What’s Next from Peer Exchanges?
Does anyone want to join the Planning Group?
We will be compiling everything from this Peer Exchange into a PUBLIC POST via www.culturetending.com.
We will be convening Peers across even more sectors in early 2026 to discuss tactics for building Power With.
2:55 Closing Breath
Reconnect with body and being through breath.
Invite folks to leave with a bit more ease, a bit more connected, and a bit more resourced
3:00 Casual Departure
Notes from Peer Exchange, taken and compiled by Monique Starr
In Attendance
Fivestar
Polly Bombshell
Amanda “Dusty” Wallace
Savannah Sly
Ian O’Brien
Jason Wyman
Monique Starr
Sinn Sage
Soleil Merroir
Plus 3 Others
Case Study 1 (Interpersonal Conflict)- Read by Dusty
Having solidified group agreements, enforcing and setting clear boundaries around discrimination and exclusion, and holding people accountable for whorephobic, whorearchical, and oppressive comments is important for mitigating interpersonal conflict.
Being intentional with hiring consultants, planners, and trusted organizers who are aligned with the leadership team and goals and also can represent the most marginalized identities is helpful with building trust between leadership and attendees while simultaneously ensuring that people are feeling seen, heard, valued, and supported.
Give people a task/ice breakers/ guiding questions to lead the conversation and push people to talk to others in the group for a common goal.
Have a co-content creation opportunity (i.e. a photobooth, photographer,etc) to get people to naturally include themselves.
A question was asked about how we can approach situations where organizers don’t care about being inclusive or cause drama, and the general consensus was that we may have to refuse entry or refuse collaboration with people, groups, or entities that are unwilling to work cohesively and collaboratively.
Case Study 2 (Organizational Conflict)- Read by Ian
PR crisis management and communications training, consultants, or even org team members can communicate with the org on how to navigate and deescalate digital harm and conflict.
Calling people in and having probationary periods for when people go against grounding principles prior to escalating to removals helps.
Keeping things relational and maintaining/growing bonds within the group is helpful for how we learn how to approach people in conflict. We have to know and trust people to have better outcomes for conflict resolution.
Speaking to one another from a human perspective (outside of the work) to have conversations and build connections before conflict happens is helpful as well.
Assume good intentions, leading with curiosity– not accusation.
Having a game plan for worst-case-scenario situations and being calm, organized, and on a united front is crucial.
Reviewing community goals and also being mindful of adding principles that ensure higher levels of safety (i.e. not working with inviting law enforcement) .
Make sure that intersectional organizing is led by organizers!
Knowing people’s strengths and weaknesses and communicating them to the group is really important.
Some people are not meant to do group work.
Be patient.
Have a plan in place for community members that are diligent but also difficult to work with.
Case Study 3 ( TW: SA and Harm)- Read by Fivestar
We need more on set advocates, intimacy coordinators, sex educators to help support performers and workers.
We have to mitigate the potential for assault and abuse by:
Event staff, security, etc. being about barring entry for and removing people who are permanently banned from spaces and not allow them to attend and potentially cause further harm.
Being mindful that workers may be coming into sex work experiencing and dealing with their own sexual traumas, and the industry should start creating trainings to help support survivors who are also sex workers.
Support survivors and treat their experience seriously.
Allow survivors to define their own meaning and needs around restorative justice.
We need multiple policies and collaborations to promote cultural shifts and changes to promote safer practices in performer spaces.
Clip sites, cam sites, etc. need to have more workshops, blog posts, and training for performers to maintain safety.
Platforms need to take on the task to fund training and workshops and also hold workers accountable for not doing their due diligence to have safe work practices.
We have to rely on ourselves and other community members to make more content to support one another.
Reshare content and resources for orgs such as PASS.
Summary (Thematic Threads)
We need more intercommunal connection, relationship building and conversation is crucial in order to keep the work going.
We have to work together to curate resources for fellow sex workers.
Intersectionality matters, and we need to hold how we approach this work with the
same importance as the work being done.We are rich in resources, including our own curiosity, that teach us to adapt and respond rather than react.
Additional Resources
Culture Tending Commons- international group that guides peer exchanges for different forms of workers of various identities. The notes will be published on the site.
Bios of Planning Team
Fivestar
Fivestar, the owner of Filthy Studios, is an experienced and respected adult film director and producer, bondage rigger, and free speech advocate located in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is passionate about increasing the diversity of representation within the adult industry both in front of and behind the camera. She produces films that affirm and celebrate a wide variety of kinky desires, which requires care and attention at all stages of production.
Polly Bombshell
Polly Bombshell is a Latinx dominatrix, Daddy, Mistress, and sex worker rights advocate based in San Francisco. Polly was raised in the SF leather community and has a combined 18 years of experience as an educator and high-fetish Domina. She is a heavy player with a penchant for D/s and sadism, who loves to teach new sex workers and performers how to navigate both on their own. When she isn’t traveling, bartending, or hustling, Polly is a fixture at Filthy Studios and various gay leather events in San Francisco. She loves helping Fivestar and the Filthy team to destroy the barriers of censorship, ableism, fatphobia, and discrimination in the adult industry.
Amanda “Dusty” Wallace
Amanda “Dusty” Wallace (she/her) is a queer Latina from Oakland, California, dedicated to building inclusive, community-driven spaces. Beginning her career in the adult industry in 2012, she advanced to become Head of Community & Education at Kink.com, where she developed programs that fostered connection, learning, and empowerment.
With a background spanning events, social media, and brand strategy, Dusty specializes in creating environments that celebrate authenticity and spark meaningful engagement. She is deeply committed to advocacy for sex worker rights, LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC liberation, and animal welfare.
She currently works with Filthy Studios.
Savannah Sly
Speaking from lived and studied experience, Sly articulates the impacts of criminalization, surveillance, discrimination and stigma on sex workers and survivors of exploitation to lawmakers, the media, and general public.
Sly is the founder and co-director of New Moon Network, an intermediary fund that successfully channeled over $1,500,000 into sex worker-led organizations between 2022-2024. Recognizing the need for mentorship in the movement for sex workers rights, Sly launched Spokes Hub in collaboration with Woodhull Freedom Foundation to offer free online peer learning opportunities for advocates with lived experience in the sex trade.
As board president of SWOP USA, Sly successfully coordinated 40+ sex workers from across the US to appear on the cover of New York Times Magazine. An organizer at heart, Sly has played a powerful convening role for the ALCU-WA’s Tech Equity Coalition, and the #OldProProject.
More at www.savannahsly.com.
Sasha Bee
Sasha works at EPA United and New Moon Network.
Ian O’Brien
Ian O’Brien is the Executive Director of PASS Certified. With over 15 years of experience in the sexual and reproductive health and rights field; Ian has worked on issues of asylum, abortion access, sexuality and gender-based violence, and sex work. Ian studied Sociomedical Sciences and History, Ethics, and Law at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and holds BA in Multicultural Queer Studies from Humboldt State University.
Jason Wyman / Queerly Complex
Jason Wyman / Queerly Complex, was born upon the Land of 10,000 Lakes on what they are coming to know as Turtle Island, who has settled on Yelamu, which is also called San Francisco. Jason’s name means healer, or so they have been told since a young child, and they did not believe it until their father, Michael (Mike) James Wyman, and Jason mended their selves and one another as Mike died of mantle cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma across a screen and a country over all of 2020. What Jason has come to understand as the significance of their name is that healer does not mean healed or (even) healing. Rather, it is a positionality within the cosmos that allows one’s self to change & be changed by all that unfolds.
Wyman is also one half of Tree of Change, a consultant with AllThrive Education, a co-founder of Culture Tending Commons, a team member of Filthy Studios, and a creator of Chaos Poetry. They practice the art of relating to one’s self, each other, and the Cosmic Mysteries.