“But I have told people over and over again the fastest way to an Oscar is either on a pole or have — I’m telling you: sex sells, baby. Sex sells,” she said.
In a custom Louis Vuitton gown studded with silver sequins and a sleek side part reminiscent of old Hollywood, Emma Stone presented the Best Actress Award to 25-year-old Mikaela ‘Mikey’ Rosberg.
Mikey became the latest in a line of actors dating back to Janet Gaynor to win Oscars depicting the sex trade.
As she walked onto the stage in a strapless Dior haute couture gown, she was embraced by Stone. For a moment, the air of familiarity was mutual, for they are among the exclusive club of actresses who have won an Oscar Award before they turned 30.
However, the similarities do not stop there; both actors won for their portrayal of sex workers: Stone for the Yorgos Lanthimos directorial 'Poor Things' and Madison for Sean Baker’s 'Anora'.
The duo follow in the footsteps of stalwarts like Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Fonda, who won the award in 1960 and 1971 for their portrayal of sex workers.
For the longest time, female actors have always been encouraged to operate in stories that centre on men, demean women, strip their characters of dignity and put themselves through questionable public moral discussions.
I thought to myself why this is, and whether it lessens the stigma of such work, is a topic worth discussion.
The film is a dark love story about a stripper who marries the feckless son of a Russian oligarch and slowly watches her vision of a fairytale ending disappear before her eyes. But real-life sex workers have said the film portrays an optimistic view of the industry.
As a culture journalist, I moot the film as a signifier of society taking another step towards sex work being normalised as an occupation.
With many Kenyans venturing into sex trade, we are already in a new culture and era, where prostitutes have been de-stigmatised by the woke millennials and Gen-Zs. Culturally, we have the likes of [cam girl] Alice Kanini. OnlyFans is a household name. Julia Fox made a whole career off of the compelling intrigue of being a dominatrix at 16.
These things have become mainstream now. However, this new woke culture should also champion for policy-level reform.
While societal attitudes have shifted, particularly by the millennials and Gen-Zs, policy change is still much slower.
In general, the industry is much more accepted than it was 10 years ago, and I think Covid-19 pandemic and platforms like OnlyFans have had a big part to play in that. It’s much more exposed, and it’s almost cool to be a sex worker now.
In her acceptance speech for the best actress Oscar, Mikey thanked the sex worker community, saying: “I just want to say that I see you. You deserve respect and human decency. I will always be a friend and an ally, and I implore others to do the same.”
But sex workers across the globe say they
feel that Mikey and the film's director, Sean Baker, had both missed an
opportunity to advocate for real change.
Having celebrities back sex workers on a huge platform is commendable. It's a great step in the right direction
But if they could go just a little bit further and say: “We need full decriminalisation now,” that can actually have a much bigger impact.
The Ethical Stripper author Stacey Clare says celebrities naming sex workers in their awards acceptance speeches is a nice step in the right direction, helping to “humanise and de-stigmatise us in the public imagination”.
“But real progress is when sex workers can live without fear of criminalisation, having their children removed by social services, having their income confiscated by police or banking services, being disallowed from accessing future social support, housing or employment opportunities because being a sex worker is not something we can put on a CV," she says.
Often referred to as the ‘world's oldest profession’ due to its historical presence across various cultures and societies, sex work is a complex social issue that should be approached with sensitivity and understanding, recognising the diverse factors and perspectives involved.
The conversation surrounding sex work requires nuanced and compassionate engagement.
It's crucial to recognise the diverse experiences and perspectives of those involved, including sex workers, clients and those advocating for their rights.
Finding solutions that address the underlying social and economic factors contributing to sex work, while ensuring the safety and well-being of all involved, is a complex but necessary endeavour.
Let's foster open dialogue, free from judgment, to understand the complexities of sex work and build a future where human dignity is prioritised.
If we don't step up and embrace sex work as a viable career, then our brothers and sisters who do survival sex trade on the streets will continue to suffer worse and worse working conditions in these though economic times.
George Ooro is a journalist, blogger, editor-at-large, art critic and cross-cultural curator
