The Shame Isn’t Yours to Carry

Many sex workers carry shame they didn't create. It comes from headlines, family comments, jokes on TV and the quiet assumptions people make.

Shame versus guilt

Guilt says "I did something wrong." Shame says "I am something wrong." Guilt can be useful because it points to something we can repair. Shame rarely is.

Handing it back

One exercise I use: when a shameful thought appears, ask whose voice is this? Often it belongs to someone else, like a parent, a news story or an ex. Naming the source makes it easier to put down.

You can take the stigma seriously without taking it personally.