Joel Michael Anderson Explores The Glitzy/Gritty World Of Sex Work In “Doxy”
For many, sex work is a primary source of income. The industry promises glamour and profits for those who are successful; OnlyFans provides the latest example of some people making significant profits from sex work.
Joel Michael Anderson has released his directorial debut with a short film titled Doxy that unpacks the real danger and risks related to the sex work industry and he mines his first-hand experiences to create a gritty and realistic depiction of the lives of sex workers.
DOXY (N) – A PERSON OF LOW MORALS, SPECIFICALLY A PROSTITUTE
Although Johnny Ford’s life seems to be filled with carnal pleasures, free-flowing cash and pumping nightlife, the shadowy dangers lying just at the edge of his world begin to creep closer to the centre as he parties his way through life.
Johnny Ford is the real nom-de-porn of director Joel Michael Anderson who used his experiences as a sex worker to make Doxy. The film is styled as a documentary with much of the action appearing to be shot on a camera phone.
After a night of party drugs, go-go dancing and casual sex, Johnny picks up a client and meets him at his hotel room where he is subsequently tricked into performing services without being paid. Following this, Johnny says he feels like he has been raped by the client, who was on meth.
“It’s good work for many, but a dangerous hustle,” says Anderson. “Workers risk drug contact, STDs, rape, physical abuse, or just plain being taken advantage of, as well as all the stress on mental health that comes with it. And society’s inability to talk openly about it puts so many current and potential sex workers in the dark for resources on sexual health and warnings about drug culture.”
Although it’s important to destigmatise sex work, it’s equally important to recognise the dangers that come with the job. Doxy explores exactly that through the lens of an actual sex worker who has seen first-hand the highs and lows of the industry.
Anderson hopes that Doxy helps encourage conversations about queer sex work that move away from stigma and towards clarity.
