BONUS - The Token Asian: LIVE from the 2020 Sugar and Spice Sex Festival w/ Jolene Salonga, Naomi Vice, Salome Salvi and Joyen Santos

BONUS EPISODE TIME!

I was invited to moderate a panel at the 2020 Sugar and Spice Sex Festival this past August alongside some of my past guests (Jolene Salonga aka Pocket Phoenix and Naomi Vice) and future guests (Salome Salvi and Joyen Santos) on the podcast. The festival took place from August 1 - 15th was a completely virtual festival based in Singapore with most of the guests and audience-members based in Asia-Pacific. The aim of the festival was to change the belief that people raised in traditional societies are unable to express themselves when it comes to sex – what are their preferences and attitudes. The festival attempts to fill the gaps on the lack of sexual education and positive role models when it comes to sexuality.

This long-form podcast episode is dedicated to being "the token Asian". Our 100% Filipino-based panel compares and contrasts North American and Asian perspectives on sex work and how they share similarities and how they are also so very different. We discuss the history of colonialism in the Philippines, how our ideals are shaped in regards to roots in Catholicism and religion-based upbringing, colourism, fetishization of Asian bodies, sex work and human trafficking, parallels with policymaking and laws, education and ongoing progress. It is a super PACKED episode (dude, it's nearly 2 hours long!) and we deep dive into some of these troubling topics.

Thank you again to Martha Lee and the all of the organizers at the Sugar and Spice Sex Festival - it was a complete honour to speak at the festival and to have the opportunity to reach a wider audience. Thanks again to Joyen Santos for nominating me!