“Before working in strip clubs, I struggled to read people’s emotions through cues like facial expressions, postures, and tone of voice in real time.” 

“I’m applying for my green card soon, and I’m afraid that a record of me working in sex work could affect my application,” Ruby said.

“This is the human toll of capitalism. When we commodify our energy to make our current system appear enjoyable and fulfilling, we’re left with shells of ourselves. The mask of strength we wear to earn a living, the shimmery cloak of optimism, it empties the soul and strips us of the opportunity for connection. “

“Minors coerced into sex for money, minors coerced to perform in pornographic content are part of our current world. But the perpetrators, in most cases, hide behind a familiar face. One study of 150 adult survivors who indicated that they had appeared in sexual abuse material as children found that 82% of abuse was organized by a direct family member, who either shot the content or facilitated others doing so”

What do Courtney Love and Greta Thunberg have in common? They both speak their minds, distrust power, and they're both autistic. These two vanguards show us the political potential of autism.”

“In the few films depicting autistic characters, their role usually illustrates the burden they place on the people around them. But Keep The Change veers from that trend and highlights how judgmental attitudes strain and harm autistic people.”

“Autism and sex work seem like they would be on opposite ends of a spectrum. Autistic people are perceived as unemphatic, reclusive, and fearful of touch, while sex work requires the ability to foster emotional connection and sometimes engage in physical contact. Because of these perceptions, the notion of an autistic sex worker seems unimaginable, paradoxical even.”

“In a profession that’s been repeatedly silenced by society, social media radically displays sex work to the public. Strippers are no longer faceless women working in scary seedy places, but people with lives outside of their lace and lingerie.”

“From a very young age, those socialized as girls are expected to more vocal, caring, and organized than their male counterparts. Many autistic girls find ways to camouflage their differences to cope and adapt to the added social pressure, some effectively masking their autism for years.”

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“Regardless of how or why, stripping is our job — and it’s our right to work without fear just like everyone else.”

“My inability to properly plan ahead and complete daily tasks has dwarfed my personal growth and well-being since I moved away from home seven years ago. I live in a constant state of disorder.”

“I won’t sanitize the industry for you Mom. “Sometimes managers and customers are pushy and calloused. Sometimes I drink excessively. Sometimes men and women grab my boobs so hard I cry out. Sometimes, I call you after a bad night, but I always hang up.”

“The fear of catching a disease from someone is back.”

“Long hours with complex social interactions can make formal work impossible. We find a remedy for this in sex work because it has built-in accommodations that are scoffed at in other jobs: flexible hours, ability to take off extended periods of time and an option to work from home.”

‘When consensual sex work is no longer a crime, it will become easier to understand and recognize what victimization looks like in the sex industry and identify who is in need of support and help.”

“Non-verbal consent is a way for me communicate my boundaries when money is on the table.”

“According to OSHA, contractors are self-employed, and are therefore personally responsible for whatever injuries they sustain on the job. In strip clubs, this means that managers are not accountable for strippers’ injuries. In a job that often combines drinking, acrobatics, and heels, lack of repercussions for safety is dangerous and potentially deadly.”

 “Sex work is seen as lower class and dirty in the imaginary.”

“Misogyny teaches us sexual labor is worthless and doesn’t contribute any value to society. But strip clubs and other forms of sex work, like cam chat rooms and brothels, are spaces that acknowledge the value of femininity by encouraging customers to pay workers for their charms, conversation skills and sexual energy.”

“For a sliver of a second, I wondered if he’d hurt me if I said no. But that worry was eclipsed by my desire—my ache for touch and spontaneity during a time when the chances for both were rapidly diminishing. Once we kissed, I couldn’t stop. I didn’t feel the dread I felt before with men. I didn’t feel the pressure to feign pleasure. I wanted him. For real.”