This interview is for "Hailing Hellions," a Q&A series where I interview sex workers (or ex-sex workers) who have modeled for me and my Sex Positivity* book project. Today's guest is Allie Reads! This is the SFW version; click here for the SFW-version interview compendium!

*The longer title being Sex Positivity versus Sex Coercion, or Gothic Communism: Liberating Sex Work under Capitalism through Iconoclastic Art (2023). Part of an overarching movement that connects sex positivity to what I call "Gothic (gay-anarcho) Communism," Sex Positivity essentially provides a hybrid; i.e., one established between academic (Gothic, queer, game and Marxist) theories, and wherein applied theory towards universal liberation is achieved by challenging Capitalist Realism (the inability to imagine a world beyond Capitalism) at a grassroots level. To it, Gothic Communism specifically occurs through direct mutual worker action and informed intersectional solidarity relayed through Gothic poetics: BDSM, monsters, and kink, but specifically what I call "ludo-Gothic BDSM." 

General CW: BDSM, Gothic content and theatrics (e.g., rape play and death theatre), as well as sex worker abuse and bigotry of various kinds (variable per interview); discussions of sex work, underwear photos/photos of sex toys, and fascism

Concerning Images, Censorship and Permissions: All images are of the model or myself unless otherwise stated. As this is the SFW version of the interview, the images are relatively tame, cropped or censored; to see the spicier stuff each model offers, go to the NSFW version of this series on my website. Any publicly available images are exhibited for purposes of education, transformation and critique, thus fall under Fair Use; private nude material and collabs with models are specifically shared with permission from the original model(s). For more details about artist permissions, refer to the book disclaimer.

About the series: Like the book series it attaches to, "Hailing Hellions" aims to educate and critique; i.e., by raising awareness towards sex worker rights, but also gender-non-conformity through Gothic counterculture. This extends to gender identity (e.g., trans, enby or intersex) but also orientation and performance; i.e., BDSM and sex positivity through various Gothic theatrical roles that invite things beyond vanilla, heteronormative (thus conservative, reactionary and harmful) sexuality. I would consider this to be things like mommy dommes and consent-non-consent, breeding fantasies and heavy metal (e.g., Satanic material and the Gothic at large). Also, these questions are broader insofar as they cover wide praxial/poetic ideas and concepts. Regarding these, the opinions of the subject and myself are not identical, but often overlap through us collaborating together to raise awareness.

About the interviewee: Allie is someone I met on Bluesky while looking to continue working with SWers after my book series concluded (re: "It Began with a Whisper," 2025). In short, I saw her work recently, liked it, and decided to reach out; she responded, and we went from there!

0. Persephone: Hi, everyone! My name is Persephone van der Waard. I'm a trans-woman erotic artist, sex worker, writer/author and researcher who specializes in cross-media studies; i.e., I have my independent PhD in Gothic poetics and ludo-Gothic BDSM (focusing on partially on Metroidvania).

Allie, could you introduce yourself and share a little about yourself with our audience?

Allie: Hello! I'm Allie, aka alliereadsxsmut. I like to describe myself as a "polite menace" (taken from Our Flag Means Death). On the surface, I embody sugary sweet princess tendencies, but if you dig a little deeper, I'm actually quite the delightful deviant!

I've been dabbling in sex work for approximately 7 years now, though I've only just gone full time within the last year. My key focuses are: high quality/artful nudes, personalized customer experiences, and any projects that tickle my fancy. Some of my favorite forms of content to do are sexting and girlfriend experiences [with a mommy element].

On a more personal note, I am an avid reader with a preference for the genres: dark romance, romantasy, thrillers, and horror. You'll also find I have intense interest in house plants, cozy videogames, Pokémon!

1. Persephone: This book project views sex positivity as a liberating act. What does sex positivity mean to you? Illustrating mutual consent; i.e., can porn illustrate mutual consent when sex workers are constantly dehumanized by the profit motive and the status quo?

Allie: So, when I started dabbling in online sex work I was about 22 years old. At the time, I wasn't entirely convinced much would come from it (the result of serious self-doubt and esteem issues), but I was terribly curious. My sexual proclivities in real life were limited and based heavily on trust (or lack thereof, rather), so joining an online platform to explore my curiosities while making a little extra pocket change seemed like something worth trying.

I made the choice and while the entirety of my experience wasn't always pleasant, I will say that it has been personally liberating. Through my many interactions with clients and the dreaded time wasters, I have learned to not only set boundaries, but to enforce them as well. Sex work has helped me grow in both confidence and contentedness with myself as well as offered an avenue for creative sexual expression.

2. Persephone: In your mind, what is the biggest struggle facing sex workers today?

Allie: It's difficult to settle on one struggle and label it the "biggest". There's so many issues that immediately come to mind, to the point where it's difficult for me to articulate an answer to this question. However, if I had to choose one, I guess I'd say the overarching theme of hate and the desire to erase us from all possible spaces. You have payment processors trying to police the platforms we exist on, government officials trying to criminalize us, and even social medias banning us at even the slightest suggestion that we may be NSFW. Mind you, these same people are probably active consumers of pornography. They just don't want to see us with any sort of autonomy.

3. Persephone: How do you feel about sex work being work, thus paying sex workers for their labor? This can be unions, but also their representations in media at large.

Allie: It's as valid a job as any other and I don't think most people understand how much actual work goes into it. Most independent sex workers are: the model, the photographer, editor, marketing team, customer service rep, etc. The misconception that it's "easy" to be a sex worker grates me because it is not easy in the slightest. The work we do is very real and should be acknowledged as such, but it's not very often that it is.

There's a lot of changes that need to be made within the industry, but I'm not going to pretend I'm someone who knows where to start. I don't have the knowledge to speak on it.

4a. Persephone: What drew you to the project/interested you in working on it together with me?

Allie: Well, I was pretty thrilled when you reached out and I took a look into the work you're doing. I have worked with artists before and it's always been a wonderful experience. The way I see it, we're both artists with an interest in positively promoting sex workers so there was really no way I was going to decline!

4b. Persephone: How has that experience been for you? Can you describe it a little?

Allie: I've had a lovely time working on this with you! Taking the photos was fun, but the real joy has been interacting with you throughout. I'm the type of person who appreciates conversation, sharing interests, and working collaboratively on projects. This experience has offered me all of the above.

5. Persephone: What do you enjoy most about sex work? What got you started in it?

Allie: I already touched a little bit on this, at least on how I got my start. What I enjoy most, though, is being able to express myself both sexually and artistically. Growing up, I always had an interest in photography and aesthetics. I'm now able to create bright, dreamy nudes that I think are as visually pleasing as they are pleasurable to look at. It's just fun for me really! I like being able to embrace being the sweetie kinky freak that I am.

6. Persephone: Do you have a favorite piece of sex work that you've done, in terms of custom material?

Allie: I think my favorite would have to be "Fishnets: A Study In Lines & Curvature" (above, 2025), which is an artist funded project that 515Art and I cooked up together after they were inspired by one of my previous fishnet posts. The community came together, crowdfunding $500 for me to create a 50+ photo bundle that would serve as a reference pack for NSFW artists. It was honestly such an incredible experience and is still my favorite set of photos to date.

7. Persephone: Do you friends and family know about the work that you do? How do you talk about it with other people who aren't sex workers; i.e., how do you communicate sex worker rights to non sex workers?

Allie: My closest friends and family are aware that I do sex work. They are incredibly supportive and often curious (I'm able to discuss my work successes and frustrations regularly with my best friend). I'm fortunate in that they are open and receptive whenever I speak on matters of sex workers rights and struggles, but there are nuances and complications as well. However, for my own safety and comfort, I cannot get into the specific details of certain interactions I've had that didn't go as positively.

(cited originally: "Trans TERFs, NERFs, and Queer Bosses," 2022)

8. Persephone: What are your thoughts on TERFs in sex work; i.e., those who devalue GNC minorities (and other marginalized groups) in the same profession (e.g., J.K. Rowling, who I dissect [alongside other bad actors, above] in my essay, "Dead on Arrival," 2026)?

Allie: I do not support any creators who are hateful towards any marginalized groups and non-inclusive, though I apply that as a general philosophy in life. When those creators come to light or are brought to my attention, I block accounts where necessary and circulate the posts & media of those who were harmed by their actions. Whenever and wherever possible, I use my account to uplift and circulate my fellow creators, especially those who are trying to find more reach for their voices.

9. Persephone: How do you feel about billionaires? Israel and Palestine?

Allie: Fuck billionaires. Fuck Trump. Fuck ICE. Free Palestine.

All I can say is that while it feels exhausting to keep fighting against the fascists, we have more power when we stand together and rebel against the atrocities that continue happening every single day. Do what you can, when you can, however you can. Even small rebellions add up.

10. Persephone: There's often a strong theatrical component to sex work and BDSM; i.e., costumes, gender roles, aesthetics of power and death, music, makeup. How do these things intersect for you, and do they cross over into real life for you? For example, do you find yourself wearing similar clothing and expressing yourself sex-positively when you're not on the clock?

Allie: While I admire creators who lean into the theatrical, I am not one of those creators. Comfort is key with me, so I focus primarily on wearing things I would normally on any other given day. For me, it's fun to turn a thrifted flannel into something titillating. However, I am also just a girl. I love pretty lingerie… if it has a garter belt, I want it!

11. Persephone: There's often an animal component to sexuality and gender expression, helping workers establish close bonds with each other and nature; i.e., furries, but also therians and various kinks; e.g., puppy play. How do you feel about these things, be they for work, pleasure, or both?

Allie: I never really considered myself a furry, but I've recently found that I quite enjoy dressing up a bit as my doe-sona, which came into creation thanks to the aforementioned 515Art. I modeled a couple photos for them to help bring to life an unfinished faun character they had… and accidentally slipped into the role myself. Now I think it's become a popular character to represent me on my page, and it's been quite fun! I like the fantasy and whimsy of it.

12. Persephone: Sex workers are generally treated as monsters to harm and exploit under capital. Do you have a preferred way of expressing the humanity of sex workers, be that simply stating it or through the work that you do, art, or some combination, etc?

Allie: Personally, I think I sort of do this through posting about my interests & hobbies that aren't NSFW. If I'm excited about a new plant, book, or Pokémon card I'll just nerd about it on my profile or try to blend those interests with my work. I'll also make it very clear when working with a client what I am and am not interested in. I've had to interject in a few sexting sessions to let the person know that I'm not into or interested in certain things. Just because I'm working for you at that moment doesn't mean I'm not allowed to have boundaries or turn offs.

13. Persephone: What's the most stressful thing about sex work? The most liberating?

Allie: The most stressful thing about it for me is probably the inconsistency of it. You never know when things will be slow and it'll be a bit of a frenzy trying to reach certain goals. Some weeks are more stressful than others. However, it is nice to be able to set my own schedule, rules, and boundaries. It's a bit of a double edged sword, but it's one I'm currently content with.

14a. Persephone: What are your favorite monsters (i.e., undead, demons, and or anthromorphs) and why?

Allie: I am a certified monster fucker so… really I love them all! If I had to pick a favorite though, I'd probably go for a minotaur? I like the big brawny types and two of my favorite tropes in smutty books has to be "how the fuck is that going to fit inside me" paired with intense breeding kink. I want intense scenes with buckets of cum oozing out at the end.

14b. Persephone: Media-wise, do you like to read, watch movies, and or play videogames just for fun, but also to gather ideas about gender-non-conformity expression, BDSM and other sex-positive devices?

Allie: I enjoy all of the above, though I'd say most of my sex-positive media comes through the romance/dark romance novels I read. It's nice to know I'm not the only person who is excited by the fictional concept of a stalker falling in love with me (CnC kink) or becoming the fated mate to a beastly creature (monster fucking & breeding kinks).

15. Persephone: What are your thoughts on sex/porn and art, business and pleasure? I like to mix them to form healthier boundaries established between workers; how do you feel about this?

Allie: As a creator, I think it's important to only do it if you enjoy it. Yes, this is a business and I am providing a service, but I find I'm able to provide a better experience and service if I'm also finding some degree of pleasure in it. While it's important to establish certain boundaries, I don't think there's any issue in mixing your own pleasure into the process as well!

16. Persephone: I value establishing mutual trust, healthy communication and boundary formation/negotiation and respect, seeing them to be the most vital qualities in any relationship. Do you agree, and if so, why?

Allie: I agree wholeheartedly. If there's no respect and clear discussion of boundaries and expectations in any sort of relationship, it's not a relationship worth maintaining. I apply this heavily in my work space as well. When I feel like a potential isn't respecting me or listening to my personal comforts/boundaries, the odds of me blocking them to end all communication is very high. This is the same for personal relationships as well. I've been through too much to waste my time on people who are not going to afford me the same amount of mental and emotional space as I do for them.

17. Persephone: How do you orient and what are your thoughts on polyamory insofar as it affects your work? For the layperson/uninitiated, how would you describe the difference between a fuck buddy/FWB and other more casual relationships versus serious ones? Can people be friends and still have sex in a casual manner? What is the most valuable aspect of a friendship regardless if sex is a part of the equation or not?

Allie: I maintain a very strict boundary of keeping my personal romantic relationships separate from my work because it is not an aspect of my life that I'm willing to share or find necessary to share, considering my online presence is strictly for sex work, not for dating.

With that aside, I do disclose that I'm a bisexual individual who actively engages in platonic flirting with my mutuals (who consent to be flirted with) because it's fun and it feels good for everyone involved. I think the same could be said for fuck buddy/FWB dynamics. Not all sexual relationships need to be romantically intimate. There's still value to be had in physical and platonic intimacy. Friendship, with or without sex, is important to me because the people I hold close offer me support and comfort when I need it. Friends, to put it simply, are people who add more joy to my life and I think we all need more of that.

18. Persephone: What advice would you give incels, nice guys and other cis-het men (or token groups; e.g., TERFs and cis-queer tokens, etc) displaying bigoted attitudes towards women and other marginalized groups?

Allie: I'm not sure there's any real advice you can give people from these groups, though it hasn't been for lack of trying. A good portion of the time they are unwilling to listen because they can't hear over the sound of their own berating voices. The best thing we can continue to do is to speak loudly, proudly, and continue existing in spaces they are trying to chase out of. If someone happens to quiet themselves long enough to pay attention to what we're saying, I would advise them to do reading, research, and learn to participate in advocacy and kindness.

19. Persephone: Likewise, what advice would you give to more privileged groups that need to understand the value of listening to those more oppressed than them in a larger struggle for liberation?

Allie: The same applies here I think. There's so much information out there. So many books, articles, and media at any one person's fingertips if they choose to put the effort into finding it and learning from it. My advice is to do the work. Do the reading. Listen to the voices you've been deaf to and hear what they're saying. Once you've done that, continue taking steps to better yourself and offer support to the those who are asking for it in the ways that you're able to.

20. Persephone: Similarly, for those thinking about doing sex work for the first time, where is a good place to start with that; i.e., what advice would you give to those starting out based on your own experiences?

Allie: To anyone who is considering sex work for the first time, I'd highly suggest you take several weeks, or even months to think about it before jumping into it. This business is not an easy one. The misconception that you'll post a few nudes online and make thousands of dollars is running so rampant now. It's important to know that is not the result for most sex workers. Most of us barely scrape together more than $800 or so a month. The sensationalized personalities you see on TikTok and other social media are the minority in this industry. It won't be easy. It takes more work than most people realize, and once you post something on the internet, it will be there forever. Consider the risks in addition to the potential advantages.

21. Persephone: Does fucking to music, roleplay and other theatrical elements make sex better?

Allie: I think it can, depending on the persons participating. Everyone's preferences and kinks are different, so it's really just a matter of what the consenting parties are into. Sometimes I enjoy fucking with music on, but I can go without it. I also enjoy roleplaying or adding a bit of spice to sexual encounters, though that's just my personal opinion. What feels good for me might be a vastly different experience for someone else, so I can't really say these elements make sex better on a broad spectrum. It comes down to personal interests.

22. Persephone: Connections between sex workers and clients is often discrete under capital. Can a degree of friendship and intimacy make for a better relationship between the two?

Allie: I think so. I've had a handful of clients that have become friends of mine, though I think that is the result of my own personable nature. Even though I've met these people through work, I'll often check in to see how clients are doing and ask about their day. I would want the same kindness, so I give it out. However, this isn't to say every interaction has to blossom into a friendship. Professional acquaintances works just as well, I just have a slight preference and tendency to establish "long term" dynamics with clients and that often results in some sort of friendship.

23. Persephone: Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, and also for working on Sex Positivity with me. If people want to follow you, where can they follow you and support what you do?

Allie: It's been my pleasure! Anyone looking to see more of my work or online presence can follow me on my Bluesky profile or my Fansly profile. These are my primary platforms at the moment, but I may look into adding more in the future!