NEW YORK—Red Umbrella Talk, the five-part video series from journalist Laura Desiree and photographer/director Ellen Stagg that invites discussions about the persistent misinformation and stigmatization surrounding the topic of sex work, is set to start production on season two this winter.
After a successful Season One launch in August, where each weekly episode highlighted adult entertainers from different spaces within the industry—and themes such as “The Strip Club,” “Professional Domination,” “Escorting,” and “The Law”—Desiree says that season two will “introduce new aspects of sex work for audiences to further enrich their understanding of how today's professionals manage their careers.
“Season One started many conversations in my inboxes and online platforms, and I was thrilled to see this series reach so many people who wanted to continue these conversations and, of course, go deeper with even more questions about this fascinating and misunderstood industry. I am excited about the legendary names on board reflecting on the history of sex work stigma and hearing from the allies who are making a positive impact in the lives of all workers.”
Stagg expressed pride in the success and positive impact of Red Umbrella Talk’s first season and says that she’s excited to explore a wide variety of subject matters in season two. “I loved hearing from people who watched Red Umbrella Talk say how strong our guests were, and the insight into their lives was amazing; they were so moved by the speakers' candor and stories."
She enthused that the project is so important to her personally because she wants to “show the world that sex work is work, and it’s a great job that has freedom and agency over those who work it. It’s just like any job—it has its ups and downs.
“The war on sex work is heartbreaking, and the trickle-down from SESTA/FOSTA impedes on everyone’s First Amendment rights. It’s educational and an important subject matter and the show removes all these stigmas to illustrate how empowering sex work can be.
“I can’t wait to dive deeper into different perspectives on sex work. Gay, trans, medical, legends, how sex work was in the past, and trafficking... The first season teased us with what we thought sex work was all about, now let’s get deeper!”
After a successful Season One launch in August, where each weekly episode highlighted adult entertainers from different spaces within the industry—and themes such as “The Strip Club,” “Professional Domination,” “Escorting,” and “The Law”—Desiree says that season two will “introduce new aspects of sex work for audiences to further enrich their understanding of how today's professionals manage their careers.
“Season One started many conversations in my inboxes and online platforms, and I was thrilled to see this series reach so many people who wanted to continue these conversations and, of course, go deeper with even more questions about this fascinating and misunderstood industry. I am excited about the legendary names on board reflecting on the history of sex work stigma and hearing from the allies who are making a positive impact in the lives of all workers.”
Stagg expressed pride in the success and positive impact of Red Umbrella Talk’s first season and says that she’s excited to explore a wide variety of subject matters in season two. “I loved hearing from people who watched Red Umbrella Talk say how strong our guests were, and the insight into their lives was amazing; they were so moved by the speakers' candor and stories."
She enthused that the project is so important to her personally because she wants to “show the world that sex work is work, and it’s a great job that has freedom and agency over those who work it. It’s just like any job—it has its ups and downs.
“The war on sex work is heartbreaking, and the trickle-down from SESTA/FOSTA impedes on everyone’s First Amendment rights. It’s educational and an important subject matter and the show removes all these stigmas to illustrate how empowering sex work can be.
“I can’t wait to dive deeper into different perspectives on sex work. Gay, trans, medical, legends, how sex work was in the past, and trafficking... The first season teased us with what we thought sex work was all about, now let’s get deeper!”
Desiree added that “it's 2022, and we need a revolution that brings an end to these dangerous misconceptions. Our society has avoided getting the facts straight from the source since the start of this stigma, it's time they hear the truth about it.”
To learn more about Red Umbrella Talk, visit RedUmbrellaTalk.com.
Follow Red Umbrella Talk on Twitter @umbrella_talk, and on Instagram at @redumbrella.talk.
