How Paying for Intimacy Changes Everything (Andrea Werhun)

About this episode

Andrea Werhun discusses her memoir and documentary 'Modern Whore', exploring the complexities of sex work and its relation to other forms of intimate labor.

Andrea Werhun is an author, filmmaker, and former sex worker whose memoir and documentary Modern Whore challenge how we think about sex, labor, and stigma. In this wide ranging and often funny conversation, Andrea and Amanda dig into the making of the film, including its stylized recreations, dark humor, and the moment Amanda found herself rethinking whether sex work is truly different from other forms of intimate labor like therapy, caregiving, or au pairing. Along the way, they unpack the role of criminalization in creating harm, the politics of shame, and why putting a price on access to your body can radically change how you understand boundaries, value, and freedom. Modern Whore is out May 1, 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Amanda Knox

Guest: Andrea Werhun

Topics covered

• sex work
• intimacy
• labor
• stigma
• boundaries
• value
• freedom

Keywords

• sex work
• intimacy
• labor
• stigma
• boundaries
• freedom
• Modern Whore
• Andrea Werhun
• Amanda Knox

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Modern Whore

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