Spectra Simon Dennis 2026 grant
Grant news
Ess Wellness is a recipient of the 2026 Simon Dennis award from Spectra, the London-based non-profit that offers free, peer-led support, sexual health and counselling for marginalised and diverse communities. You might be familiar with Spectra's Alex sex worker (SWer) health project.
My grant application proposed 2 projects: one about aging and sex work (SW), the other looking into setting up a campaign for equitable health and wellness care for SWers. I’ll only be doing the second if there is budget left over from the first.
Aging and SW
This project is born out of my experience of starting stripping at 38 and ending up dancing longer than I planned into my 50s, combined with body image issues and a fear of the signs of aging both in general but also as it relates to stripping.
It will include one or two events showcasing older SWers currently or recently working in the industry. The audience will be SWers only.
The final format will be decided in collaboration with participants in order to respect their sensitivities around being outed/needing to keep their identity confidential. I’ve got two provisional formats as a starting point: one including a panel-type discussion and stage shows, the other being a more informal workshop/discussion. This will be held in London and the project must be concluded by June 2027.
Separate to that I will be holding an online 1 hour workshop on this topic funded through the ELSC, but which will include speakers and audience outside of the UK - more details coming soon.
Goals of the project are:
- to help lessen the internalised ageism we can feel as SWers
- help the life choices made by younger SWers given the pressure to look young to be attractive
- change attitudes towards and treatment of older SWers
- increase the safety and wellbeing for all
- facilitate a knowledge share between veterans and newer workers in the industry
Other possible outcomes:
- the chance to create new and collaborative connections between workers
- allow older SWers to get some recognition – workers with longevity in other industries would get recognition and accolades but we generally don’t get that chance in this industry
Campaign for Equitable Health and Wellbeing Care for SWers
This project directly relates to the original aim of Ess Wellness which was to provide SWer affirmative and specific health and wellbeing support, given the well-known issues we all face getting appropriate care. I’ve written about those issues here.
It also builds on the work we’ve done in the peer support group I started and facilitate for health and wellness practitioners with a SW background. I’ve covered the way stigma affects us in this demographic and how that has a knock-on effect to service users too here.
The idea would be to educate and advocate for equitable care for SWers through in-person diversity training, online resources, and PR campaigns, led by health and wellness professionals either allied or with lived experience, and partnering with accrediting bodies, health care clinics, publications in the field and other relevant stakeholders and organisations.
This would pull together some of the amazing work already being done in this area as well as generate some new initiatives.
