Empower Girlfriends Podcast — Episode 14

Sex work is work—but for Black women, it’s also layered with stigma, safety concerns, and systemic barriers. This episode dives into the lived realities of Black women in the industry, from navigating agency and empowerment to confronting criminalization, healthcare discrimination, and HIV risk. We explore how access to prevention tools like PrEP, regular testing, and supportive care can make a difference. It’s time to move beyond judgment and listen to the real stories, struggles, and victories of those who live it.

Learning Objectives

• Identify at least three systemic barriers that impact Black women engaged in sex work, including those related to stigma, safety, and healthcare access.
• Explain how HIV prevention strategies—such as PrEP, routine testing, and harm reduction—can support the health and empowerment of Black women in the sex work industry.
• Recognize the importance of trauma-informed, nonjudgmental care when addressing the health and well-being of Black women sex workers, particularly in HIV prevention and treatment contexts.

Moderator: Taylor Owens

Faculty: Sydney Rogers & Soma Snakeoil