Sean Burnett Dugdale-Martin
Kaytlin Bailey’s solo show Whore’s Eye View in BATS’ Stage space is described by Bailey as an aggressive lecture. It is a blood-boiling, hilarious romp through a complicated intersectional human history driven by the charismatic and charming host.
Bailey begins the show by emerging from the seating block. She slowly descends the steps and into a red spotlight, a beautifully evocative beginning to a show who’s themes mimic this action on the macro. Sex workers in contemporary history are still stigmatized by the masses and are put on a crimson pedestal even though sex work is work and sex is great for all those who are into it, especially with professionals in a definitive consentual context. If it’s so great on paper, how did it all go so wrong?
The show shines during moments of intersectionality and history. You can not talk about sex work without talking about womens rights, queer rights, and all the other rights that cis conservative white guys don’t love others having. The history, in particular the pre-Gilgamesh history, of sex work and religion in ancient societies is inspiring. I never studied history so I guess I never really thought about it but for me this was the kernel of true hope in the show for a return to equity and a breakdown of stigma. In many ways, the ancient world was definitely not the greatest but it seems it was a much freer time, sexually. Sex work is what priestesses and professionals did. Bailey alluded to a time before people cared about who the father was of each child which implied a more matrilineal and communal approach to raising children. This concept can be found in indigenous tikanga all over the globe in much more recent contexts and is something I would love to know more about.
Bailey’s more contemporary histories and modern day focusses are mostly stuff I knew about. With the exception of a cockroach fact I really wish I didn’t know but is made worth it for the joke afterwards (no spoilers from me!). I understand how the modern day oppression of femme-people and those assigned female at birth is impossible not to mention, since Bailey weaves a comprehensive narrative which is impressive considering all of it’s off-shooting tangents, but this part feels less evocative or interesting and more morbid. Not to say it shouldn’t be, it is terrible and pretty much every decision humans make against other humans that Bailey points out has me groaning in my seat because it is genuinely so embarrassing to be assigned male at birth.
Bailey is new to New Zealand but she does include local history by speaking about Georgina Beyers. This was quite powerful, as I imagine it would be for many people. Georgina Beyers changed many lives. She was the first trans mayor in New Zealand (as mayor of Carterton) and was in office while my parents lived in the town and had me. My mother became a politician herself for many reasons but mainly because of how sex work was the only illegal transaction where the supplier was prosecuted moreso than the consumer and it’s easy to see that this was because of sexism and the demonisation of women that Bailey so distinctly outlines.
Whore’s Eye View is an amazing show done with beauty and heart. There is one more showing tonight at 9pm with more info here, don’t miss it.
The show shines during moments of intersectionality and history. You can not talk about sex work without talking about womens rights, queer rights, and all the other rights that cis conservative white guys don’t love others having. The history, in particular the pre-Gilgamesh history, of sex work and religion in ancient societies is inspiring. I never studied history so I guess I never really thought about it but for me this was the kernel of true hope in the show for a return to equity and a breakdown of stigma. In many ways, the ancient world was definitely not the greatest but it seems it was a much freer time, sexually. Sex work is what priestesses and professionals did. Bailey alluded to a time before people cared about who the father was of each child which implied a more matrilineal and communal approach to raising children. This concept can be found in indigenous tikanga all over the globe in much more recent contexts and is something I would love to know more about.
Bailey’s more contemporary histories and modern day focusses are mostly stuff I knew about. With the exception of a cockroach fact I really wish I didn’t know but is made worth it for the joke afterwards (no spoilers from me!). I understand how the modern day oppression of femme-people and those assigned female at birth is impossible not to mention, since Bailey weaves a comprehensive narrative which is impressive considering all of it’s off-shooting tangents, but this part feels less evocative or interesting and more morbid. Not to say it shouldn’t be, it is terrible and pretty much every decision humans make against other humans that Bailey points out has me groaning in my seat because it is genuinely so embarrassing to be assigned male at birth.
Bailey is new to New Zealand but she does include local history by speaking about Georgina Beyers. This was quite powerful, as I imagine it would be for many people. Georgina Beyers changed many lives. She was the first trans mayor in New Zealand (as mayor of Carterton) and was in office while my parents lived in the town and had me. My mother became a politician herself for many reasons but mainly because of how sex work was the only illegal transaction where the supplier was prosecuted moreso than the consumer and it’s easy to see that this was because of sexism and the demonisation of women that Bailey so distinctly outlines.
Whore’s Eye View is an amazing show done with beauty and heart. There is one more showing tonight at 9pm with more info here, don’t miss it.