Photography by Mia Maraschino, Elixir Black & Suzy Lafosse | Shot on location at The Museum of Love

The Sirens wanted to share an insight into their relationships with their partners, lovers, sexuality and self-love! Explore Sugar Republic’s Museum of Love with us and learn about our cheeky escapades, wholesome honeys and our journey to self-love. Head to the bottom of this blog for some educational resources!

Katia

How did you manage sex work and your love life?

CW: whorephobia, abusive relationships

Working in the adult industry for such a long time, I always found it extremely difficult to navigate relationships and my job. In the beginning, I always felt like it was something I had to 'announce' to potential partners, almost like a 'coming out'. But over, and over again for each partner. The sense of shame that I felt about my job was huge, because the stigma of being a sex worker and the discrimination I faced from my community was so overwhelming at the time. And that's why telling partners was such a difficult conversation. I found myself censoring aspects of what I did at work, and that really ignited an internal dialogue of self-hate and damaging whorephobic beliefs about myself. There was also a pattern of partners being okay with my job at first, but then being controlling, saying whorephobic things and shaming me into quitting the industry later in the relationship. Because of these comments, and my financial position (and lack of work experience in other industries/gaps in my resume etc,) I often would lie, and say that I had quit the industry but actually I was working behind my partner's back. The amount of stress and anxiety this caused me was unimaginable, as I felt like I couldn't be myself. Sex Work was something I was really good at, and loved - so feeling controlled and shamed about it was awful. I also found myself in a lot of financially abusive dynamics, where I was expected to provide for my partner, but at the same time was shamed because of how I was getting the money.

So when people ask me - how did I manage sex work and my love life? I don't think I did manage it well at all - in fact, it was a complete mess. Since I've been more public about my experience in the industry, I've done a lot of healing. Being open about it has definitely set me free, and I now have really healthy dialogue with my most recent partners about my time in the industry and also the prospects of returning one day. I do think that this honesty has also been more prevalent in my relationships with people who are not cis-men. Obviously my experiences can happen to anyone, in any relationship (abuse in queer relationships is something that is seriously swept under the rug) - but I find a lot of cis-men are socialised to have the madonna/whore complex. And because of this, I did find a huge difference in how my job was accepted in relationships with cis-men compared to relationships with Queers. I find a lot of cis-men that I dated did act very "pro" sex work, and seem okay with the industry - but when it's their partner being a past/present Sex Worker I received a completely different attitude. 

A special moment of love?

I am going to get really soppy and disgusting right now. But I have so many special moments of love with my partner Bronte that it's really hard to just pinpoint one, so here's three!

1. We were on holidays together in the snow, and the airbnb we were staying at had a spa in the backyard. Being the snow, it was so bloody cold - but Bronte desperately wanted to go and have a spa bath..... at midnight. It was the most freezing half-nudie run I've ever done, but when we got into the spa it was so magical. We kissed in the darkness, surrounded by wind and the stars, and it felt like we were the only two people on earth. 

2.  Watching the sunset in the car at the beach one evening a few months ago. The car filled up with magical orange light and my heart felt like it was exploding with love. 

3. Performing together for the first time was one of the most incredible moments of love I have experienced in my life. 

What do you love about your job?

Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the stresses of running a business - especially one as demanding and niche as Sky Sirens. But I love questions like this because it allows me to be reminded of the incredible positives of my job and how privileged I am to be here. There are two aspects that I love about my job more than anything else, and that's watching friendships blossom and witnessing people achieve their goals and gain more confidence. It's so tricky making new friendships as an adult, and it's so nice to watch people develop new relationships at the studio. I love how warm and welcoming the community is, and I just think it's so special how so many close friendships have grown from this space. Witnessing how the studio has changed so many people's perceptions of themselves really warms my heart. 

What is your dream partner's star sign?

My dream partner is Bronte, and their star sign (sun) is a Cancer - which is the same as me. Two cancers are absolute fireworks, but we have to be careful not to be too emotional. I love that we are able to express love and care for each other so openly, and if there's any issues we both just get sad and not angry. Being with someone that shares the same values in regards to conflict resolution and expression of love is life changing. 

What is your love language?

This is a really boring answer, but I feel as though I am a mixture of all the languages in the way that I like to give and receive love. In romantic relationships, I think if I had to pick one - I would choose receiving and giving love through words of affirmation as it's really important to me to know how a person feels about me, and me about them explicitly. 

Who was your first crush?

Tammin Sursok from Home and Away in like 2000 (I was 10). It's funny because just like a lot of queers, I didn't realise it was a 'crush'. I just thought she was really cool, and pretty and I had a million posters of her and cut out magazine articles of her in my diary. I also named my 'Sims' Tammin and made them look exactly like her. Creepy...

Your first kiss?

My first kiss was with a boy called Ryan when I was in year six. He asked me to be his girlfriend in class, and I was like yeah okay. And then at recess the whole grade stood in a circle around us, made us stand in a hopscotch square and chanted "kiss!". And so we kissed because of peer pressure. 

Longest and shortest sexual encounter?

The longest sexual encounter is easy - it was with Bronte and we had sex for a whole day. We named it "sex day" and I broke my vagina. I'm not joking. Long story (and also yucky), but years ago I was bitten by an ant inside my vagina and the bite poisoned the gland that makes you "wet". The little shit died and I found it in my underwear. One of my labia got so swollen that it literally tripled in size. It was so wretched. Anyway, my doctor told me that the blockage/infection in the gland created something called a "Bartholin Cyst". Because of "sex day", the gland got blocked again due to being over stimulated, and I ended up with the cyst getting infected. I literally couldn't walk for about a week and almost had to go to hospital. My doctor referred me to a gynaecologist, where I will most probably have to do a surgery to cut the cyst out so that it doesn't flare up again (since sex day it's been an ongoing problem). Which means removing part of my labia. So basically an evil ant and sex day has resulted in part of my labia being cut off. My shortest encounter is way too explicit to share in this blog - but if you see me around and are curious, you can ask me (it's SO gross hehehehe).

Maya

Bronte

What is your coming out story?

I came out accidentally (I found out later). My psychologist at the time had suggested twenty10 - a really cool place for queer young people. I went for the first time on my 17th birthday. My mum picked me up after and saw the big “a place to be you” sign and wondering if I had something to tell her. I did, only a full year later when I had my first girlfriend. 

Why do you love teaching?

I’ve only recently started teaching (having only recently started aerials) and I was suuuuper nervous to start with. But nearing the end of my first term teaching aerials I’m feeling more confident in both my skills and teaching ability. My favourite moments have been seeing students master a move, watching my babies freestyle and dancing in time with my contemporary class. 

Have you made any connections at Sky Sirens?

Well it might come as a surprise but ... I’m dating Katia! We came to sirens to dance on our second real date! and that was the first time we did doubles lyra! 

A special moment of love?

The couch currently outside the dollhouse used to live in Kat’s living room and that’s where we had our first kiss! I think of that magical moment every time I see it! 

Dream partner’s sign?

Kat is my dream partner and her sign is cancer - like me! I’ve always loved cancers because they’re water signs and I’m a beach baby! I love how soft, loving and sensitive Kat is.

When did you realise you were queer?

I first realised I was queer when I had a massive life changing crush on my pilates teacher when I was 15. I started pilates to build the ballet muscles I’d lost in my growth spurt and I kept going because I wasn’t sure if I just wanted to be my teacher or kiss her... It was a hella confusing time (and looking back on it, she wasn’t the first older girl I’d crushed on) but I’ll be forever grateful that she woke me up to that part of me! 

Weirdest place you’ve had sex?

I went home with a girl from birdcage one night and we had sex in her room (not weird) with her pet darwin python (named Charles) looking at us the entire time (definitely weird) 

Tell us about a moment you felt powerful in your sexuality?

I’ve really missed the energy of a Unicorns dance floor, going to every party for a few years I really built up my confidence in dancing, befriending new people and just having fun. It’s a place where I’ve felt my queer, non-binary body is accepted and celebrated and I can be me.

Suzy

What was a moment you felt powerful in your sexuality?

The moment I finally started to learn to express my desires and preferences to my partner. This took a lot of work and self education and is still a work in progress but it's so empowering to be able to express yourself properly! 

What do you love about teaching/your job?

I love the connections that I have made and the fun creative tasks I get to work on with amazing people. I feel like I’m learning something new all the time!

What is your love language?

My love language is quality time, I love hanging out with the people I care about and often find it hard to say goodbye.

Favourite love story?

There are so many! I’m secretly a real sucker for a romance. Pride and Prejudice has to be one of my all-time favourites though. Austen is hard to beat!

What was your first kiss? 

My first kiss was in high school at a party. Everyone had to come in costume, and I was dressed as an Angel.

Day sex vs night sex?

Both! I will happily have sex at all times of day. My only exception is when I've just done my hair and make up for an occasion. It takes so much effort and I don't want it to get messy! 

What did your parents tell you about sex?

I don’t remember the sex talk, but I do remember my mum having one with me and me just siting there zoning out and thinking about the drawing scene from the movie Titanic.

Do you have any fetishes? 

I wouldn't say I have any fetishes but I definitely have a few kinks.

Mia

How do you manage sex work and your love life?

I’m incredibly grateful to be in a relationship with someone who completely supports, respects and accepts my work through all its positives and negatives, that’s number one! There definitely needs to be a core basis of understanding and respect of Sex Work/ers as a whole, and each individual needs to do their own inner work to feel secure in themselves and the relationship - it’s often those insecurities that become the root of people’s issues with Sex Work.

I practice active, open and honest communication, and am very transparent about my work and what it entails with my partner and anyone else I date. I don’t censor my experiences and feelings, nor do I only share the positive aspects. My partner is as involved as they’d like to be, and we regularly check in with each other to make sure the exchange of information is clear and comfortable. Prioritising and making time for personal intimacy is also very important! I’ve not always been able to be this open about my work with people in my life, it has been a long journey to get to this point, and it’s something I am always working on!

Tell us your coming out story.

I don’t really have a coming out ‘story’ as such… everyone in my life kind of just figured it out. I remember telling my cousin once on a night out, and he just looked at me blankly and said ‘no shit’, so I think that speaks for itself haha! Although, having been in relationships that society may view as heterosexual, I do sometimes find that I need to ‘come out’ to people who read me or my partners as straight. 

How do you integrate your sexuality into your dance practice?

Sexuality is integrated into the way I dance quite naturally! I’m a slut at heart and also by profession, so that really influences the way I move my body and how I perceive and express my sexuality. I love feeling and looking hot, and I love capitalising on it haha!

What is your dream date?

My dream date is anything that involves delicious food and laughter! It could be a picnic in the sunshine with fruit and cheese, or a fancy Japanese dinner (I LOVE sashimi). As long as the conversation is entertaining and we are having fun!

What is your dream partner's sign?

I’m fairly flexible with sun signs, though I do often love a Gemini (I’m biased), or Virgo. Venus, Mercury, and Mars placements are more important to me relationship wise - I think I’d need a whole blog post to discuss my astrological preferences!

What is your love language?

I am such a sucker for gift giving, it makes my heart feel so full to spoil my loved ones with special presents! Acts of service is also a big one, I appreciate when someone is thoughtful and does something little to make my day easier and happier. 

Describe your first date with your partner!

After chatting over tinder & instagram for a couple of weeks, we had planned to go to the Chinese Garden of Friendship for a picnic lunch, and potentially hang out the next day too. Edmund called me the day before and told me there was rain forecasted for the weekend so a picnic was off the cards, then sheepishly invited themselves to stay over at my place. (They say they didn’t, but merely proposed the idea haha!). I was obviously thinking the same thing, so I agreed. On the Saturday night we went grocery shopping and cooked dinner together (well… they cooked delicious gnocchi and I just stood around my kitchen being nervous), chatted for hours upon hours, and very shyly kissed each other while drinking tea on my bed. The next morning we went for a walk in Balmain and ate breakfast on a rock overlooking the water. It was all very cute and wholesome! 

Favourite sex toy?

My wireless Hitachi style vibrator! She’s fun, powerful, and always gets the job done. Also can be used in the bath/shower, you can’t go wrong with that. 

Lara

What was a moment you felt powerful in your sexuality?

Performing on stage is always an empowering experience, I love feeding off the audience and sharing that raw energy!

What do you love about teaching/your job?

I feel so much joy when students express their enjoyment in learning with me! 

I especially love seeing people’s confidence grow through achieving new goals and allowing themselves to bring out their own personality through dance.

What is your love language?

My love language is probably a mix of physical touch, words of affirmation and quality time. I am definitely a gift giver myself and love to give gifts to my significant other and important people in my life.

What was your first kiss?

My first kiss story is set at the year 8 school disco when the cute skater boy tries to steal a kiss and upon doing so I end up hitting my head on the wall behind me... such a fail!

What was your first crush?

My first crush ended up being my first boyfriend in kindergarten. 

Do you have any fetishes?

Gotta love a cheeky little spank!

Day sex vs night sex?

Definitely night, I am a night owl..

Weirdest place you’ve had sex? 

Outdoors!

Mercedes

Tell us a special moment of self or shared love

During the warmer months of the year, my friends and I have taken to swimming in our local lake. Our weekly trips to the lake have become a sight of healing for us, and a space for us to surrender ourselves to play without fear of judgement. We will run, jump, and laugh to our hearts content. Swimming with them and being able to be connected to my body, as well as being privileged enough to engage with the land we swim on, results in reoccuring moments of the most blissful queer, joyful love where there is no fear or tension. 

Have you made any special connections at Sky Sirens?

Working at Sky Sirens has allowed me to be a part of a community of creative, caring individuals who have continuously made me feel welcome throughout my integration into the Sirens world. The connections I have made with fellow students has allowed me to feel empowered in my aerial journey, and the support I have been shown has made me kinder and more appreciative of myself. 

What do you love about teaching/your job?

What I love about my job at Siren of the House is connecting with our beautiful students, and being able to provide advice and support throughout their performance journey with us at the studio. 

What is your dream date?

My dream date would be a whirlwind evening. Starting with a vegetarian Korean feast, we would eat and chat for hours (I love a good chat) while my date continuously fills my glass without me having to ask. 

What was your first crush?

My first crush was Starfire from the Teen Titans cartoons. Gotta love a red-headed alien who flies through the sky, wears a purple crop top, and saves the world! I'm pretty sure she has subconsciously influenced my favourite outfits for years. 

Who is your celebrity crush?

My celebrity crush is James Duval, but specifically in The Doom Generation. He fulfilled a very specific 90s alternative heartthrob position for me that was the structure of my adolescence. 

Do you have a first date outfit?

Definitely! My first date outfit is usually something tight, short, and black. It depends on the type of night I've decided that I'm going to have, but normally something reminiscent of a 90's hot girl in a coming of age movie. 

Day sex vs night sex?

Being covered by the darkness of night has always been encouraging for me, as I feel less judgement and more confidence to be fully in the moment. Night time makes me feel less ashamed or self conscious, as I am able to give myself fully to whatever situation I am in and feel a sense of anonymity. Plus, who doesn’t love a bit of moonlight?

Porcelain Alice

A moment you felt powerful in your sexuality?

It may seem obvious, but I feel powerful in my sexuality each time I am onstage. Burlesque is a transformative artform, while it is a show to entertain an audience, burlesque and dance offer me the opportunity to explore my sexuality and push my sexual energy to the surface. 

What do you love about your job/teaching?

I love teaching and performing burlesque. I feel part of a history everytime I step onto a stage, of a movement that existed long before me. I try to ensure students that come to my classes learn even just a little about some of the icons of burlesque, the feminist struggles and the censorship we still face. 

Favourite love story?

My favourite love story is my own! My partner is from NY but we found each other after growing up on opposite sides of the world. We met on my half birthday at a fruit stand I worked at. I told him about half birthdays and he returned a few hours later and gave me half a card. I kept this amusing gift from a stranger. I saw him around the inner west a bit and four years later (he flew me to LA for two weeks) for our first date.

Now five years on we are still kickin.

When did you first realise you were queer?

I was in year nine and saw a girl wearing a kurt cobain shirt under her uniform. Everytime I hadnt wanted to play spin the bottle and kiss boys made sense.   

What did your parents tell you about sex?

My mum gave me great advice - She said know how to give yourself pleasure, because if you know what you like, you can speak up and ask for it.

Indy

What do you love about teaching? 

I love the special connection form with students when you help them experience a move for the first time.

Have you made any special connections at Sky Sirens?

Plenty! There are countless beautiful humans I could reference. Sky sirens definitely brings in a certain type of kind hearted humans. 

Who is your celebrity crush? 

Henry Cavill. Every damn day. (Sorry babe if you’re reading this) 

Describe your first date with your partner?

Our first “date” is probably when we visited a strip club for my birthday. It’s so important to me that my partner respects and pays sex workers appropriately. 

What is your dream partners sign?

Canceran cuties.

What is your love language? 

Words affirmations but also GIFTS GIFTS GIFTS!

Sexual ‘aha’ moment?

Not entirely an aha moment but moreso an awakening - when I realised I should stop faking it for the guys I was sleeping with and let them know when they were crap.

Most embarrassing sexual moment?

None because I fully believe nothing should be embarrassing/looked down upon/shamed :) I am very open and accepting 

Farrah

When was a moment that you felt powerful in your sexuality?

When I first started having sex it opened up a sense of connection to my body that I had never felt before. I had always felt unattractive and self conscious, but once I started to see myself as a sexual being I discovered a new confidence and a new sense of selfhood. Since then my sexuality has always been one of my favourite parts of myself, and the part that I feel most confident in and take a lot of strength from, so it's always been a very powerful part of who I am

How do you integrate your sexuality into your dance practice?

My dance practice is entirely based on sexuality and sexual self expression, including toying with what those concepts mean and look like from different perspectives. Being at Sky Sirens where an erotic dancing style was encouraged allowed me to really start exploring the way my body moves naturally, as opposed to how we are taught to move as technical dancers. Being able to embrace, play with, and subvert erotic styles of dance brings me so much joy! 

What is your dream partner's star sign?

Sagittarius! I get on really well with adventurous, freedom seeking types and I've always had good experiences with Sagittarian partners. Plus my Venus is in Sagittarius so I think it's just meant to be.

What is your love language?

Giving! I love to be there and be able to provide for my friends and family, whether that means baking cookies or buying someone flowers when they're going through a tough time, making time to talk through whatever is going on in a friend's life, taking them out to a celebratory brunch, or supporting a friend's small business or artistic endeavour, giving generously to the people I love brings me joy. Sometimes I second guess that impulse within myself and wonder whether it means that I'm ignoring my own needs or subconsciously trying to 'buy' people's love & affection, but as long as it comes from a place of selflessness and with no expectation of reciprocation, I think that giving generously of your time and/or resources is a healthy way to express love

Favourite love story?

I've always loved the dynamic between Gomez & Morticia Addams (I have a feeling that quite a few of my fellow Sirens might say the same thing!) To me, that's the perfect relationship! They support one another unconditionally even when times are tough, they are unflinchingly passionate, they have a killer sex life, and they absolutely adore one another. What more could anyone want from a love story??

What was your first crush?

I was definitely one of those weird kids who had an embarrassing crush on a Disney animal character! Clearly I had a thing for bad boys because I was a little bit in love with Kovu from The Lion King II. In my defense, I was pretty convinced that I wasn't even a human myself until around the age of nine, so it seemed normal to crush on animated animals!

What did your parents tell you about sex?

Not much at all! I think they assumed that sex ed at school would cover the basic mechanics of the act and then I'd figure out the rest on my own, just like they had to do. The closest my mum ever came to giving me "the talk" was telling me that if I ever went home with someone and they didn't have any books in their house, that I shouldn't sleep with them. She also told me to never go to a Mexican or Italian restaurant on a first date because I'd probably end up spilling tomato-based foodstuffs all over myself. She wasn't wrong on either count.

Most embarrassing sexual moment?

 Well it wasn’t embarrassing for me personally but... I was once with a cis male partner and he tried to spank me (consensually!) but he missed and ended up smacking himself in the balls really hard! He immediately froze in shock & pain and we had to stop, mostly because I was laughing so hard! Don't worry, he was fine afterwards. Just very embarrassed!

Baby

Tell us a special moment of self or shared love.

I was on a 10 day silent meditation “retreat” (if you can call it that), having panic attacks every other day and not having a very good time at all in my brain. I developed a couple of special rituals, like meticulously cutting up my fruit at breakfast time and greeting the moon every evening, just to provide some sort of structure to my delicate mind. I remember I had this moment while trying to meditate where I thought of some silly pun and started cackling to myself for what seemed like forever (it was probably 10 seconds) and just experienced this huge wave of self love, like, “Hey, I can make myself laugh even when things are pretty grim. Maybe this brain ain’t so bad.” From then on, I started appreciating my own sense of humour so much more, and have become more aware of the value that it adds to the lives of those around me.

How do you integrate your sexuality into your dance practice?

I think that dancing, just for the love of it, is such a beautifully queer thing to do as a grown-up. I’m still working on breaking down all the internalised shame thrust upon me by the patriarchy for being a bisexual woman (gasp) with a body (double gasp) that is sometimes seen AND heard (!!!!!!), but dancing itself is a huge part of reclaiming my right to literally take up space in the world.

What is your love language?

My love language is ALL OF THEM. I am a high-maintenance babe. I used to be quite insecure about being “too needy” in my relationships, whether that be romantic or platonic, but over time I’ve realised that I am worthy of having my needs met, because I give so much in return.

What was your first kiss?

I was in year 8 on a youth movement camp and I had a humongous crush on the coolest boy at camp - a gorgeous, tall boy from Melbourne, two grades above me. Before every meal, anyone who wanted to could have a boogie on the dancefloor (i.e. a small section of the dining hall) and they’d play songs like the Nutbush and Cha Cha Slide and we’d all do the cute little line dancing choreography. The elastic band from one of my pigtails slipped off, fell on the floor, and my hunky dreamboat picked it off the ground for me. We locked eyes, and it was on. That night, we held each other’s sweaty, nervous hands and paced around the campsite about 12 times, before slobbering all over each other while trying to remember all the classic kissing tips - you know, write your name in their mouth with your tongue, etc. I cried the whole bus ride home when we had to say goodbye. I think he’s married now.

What was your first crush?

My first crush that I can remember was Putzie from the T-Birds in the movie Grease. Not Danny, not even Kenickie, but sweet little Putzie, with his big dorky grin and blonde mop of hair swirled into a big curl on top of his head. I don’t think he had more than one line in the film. Couldn’t tell you why… but he gave me tingles. You know the ones.

Weirdest place you’ve had sex?

Inside the famous Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Shh.

Favourite sex toy?

My beloved Satisfyer Pro. That vacuum/suction technology? Phwoar. 

Sexual “aha!” moment?

Reading Emily Nagoski’s ‘Come As You Are’ was just one “aha!” moment after the other. Seriously, life-changing. One thing that really stuck with me was the idea of centering pleasure itself in one’s definition of “good sex”, rather than orgasms. Taking the pressure off having an end goal means that you can simply enjoy the thing for what it is. And by the same token, if you’re not enjoying it, there’s absolutely no shame in stopping.

Quench

Tell us a special moment of self or shared love.

Every time that I get the chance to give time to reflect on myself and to appreciate all the wins in life (big or small) are the times that I feel it’s a moment of “self-love”. During these times, I either buy things to indulge or to treat myself for a new lingerie or a yummy food. In terms of relationship, the moment that I felt the need for self-love was the time when I realise that I have to let go a 5-year relationship that I know was toxic and the love wasn’t reciprocated anymore. That moment was also the time I learned that letting go is love too.

What do you love about teaching/your job?

What I love about teaching is I always get inspired from each and every student that I meet. Everyone is unique in their own ways, everyone has different personalities and so, there is never a dull moment whenever I teach. Coming in class, I love the look that I see in every student.. the excitement, the dedication, the passion.. the same passion that I know they can see through me. As an instructor, I have also learned to be attentive, observant, patient, and sharp. 

What is your dream date?

I always dream of having a breakfast date by the beach. Imagine walking up and the first person that you see is the one you love, then you watch the sunrise together, sitting on your awesome breakfast table complete with your favourite breakfast food, some flowers, nice morning breeze.. ahhh what a perfect way to start the day!

Who is your celebrity crush?

I really like Johnny Depp’s rugged style and he looks very artistic and laid back. Also love Tom Hiddleston because he’s very cute when he’s dancing *blush

What is your love language?

I thought my love language was TIME but then, I took the quiz and it turns out, its words of affirmation. I guess our love language changes as we change or as we figure out who we are and want we really want. I like it when my husband shows his support on the things I do and back me up 100%. He goes to my shows and always honest when I ask him for feedback. We always tell the things we appreciate with each other and we have created a safe space for us to freely share our feelings 

Describe your first date with your partner!

My partner asked me if I wanted to go to an art gallery one Sunday morning and from then on, I knew he’s the one for me lol I love morning dates and art galleries!

Day sex vs night sex?

I noticed that I am more horny in the morning compared to night so, day sex for me. Although its nice to have both, right? ☺

What did your parents tell you about sex?

Nothing, they didn’t tell me a thing about sex lol. Growing up Catholic, we never talked about sex at home. I learned sex from school and from all the movies with sex scenes. Even the first porn I watched was man to man because I have gay friends in grade school and they played the tape one afternoon before our dance practice haha. 

Elixir

Tell us about a special moment of self or shared love.

It’s taken a long time for me to be happy within myself and as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned to love myself more and be less self critical and finally evolve into my final form. 

What do you love about your job?

I love coming to work and feeling so much love from everyone at Sky Sirens! I love being asked about my day and weekend and have people genuinely care about me. It’s very special. I feel very loved and accepted! 

What is your love language?

Words of affirmation and also physical touch- It takes me a lot to be comfortable with being touched but once I love someone I absolutely adore having my hair played with and being kissed. 

What was your first crush?

David Bowie in the Labyrinth and Frank n Furter from Rocky Horror.

Favourite sex toy?

I love all of the zalo range of products because they are just so aesthetically beautiful, they have a whole range based on Versailles and opulent royalty!

Kitty

Tell us a special moment of self or shared love.

Most of my favourite shared love moments are around children and animals. When they show affection without prompting or do something super cute and you look at the person next to you and just realise that you're both helplessly in love with this creature! Like when Bailey (my dog) sees my and my partner kissing and comes over, bumps into us as if to say "Hey! I want the love too!"

What do you love about teaching?

Teaching is an absolute dream for me. I love being part of people's aerial, dance and circus journey. I strongly believe that artistic expression through aerials and dance is for EVERYBODY. 

What is your dream date?

I love dates where we get to share an experience - be that an amazing restaurant, a scenic walk or an interesting activity. But before and afterwards, there has to be heaps of time to talk! I love hearing about the world through my partner's eyes. 

What is your love language?

My strongest love language is words of affirmation. 

If you were in a romcom, what would you want your happy ending to be?

And they spent the rest of their lives bringing each other tea and biscuits. 

What was your first kiss?

Pretty bad hahaha

Describe your first date with your partner!

This might not be what my partner considers as our 'first date' but I wanted it to be a date so badly as I was sooo keen. He came to watch me perform at a burlesque show and we chatted FOREVER. They had named a drink after me as part of the show and we shared it. It had red edible glitter through the drink and we both ended up with glitter all over our lips!   

Weirdest place you’ve had sex?

Inside a cave during a bushwalk in the Blue Mountains.

Maddie

Tell us your coming out story!

I dont actually have a moment of ‘coming out’ about my sexuality. I am incredibly privileged to feel secure in my family and friend circle that I never felt I needed to break the news to people around me that I’m not straight. I can just be what I am, it’s no big deal and that’s pretty great!!

How do you integrate your sexuality in to your dance practice?

Sexuality is such a fluid thing for me. Using my body as a tool to channel my feelings at any given time is a such gift. I think the primary thing that connects my sexuality to my dance practice is being present in my body in the moment and appreciating and celebrating myself.

What do you love about teaching?

Oh so many things!

I love building rapport with students. Each and every person is so different and brings their own thing to the table and I just love all the characters that come to class!

I adore the other staff members and the special relationships we have. It’s always been one of the best things about being involved in the performance and dance industry. It’s something  special we all have in common and everyone is so uniquely brilliant.

I am inspired everyday. I get to do what I love for a living and it brings me such joy being able to share my passion and knowledge.

Have you made any special connections at the studio?

Absolutely!! Heaps. Most importantly I have made so many close lifelong friends, I feel so supported by the students and staff.

What is your love language?

My number one is ‘acts of service’. Whenever someone does me a favour of any kind I just think “aw they must really love me!” It’s also the way I show affection.

When was your first kiss?

I think in about grade 5 I was going out with a boy called Tyler. He was the bad boy of my year. We had discussed kissing for quite some time as I felt I had to work up to it. On the day we decided, he walked me home off the school bus and we had a tiny peck on the lips to say goodbye. I was so nervous we had to count down from three. It was nice

When did you first realise you were queer?

In high school I was the odd one out in my year group of girls. They had all known each other since kindergarten and I came in at fourteen and they were all wary of me.

One of the girls in particular was pretty mean to me in a sort of faux friendly way. We were at a teenage party drinking and I started wrestling with her. I pinned her to the ground and we ended up kissing. I think that’s when I realised I wasn’t straight haha.

Weirdest place you’ve had sex?

In a second hand bookshop!

Wednesday

How do you manage sex work and your love life?

It’s a non-negotiable part of who I am. I have no shame about it and I make no apologies for it either, so if someone I’m seeing has an issue then we part ways. Simple as that. 

How do you integrate your sexuality into your dance practice?

I have a very different idea about what “sexy” is, so my choreography and dance style is very much about seeing the beauty and sexuality in movements and shapes that have traditionally been labeled “ugly”. I try and pass this onto my students by getting them to appreciate their “awkward” movements and embrace the beauty of weirdness. 

Have you made any special connections at Sky Sirens?

Oh my god, too many to even count! Sky Sirens is my chosen family, the people I work with and for have become the most important people in my life. I actually met the most important person in my life – my best friend/wife/cosmic twin – at Sky Sirens. 

If you were in a romcom, what would you want your happy ending to be?

Me and him against the world, guns blazing, causing chaos and havoc wherever we go as the world’s most infamous villains. 

Favourite love story?

Mickey & Mallory from the movie Natural Born Killers

What was your first crush?

Gunner Stahl from Mighty Ducks 2 

Day sex vs night sex?

either!  

Weirdest place you’ve had sex?

A public shower in a hostel in Helsinki 

Dahlia

What is your love language?

I love to feed people! I don't know which one this falls under... But it is my ultimate love language. I love the process of lovingly preparing dishes, plating them up nicely and then watching the people I love get enjoyment from eating my food

What is your partner’s dream sign?

Well, I suppose my dream partner is my partner Claire! We both didn't expect to fall in love with each other, but the past four years have been a perfect journey of love, learning and growth. Claire is a Taurus and I wouldn't haven't her any other way! Sure, sometimes we butt heads both being Earth signs... But we also balance each other out

Have you made any special connections at Sky Sirens?

So many. I've met people I may have never crossed paths with otherwise, both my students and my colleagues. I've formed special bonds with people over work, sex work, chronic illness, disability, queerhood and many other experiences. I always say that working at Sky Sirens is a one of a kind experience. It's not work, it's a family.

Who was your first crush?

The first ever crush I remember having was Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit - haha! It was her strong, empowered, feminine sexuality that drew me to her (although at 9 years old I didn't have the vocabulary to describe this). What a babe!

Do you have any fetishes?

Yes, I have so many! I strongly identify as a vers/switch with more a lean towards the dominant side. I love playing into power dynamics. I love black, tight fitting latex gloves - the medical kind. I don't know what it is about them but wearing them or my play partner wearing them just adds that little bit of spice!

I'm a huge fan of kink play that doesn't necessarily involve any "traditional" sexual play- think sensory deprivation, rope play, scenes that have you completely focused and present where the outside world just doesn't exist...

My sexual fetish palette is diverse, and so sometimes it's easier just to say that if it gets you going it probably gets me going too 

How do you integrate your sexuality into your dance practice?

Dance is the place I go to when I want to express myself through movement. My sexuality is so interwoven in that and I think it comes out naturally so to speak. There.wete times early on when I was still developing my style that I would second guess and wonder "is this too much? Will this look good?" But over time I came to realise that when it comes to dance, it has to be authentic to you! Other dancers can inspired you and help you discover your way, but there's no such thing as being too authentic or too much. I keep this in mind when I want to integrate my sexuality and sensuality into dance - and then it just happens! It takes lots of practice but it does come eventually.

Who is your celebrity crush?

Ahhh there are SO MANY! I am sure I'm going to name a few and then go blank on the rest... Ok here goes… Janelle Monae, Jiz Lee, Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Gal Gadot, Tess Holliday, AOC, Gillian Anderson….

Day sex vs night sex?

ANY TIME THAT I HAVE THE ENERGY! Usually that means late morning or middle of the day. But really, if I have the spoons - I'm keen . I love all the different types of sex that happen that different times of the day.

Resources

The Sex Ed

The Sex Ed is an educational blog and podcast that presents you with thorough, uncensored and inclusive information about sex, sexual health and pleasure. They work with the philosophy that sex should be a fun, pleasurable experience that is free from shame and taboo. Covering a diverse range of topics from anal, to BDSM, to vagismus, to gender diversity and sex work - The Sex Ed is a very comprehensive guide to keep you safe, well informed, and satisfied! Better yet - they make sure to hire members of marginalised communities, especially in discussions about their identities. Click here to check them out!

Decolonise Sex Work

Decolonise Sex Work is a collective of Blak Sex Workers that provides information and support for First Nations Sex Workers, whilst teaching allies about the intersectionality of these two identities. The collective teaches allies about the impact of colonisation on the expression of sex, sexuality and gender identity in First Nations communities, and how these experiences are often ignored and dismissed in conversations about Sex Work. Click here to check out their Instagram page!

Andrew Gurza

Andrew (he/they) is a disability activist and consultant that works to break down misconceptions about disability and sex! Andrew talks about their experiences as a disabled person hiring sex workers to fulfil their needs, and the ableism that they have faced in the gay community. A main misconception he wishes to breakdown is the idea that disabled people don’t want or need sex! For a lot of people, sex is an important, integral part of their life. Check out their website here, and an interview with Andrew talking in depth here!

Gabrielle Kassel

Gabrielle is a Black, bisexual, polyamorous activist and sex educator! She is a co-host of the podcast Bad in Bed that explores Queer sex and relationships covering topics from fisting to painful sex to douching! As a bisexual woman, Gabrielle uses her platforms to discuss bisexuality and biphobia in the communities she is apart of! Check out her Instagram here and the Bad in Bed podcast here.

Stripper Writer

Stripper Writer is an educational and entertaining blog created by a queer, non-monogamous sex worker (she/they). The blog contains a throrough list of sex education resources centering sex workers at the heart of the conversation. They also run their own podcast that delves into the vast world of Sex Work, hosting other Sex Workers! Check out their website and podcast here!

Your Diagnonsense

Todd is a sex therapist and relationship expert that uses his platform to teach his audience about all things sex and relationships from sex tips, to performance anxiety, to healing from trauma! He also uses his platform to bring attention to key social issues and how different marginalised groups may experience these topics differently. Check out his instagram page here!