In this chapter we take a deeper dive into the challenges, frustrations and fears that contributors have with duality in our current labour market. Sex as a side hustle is frowned upon yet the process of precarisation threatens all work, even for these most highly skilled and educated workers, who spent more time in libraries than they did in pubs. Duality funds ‘flexicurity’ for them, where there is little safety net; however, they lack protections in both of their jobs because sex work is not fully accepted as work, and they can lose square jobs if their past or active sex work becomes known. Some held jobs in the public trust and examples are used to highlight their challenges here.

Although contributors may betray the trust of loved ones and associates by lying about sex working, they feel deceived by the entire system. In their minds they have done everything expected of them in terms of getting an education and working in mainstream jobs. They stayed out of trouble hoping that they could earn a good living, only to experience a ‘dream deferred’ (Hughes, 2001). An anonymous contributor shares her thoughts and frustrations:

This contributor entered the sex industry the day after finishing a PhD. This is the reality for many and makes duality necessary and rational but alienating.