Religion and spirituality are staples in many people’s daily lives, providing comfort, guidance and a sense of something larger than ourselves. Sadly, there is an ill-conceived notion held by some people that sex workers are not allowed to walk in faith, practice spirituality or be a part of organized religion.
I had the pleasure of speaking with eight sex workers from all facets of XXX who shared their experiences with religion and spirituality of many varieties to help put that outdated view of ideology to bed!
Amanda La Fatale
Twitter: @AmandaLaFatale
“Today, I am still a faithful Catholic.”
While growing up in a religious household in the Bronx, Amanda La Fatale didn’t have faith forced upon her. “I was exposed to typical Catholic values, but my mother forbade me from reading the Bible until I was old enough and could buy my own Bible,” Amanda recalls. “My mother didn’t want the Bible influencing my sexual identity or imposing feelings of guilt over my sexuality—moms do know best!”
As a result, Amanda has had a positive experience with her faith. “The strength I have found through my faith in God and the great saints…. Also—much guidance and will power, comfort and protection,” she says of the benefits she’s experienced from her spirituality.
Amanda’s journey in the world of Catholicism has a unique twist. “I grabbed my husband right from a Catholic seminary; [he] was on track to be a priest,” she shares. “At the time, he didn’t know I was a dominatrix.”
