Rock CandyBlessed Are The Binary Breakers: Sex Work and Satanism with Azura Rose
CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions of child sexual abuse; bullying & religious trauma + threats of hell; mention of grandparent deaths
Despite growing up in a heavily conservative Christian town, Azura Rose (they/she) was raised by parents who encouraged them to ask questions and explore religion on their own. They are now a Satanist in Toronto, as well as a cosplayer & sex worker. In this episode, Azura discusses the beliefs & activism of The Satanic Temple, as well as what it's like to be a queer, goth, disabled sex worker.
Listen (or read along with the episode transcript) to find out what Satan & Jesus have in common; what was up with all the backlash around Lil Nas X's single Montero; how some of Azura's clients have supported them on their gender journey; and much more.
Talking Points:
(0:00 - 2:30) Housekeeping
(2:31 - 5:11) Introducing Azura
(5:12 - 10:10) Growing up — bullied for not being Christian; supportive parents; discovering Wicca and Satanism, Lilith & Lucifer
(10:11 - 12:35) Explaining differences between the Church of Satan and The Satanic Temple (TST)
(12:36 - 15:19) Who is Satan for Satanists? — An archetype embodying rebellion against unjust authority; Satanists are atheistic
(15:20 - 18:28) Why TST has a large number of queer & neurodivergent members; parallels between Christian elements & Satanism
(18:29 - 20:59) Backlash Lil Nas X
(21:00 - 25:36) The Satanic Panic of the 1980s-90s — originated in Canada; the McMartin Preschool Trial
(25:37 - 29:43) TST's political activism — reproductive rights, religious rights — more complex in Canada, where TST isn't an official religion
(29:44 - 36:06) How TST's tenets speak to Azura as a sex worker & trans person — "our body is subject to our will alone"
(36:07- 48:59) More about TST: meetups; non-binary interpretations of Baphomet, Lilith, and Lucifer
(49:00 - 55:51) What it's like to be genderfluid and a sex worker — supportive clients
(55:22 - 1:02:48) Closing thoughts: other people's thoughts about your gender or faith don't matter; the need for rights and resources; when seeking to learn about Satanism or sex work, find people who are similar to you and different from you
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Find Azura on Twitter @hellcatazura and at hellcatazura.rip.
Learn more about The Satanic Temple at thesatanictemple.com/pages/about-us
Resources for supporting sex workers:
- https://decriminalizesex.work/
- Human Rights Watch: "Why Sex Work Should Be Decriminalized"
This show's theme song is "Aetherium" by Leah Horn. This episode also makes use of "Camilla" by Jeremy SH Griffith.