S ex work has notoriously been reduced to a surface-level outlet for pleasure. But for one particular industry professional, her role as a sex worker has given her tools to give back to the community in a multitude of ways.
Andre Shakti, a year-old professional dominatrix in the Bay Area, says her work has evolved to be so much more than the stereotype supports. She helps people work through traumatic events from their past, teaches teenagers on the autism spectrum how to flirt, and lends a shoulder to cry on.
The online platform she utilizes is called O. Through this explanation, I found out I liked rough sex. While this openness and curiosity translated into a long career as an exotic dancer, she is proud to be part of a community that now educates young people on how to safely explore their kinks, fetishes and recovery. Her private coaching sessions with her clients often take unexpected but important turns. She does this through scripted roleplay that turns the bad memory into a better one.
One part of her work that has recently taken off is her work with young men on the autism spectrum. People on the spectrum often have issues not only understanding how to approach women, but also gauging reactions from them, intent, picking up on social cues.
She calls this class Flirting , and it usually takes place in the form of private sessions. Shakti still identifies very strongly as a sex worker so while she does provide educational opportunities online, she caters to a private clientele looking for BDSM-related education in person.
