Aflevering What The (Circus) World Can Learn From Sex Worker Sabine Maringer #Circolo2023

"I think you can apply this idea of consent culture to families, friends, leisure groups, anywhere, if you want." On Friday 13 October 2023, Tilburg's Circus Festival Circolo will open with a seminar on the premises of the Fontys University of Applied Sciences. Keynote speaker at that seminar is Sabine Marringer. She comes with a special message, she announces: "I sent a friend the outline of my speech and he said, 'Whoa, you'll shock those people.' Now, some will already be shocked by Sabine Marringer's CV. After college, she became a circus acrobat, but now has a thriving practice as a professional sex worker. As a 'dominatrix' in a practice run and staffed by women, she is the one who can tell the circus world about 'concentricity'. Because there is quite a lack of that, it turns out: "I spoke to someone who organises sex-positive parties in Vienna. There I give workshops to introduce newcomers to BDSM. When I told about my previous life as a circus performer. He was stunned to hear that there was no 'consent' culture in the circus. She said: 'You are so physical, you are so close. You also share so much intimacy. Not only by sharing the body, but also your thoughts, imagination and space. Why don't you have that?' I had no answer at that moment and I realised: this is the missing link to create a safe space to make the circus environment better." A 'no' shouldn't hurt anymore Marringer also knows how to do that: "We have to talk about it. If I can use it in my daily practice as a dominatrix, everyone can apply it in daily professional practice. Consent culture takes time and a willingness to think about your own limits and needs." She says this certainly applies to how we deal with criticism: "It also takes courage in a society where we are asked to say yes to mean no. What makes consent culture so difficult is that receiving a 'no' can hurt. But we need to change our perception of receiving a no. A 'no' is always an opportunity to take action and reshape a given situation." For a full trascript, (in Dutch or English) see our website: cultureelpersbureau.nl --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cultuurpers/message