Ep 17: When Is It Actually Rape? (And Why We Didn’t Call It That) | Nutty & Slutty with Isadora O'Boto and Janine Noel | Stories on Sex Work and Mental Illness

This episode of the Nutty & Slutty podcast takes a candid and emotionally complex look at non-consensual sex, asking a deceptively simple question: when do we get to call something rape?  Hosts Isadora and Janine unpack their own histories while reflecting on broader cultural narratives, challenging the idea that clarity always exists in moments of violation.  The conversation is grounded in lived experience, where labels like “assault” or “rape” are not always immediately claimed — even when they apply.Throughout the episode, both hosts explore how internalized beliefs and generational context shaped their responses to early sexual experiences.  Isadora reflects on growing up in an era before movements like Me Too, where silence and normalization often replaced accountability.  Janine, in turn, examines how power dynamics, youth, and social expectations complicated her understanding of consent.  Together, they highlight how individuals can downplay or reframe harmful experiences in order to cope or maintain a sense of control.The result is a thoughtful, unflinching conversation that invites listeners to examine their own assumptions about consent, victimhood, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.Send us Fan MailWelcome to NUTTY & SLUTTYWhere Mental Health, Sexuality and Unfiltered Truth Take Center StageNUTTY & SLUTTY is a bold, sex-positive podcast exploring the messy, complicated and often hilarious intersections of mental health, sexuality and real life — without shame, filters or pretense.Hosted by Janine Noel (living with bipolar disorder) and Isadora O’Boto (ex-escort), this show brings together two radically honest perspectives for conversations that are as raw as they are insightful.  From navigating mood swings and medication to unpacking the realities of sex work and desire, nothing is off-limits._________________________________________________Isadora O’Boto (co-host) is a Juilliard Drama grad.  Under the pen name Sephe Haven, she is the author of two award-winning memoirs: My Whorizontal Life and A Someday Courtesan, and playwright/performer of the solo show: “My Whorizontal Life: The Show!”  Isadora co-hosted the podcast My Index to Sex with Lynn Ferguson.  Find her at: isadoraoboto.comJanine Noel (co-host) is creator and host of Bipolar She podcast, where guests sh...