...disguised as an American Bison?

An interview with the makers of the upcoming film "American Courtesans", which focuses on the lives of sex workers in the U.S. and includes Mpls's Hilary Holiday as one of the interviewees. Link contains a YouTube link to the promo.

It is difficult to fully buy one of the quotes in the interview with the female producer.

She stated:  "So the hatred for sex workers is so easily understandable. They don’t know us and we hide for fear of harm."

The "fear of harm" statement seems sensationalistic. The main reason sex workers hide is due to the illegal nature of their activities. If a sex worker was concerned about hiding, they would not have an Internet presence. "Hiding in plain sight" is a better description for countless providers and their business models.

Not that they literally go into hiding. Haha

Might not be that far off. Many of these ladies have far more riding on them besides illegal aspect.  Some are hiding this from their families, friends, co-workers, children, or boyfriends. Each one of these could be far more harmful if broken than getting caught by the LE. Even if this was legal on the books, you would still she providers "hiding" from many other things.

After watching that trailer, I felt like I needed a shower.

The ladies in the windows in Amsterdam will get very upset if you stare or take a picture. Nothing illegal there so I've assumed it was because they didn't want to be recognized by folks in their civilian life.

Many providers have far more riding on getting caught than just being busted. Their whole life could  crumble if, as DrT described, the people that the provider was protecting from finding out about their "other" life discovered it somehow.

It has to be a very hard to do. The internet and search engines can bring up many things. I give providers all the respect in the world for taking such big chances to do this.

Also, the emotional toll must be enormous. It has to be very stressful, meeting men, and or women you have never met before and be, quote, "on your game" for every session. I have talked to many providers about this, and they mostly all say its a very stressful occupation.  But then, some say that it does have its rewards also. I was talking to a provider this week about this exact topic and she said its stressful, but she once had a client that she thought may have been autistic, and asked him if he had ever french kissed. He said, "I don't think so". So the provider then proceeded to show him how. Thats the rewarding end of the job, helping people out with their emotional and or physical , I don't want to say problems, too harsh a word, but you know what I mean.



-- Modified on 8/17/2012 4:37:37 PM

Thank you for getting the word out about this post. I am very grateful.

The various entities mentioned in your post reflect the collateral damage that can result when a provider's previously hidden activities become known to her family and other parties to her life.

The collateral damage cited is also in-play for hobbyists. Although knowledge of such activities may lead to judgments, I have never felt that I would be physically harmed (see note) if my association with prostitutes was widely known among my family and other parties to my life.

Note:  The interview equates sex workers with certain groups such as homosexuals. Quote:  "Look at each American subculture and how many had to fight for civil liberties and equal rights." For homosexuals, hiding (in the closet) from physical harm has been part of their daily lives. It was possible for homosexuals to be hurt or killed if their orientations were revealed. Would prostitutes encounter the same form of threats if others knew they sucked dick for income? Would a hobbyist encounter the same form of threats if others knew he paid another to suck his dick for pleasure?

In any case, the intellectual basis for this documentary appears faulty. She contends that prostitution is a subculture. A sexual subculture may be defined as adopting "certain styles of fashion and gestures to distinguish them from the mainstream." (Source:  Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender.) Non-normative lifestyle choices like BDSM reflect a recognizable sexual subculture. Prostitution is a normal activity. It is sometimes referred to as the world's oldest profession. A subculture must represent a "subversion to normalcy." (Source:  Subculture:  The Meaning of Style.) How is prostitution subversive when it has always been an operative part of human nature?

-- Modified on 8/17/2012 7:50:36 PM

Since this post was published. Mindchaotica has gotten it's own url now. so feel free to go to Mindchaotica.com!