The question is about liberal or conservative ... not Democrat or Republican.

Over the years, I've read that providers represent the true "liberated woman."  Thus, spake the press, they are truly liberals.

About a year ago, I began seeing providers myself and I find that most are fairly conservative.  While clients are probably all over the political spectrum (after all, we're men -- "pull toys" according to my mother), the providers I've seen don't seem to fit the label of "liberal" that they have been given.  Rather, they want to pursue their passions and professions without government interference, are upright and ethical citizens, and loyal to their communities.  That's a fairly conservative perspective.  They are not right-wing wackos, but they certainly don't appear to buy into the left-coast speak, nor the northeast (Ivy League) high-and-mighty rhetoric.

Maybe they're just good, solid, middle-of-the-road citizens.

Other thoughts?

First, personal "liberation" (which goes way past being a provider...remember, it is the oldest profession) doesn't necessarily have any bearing on a woman's political views.  A woman can be strong willed and outspoken and not depend on a man to be the "breadwinner", all traits "the press" would ascribe to liberated women, yet be conservative in her viewpoints.  Conversely, a woman can be a mother and housewife, and defer much to her husband, which "the press" would ascribe to a conservative lifestyle, and yet have many social viewpoints that are espoused by liberals.

In response to your basic question, I live in San Diego, which is a pretty conservative town, and most of the providers I have talked with have been quite liberal in their thinking. Now, this may have something to do with the women I have chosen to see and/or talk with, but it makes me wonder where you are located and what demographic you tend to see.  

I feel sorry for a woman, even your mother, referring to a man as a "pull toy", just as I would never refer to a woman as a "skin trampoline" (not my term...credit Suzanne Vega for that one).  No matter how many men agree to that label, it is denegrating, and a woman does nothing to make that scenario any better by classifying men that way, even in jest.  Y'all may say it is the truth, but I tire of men being constantly dumbed down.

However, the biggest issue I have with your post is you implication that people who are liberal are NOT "good, solid, middle-of-the-road citizens", WANT "government interference" in their occupation (like liberal providers WANT to get arrested?), are NOT upright and ethical citizens (like how many "normal conservatives" would consider a provider in their neighborhood, no matter how good of a house she kept, "upright and ethical"), and, most of all, are NOT loyal to their communities.

I have known extremely liberal people who have put more into their community through community service, outreach programs, volunteering, going to town meetings, and getting involved in community issues, than any conservative in their town.  Now, perhaps this is because many of the communities I have lived in have leaned somewhat liberal in the first place, so they felt they had a voice in the government.  San Diego certainly is not this way, and yet there many liberal community activists, not to mention people like Donna Frye, our best and most "activist" city councilmember (who no one gave a chance to being elected), who still make the effort in this town, so how is this a "conservative" virtue?

There are plenty of "good, solid, middle-of-the- road citizens", out there.  I consider myself one of them, yet I am as much of a bleeding heart, card carrying, tree hugging liberal as you get.  I was born and raised in the Midwest, not the liberal "left coast", or the "high and mighty" Northeast.  I was surrounded by Hee Haw every Saturday night and corn fields as far as the eye could see.  However, this didn't prevent me from seeing that there is more to the world than what I could see if I keep my thoughts "conservative".  However, it didn't keep me from feeling a committment to my community, wanting government out of my life (like TER...duh...or porn...hello, Mr. Asscroft...or whatever I choose to put into my body...or whether my sister could have an abortion after she got pregnant from being raped at 18), or being upright (I served four years in the Army, have paid my taxes, and took care of my mother and sister before they died).  As for ethical, well, are any of us on TER "ethical"?  Depends on who you ask.

Once again, the dictionary definition of "liberal", please:

1.  abundant, ample  2.  generous  3.  OPEN MINDED (my caps)  4.  not strict or rigorous  5.  broadening (liberal studies)  6.  favoring political or social REFORMS (again, my caps)  7.  person of liberal views

Didn't you mother also tell you to not watch so much Fox News?

-- Modified on 11/1/2003 5:04:22 PM

Gotta watch Fox News out of one eye and CNN out of the other -- somewhere in the middle (or combined) is the truth.

Reo you think that a profession tends to set your political views? I'm not sure...

To some extent, in regard to some professions,  yes-- virtually every academic in the humanities that I have met has had left-leaning views. At most humanities conferences, it is safe to assume that 9 out of every 10 scholars you meet will be a Democrat.

I would also guess that many military personnel (Wesley Clark notwithstanding) are Republicans.

if you want to look at Fox News as one end of the spectrum of truth, the other end should be The Nation or Mother Jones magazine, or Alternet or Counterpunch on the web.  CNN is not the liberal equivalent of Fox News...it is centrist in its reporting, but conservative in its stories.

Still, I think it is rare in general.  I can't argue from any sort of "first principles" how providers (in general) might come down on this question.  My expectation is that most don't think about politics very much - they are much more grounded in other aspects of their life.