Calling all prostitutes and former prostitutes on MN, as there seem to be a few around right now...

[Aitch]

I'm curious to know how it makes you feel to see threads on here from wives and girlfriends etc when they discover that their husbands etc have been visiting prostitutes? even if you are happy in your own jobs (and i hope to god you are somehow, because the alternative is intolerable), how does it feel to be confronted with the downside of your work on these pages?

(i think it goes without saying that the men are culpable in this scenario, but am looking for some insight into how your work squares with sisterhood etc).

righto, OFFS, thanks for answering. how would you respond if, apropos of nothing because they don't know what you do etc, your children wanted a career in prostitution?

also, do any of you think that this job is, if you look deeply, taking any toll on your psyche or mental health? (as many jobs do, let's face it, but is there something extra in being penetrated by - at least initially - strangers?)

x-post, thanks for answering mandamumu.

Mandamumu Did you know anyone else in the sex industry when you first got into it?

I don't think it has taken a toll on my psyche. Sometimes it can be emotionally draining (emotionally needy clients).
I totally agree that anyone who forced themselves to do this would probably end up in therapy.

Oh and I think my last question is how long did you wait before telling your DH what you did and what was his reaction?

nappy, stop asking so many specific questions

you are frightening me

manda...your palpable distaste for women who have no other choice but to work the streets does you no favours at all

NA No I didn't know anyone else in the industry. I've made some excellent friends along the way though.

Aitch, I'd like to think that I would support my children, no matter what their choices. However, if I didn't agree that they were suited to it, I would put my argument VERY strongly.

You really do need an inner strength and excellent sense of self worth to do this.

cheers, and when you say that 'curiosity' got you into it, could you elaborate at all?

also would you support prostitution being on the list of jobs that a careers adviser might encourage school leavers to go for? if it's 'a job like any other', as so many people have said on this thread. (not you, i think, mostly people who interpreted my OP as being something other than it was).

It's not a distaste at all and some of those girls choose to be there, but I'm never going to appeal to the same guys as them. I am careful to market myself to a certain type of guy.

My point was that if you use a different word, people get a totally different idea of where you're coming from.

watchingrain how much is your rent?

AnyFucker Why does it scare you that I would be curious about how all this works? Isn't anybody curious about things that aren't really spoken about openly and honestly?

a certain type of guy ???

you are doing it again, manda

are you a better class of prostitute catering to a better class of guy then ?

and yes, your post was oozing distaste, and scorn, and frankly, misogyny

just because you wear silk when you spread your legs for money, and "they" wear nylon, it doesn't make you better than them

No, I don't think that careers advisers should recommend prostitution, but then I don't think they should recommend modelling either. Both careers can take a toll on you if you're not suited and can crush someone with low self esteem.

Anything which involves marketing your body in any way, shape or form has to be a personal choice.

AF I'm not marketing myself to guys who want a quick fuck. The guys who visit street walkers or even SoHo walk ups, would never pay my prices.

I've given up on that post. No matter how I word it, it sounds bad, so sod it.

I'm not better than them, just more expensive and exclusive.

nappy, I am scared of why you are so interested in the specifics of who disclosed what, and when, and how others had gone about the practicalities

if someone in RL was asking those kinds of questions, I would ask them if they were considering taking up the practice themselves...

well, any job can take a toll on one's self-esteem...

i'm interested in the 'it's a job the same as any other', though. so you don't think it is?

Put it this way. A loaf of bread from Fortnum & Mason would cost umpteen times more than a loaf of bread from Lidl.

They are both still just loaves. It's just marketing and fancy wrapping.

manda...would it be so hard to say you are sorry you worded it so badly ?

that you regret the way it comes across ?

"sod it" doesn't really cut the mustard, does it ?

i don't think it's unreasonable to use a specific word that, to a punter, denotes a particular type of prostitute. i do think that is just marketing.

It's far too personal to be just like any other job.

AF I've already done that. Months ago. I'm not going to start all over again now.

yes, manda

precisely my point

they are both still loaves

but being derogatory towards other loaves in a less fortunate postion than yourself, just looks mean

which is a shame for you, because you have been trying very hard on this thread to project an image of being a caring woman, no matter what your profession may be

well yes, which is rather what i was trying to get at with my OP. i do wish that when the umpteenth person said 'it's just a job like any other' on here, someone with actual knowledge had said 'well, no, it's not', it was really getting on my nerves.

done what manda ??