h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have spent the last three weeks in the past, trying to understand prostitution at the turn of the century. I don't know much more than I knew when I began. They are so elusive, these women, sitting there on a page of a Register of Prisoners. Women without someone to be concerned with their personal welfare, without a voice. Trying to give them a voice is harder than I thought it would be, mostly because the idea of being a prostitute is so foreign to me. Or is it? If I bought the feminist rhetoric that all male/ female relationships are a form of prostitution, and that real hookers are just more honest, I guess it would make sense. But to reduce human relationships to nothing more than the buying and selling of flesh seems so reductive to me, so simplistic. It as if the desire to make sense of something so complex requires making it something base. Lowest common denominator, perhaps? I find it specious and somewhat lacking in true feeling. And where, I wonder, does that leave gays and lesbians? Are their relationships any less filled with what, essentially, becomes Marxist struggle? Or are they above that? All these questions swirl around my head, and I don't have any answers. Perhaps, if I am lucky, someone with something approaching an answer will happen upon this rambling THING and help.

perhaps at the turn of the century there was more freedom in being a prostitute. i would never,could never do that work. BUT>>>>in the late 1800's that might have been a different story.no votes, no land ,no say ,no money of your own. no conversation with men.if you set out on your own to do anything it was odd and suspect.geez the clothing alone! i like to be mostly covered but.. their bodies were wrapped up tight day and night. it was way worse than panty hose.i suppose i watched too many westerns with my father when i was young. in all the stories the most self sufficient women, free,richest and happiest were the women that supplied the girls.there was not alot in between to express yourself. you could be a school teacher/old maid, mother or prostitute. any endevour that was working around men was extremely hard in all ways. if you wanted to be social then that would have been the job to have. in the home, womens work was even more demanding.Do you remember or heard of ;it was in the 70's, the whole world laughed when the first married woman took her husband to court for rape! It was thought to be a totally ridiculous charge.Shamefully women wispered about the possiblity and frequency of rape in marriage.All the men laughed and many a woman.Not to diminish todays women at all! There are more choices now.Life may be just as hard but life is longer and "wider" than then. By the way .i am a western redhead closer to your mom's age. i have enjoyed reading your stuff.

I don't know...my mom's pretty young, and I'm no spring chicken!

This was for a paper I wrote on prostitution in Missoula at the turn of the century...a while back.

I actually remember my mom talking about that case...she told me that men sometimes thought that having a penis meant they were better than women, and to never forget that it wasn't true. Smart woman.