This isn’t a question; it’s the kind of letter from a reader which lifts my heart and inspires me to keep fighting for what’s right. The last paragraph at the bottom was my reply.
I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you are doing. I recently lost my virginity (at the age of 23) with an independent escort, but I was extremely nervous, and I felt awful the whole time because I believed I was doing something horrible. The woman explained her work to me very rationally and assured me that she was doing this of her own free will, but I still felt so bad that some nights I could not sleep. During the following weeks I read as much as I could about sex work, especially testimonies from workers themselves and, little by little, I realized that this was honest, good and decent work. After finding your blog I felt liberated from my guilt and decided that this is the life I want to live. I still want to look for a romantic relationship with the prospects of making a family, but now that I have “found” sex work as a way to fulfill my needs in the meantime, I feel so much calmer. I no longer see sex as this dark, secret hush-hush act; I’ve been with one other sex worker since then, and I can say without a doubt it was one of the best experiences I’ve had in my adult life. I know it’s an act and that the girl is putting on a performance, but it was so sweet and kind. The people who work in this industry are saints in my book and should be treated with the utmost respect. Thank you for everything.
Thank you so much for writing this; I’m so glad you were able to throw off that awful guilt. The “authorities” want people to feel bad about pleasure of any kind (ever notice that the only things they claim are “bad for you” are those that bring pleasure?) so you’ll work harder and they can manipulate you. But that’s no way to live; as you’ve discovered, thinking for yourself and trusting your own experiences rather than what “authorities” tell you leads to a much fuller, more rewarding life. I hope you continue to have great experiences with other sex workers in the future!