The Money-Hungry Pro

At the end of the day, money is the main incentive for prostitution. Sexual curiosity has been shown to be a motivation as well, but keep in mind that those who are mostly seeking to fulfill their fantasies still charge for their services. Even if some factor other than money is the primary reason for why one might choose to engage in sex work, everyone can be in agreement that extra cash is always a nice little bonus. Let's face it: if we were Suzy Favor-Hamilton and were having sex with strangers to satisfy our desires, we'd charge $600 an hour too even though we didn't need the money whatsoever. I mean, why not? It wouldn't hurt.

Actually, money-hungry pros, who sell their bodies even though they do not need the money, significantly contribute to the prostitution industry's negative image. Although sex work is looked down upon in general, there are some instances in which prostitution is deemed relatively acceptable to most. These include prostituting to feed one's children, keep up with rent and bills, and pay for school tuition. On the other hand, prostituting for a disposable income to afford unnecessary items such as brand-name clothing and luxury goods are especially looked down upon.

I recently conducted a survey which asked participants to rank the following statements from most acceptable/justifiable to least acceptable/justifiable:

Respondents largely and consistently indicated that the least acceptable/justifiable reasons for having sex for money are fulfilling a drug habit (which will be touched upon in a future post) and having luxury items. Why is this the case when most people want luxury things such as expensive clothing and nice vacations in their own lives? I know I would go crazy for Louis Vuitton and Christian Louboutin, if only I could afford it. Why knock the money-hungry pros for pursuing the same kind of lifestyle?

This is due to the fact that people can only feel for those who have sex for money because their backs are against the wall. Prostitution is considered to be an extreme means to an end; it is a job that most people would not want to take part in unless they absolutely have to, such as when they have an obligation to support their family but cannot make enough money to feed their children by working a regular job. In the same survey, I asked participants to state the one single reason that would cause them to begin exchanging their bodies for money. All but one responded that they would only become prostitutes if they did not have enough money to feed their kids or if they suddenly became homeless. 

People are primed to do whatever it takes to satisfy their basic needs, which include food and shelter. Thus, when individuals choose to engage in something so extreme and taboo like prostitution so that they can buy expensive items rather than to simply obtain the minimum resources required for their survival, society immediately chastises them for unnecessary overconsumption. And who can blame society for doing so? While the rest of us sink ourselves in debt pursuing an education to find us a six-figure career so we can finally buy those luxury items and go on those fancy vacations, money-hungry pros will have retired already, having put in only a few years of work, albeit not-so-fun-and-a-little-bit-degrading work, for that lifetime supply of Louboutins.