This article is for all those who do not understand or don’t believe that sex work IS real work.

What it Takes

Sex work demands emotional, mental and physical energy from the providers in an intense way.

I enjoy interviewing women in the erotic industry. I find them to be intelligent and articulate with real joy in their hearts.

To be clear, I only interview those who have consciously entered the industry with their eyes wide open and without coercion. They’ve made the work of erotic encounters into a real business.

When you listen to a woman who’s job it is to turn clients on, it’s sounds like a tricky, risky and exhausting affair. It also sounds like there are amazingly intense moments with wild combinations of sex, flirtation, humor and genuine human connection.

On average, a beautiful, intelligent escort will charge $300-$500 an hour depending upon where they’re located. For that kind of money the client is expecting a full experience with a woman and not just a fuck.

That means her job is to bring her best self from the moment he walks through the door to the moment he leaves. She needs to smile, laugh, flirt and engage in her most dynamic way; no matter what she thinks of him or how she’s feeling on that day.

Sounds Like Real Work To Me

The women who make sex work a real business will often say they like it and even love it. Those are direct quotes.

I’m willing to bet most people in the mainstream couldn’t and wouldn’t imagine that could be the case.

If you’re someone who is not a sex worker and find it hard to ever imagine being one… I invite you to put your judgement aside. Try to imagine how uncomfortable and exhausting treating a complete stranger like you would a boyfriend as soon as you meet them would be.

That’s a real job.

And as one might imagine.. most clients of sex workers don’t look like Brad Pitt.

The bottom line is this is paid sexual activity. The sex worker doesn’t know what’ll walk through the door. Imagine pretending to enjoy, desire and have sex with someone you don’t find attractive in any way, shape or form?

It doesn’t sound like idle fun to me. It sounds like work.

Men and women of all backgrounds undertake sex work as a means of supporting themselves and the people who depend on them.

Sex work is just as much about success as it is survival.

The Distinct Line

Erotic providers are making their way in the world. They are supplying the very real and strong demand… and getting paid for it. That is honest work.

I feel the need at this point to make sure the line between sex work and sex trafficking is clear and distinct. I couldn’t be more against anyone being forced into sex work.

Although, in the US sex trafficking is not nearly as prevalent as many would have you believe.

This is evidenced by the lack of sex trafficking prosecutions since the passing of the FOSTA-SESTA law and the shutdown of Backpage.com.

In fact, I went looking for a news article to back up the above claim. I couldn’t find any.

ALL the news on sex trafficking convictions were dated BEFORE the FOSTA-SESTA law passed. The fact is, this law is an excuse to continue restricting our freedoms online.

The bottom line is this, you know a sex worker and probably aren’t aware of it.

As well, you definitely know a number of clients who visit erotic providers. Guaranteed.

Sex workers are everywhere and they’re here to stay. They provide a valuable service and deserve our respect. The work of sex is real work.

Take a look below for some more insight on sex work.

Real sex work has to do with conscious consent between adults.

The Definition Is Blurry

This definition gets blurry with the issues many sex workers face such as severe poverty, discrimination, drug use, community displacement and immigration status.

For some, they’ve little choice to do the work although, they can stay independent.

In these sad and difficult cases, it’s the sex workers situation that has forced them into the trade.

Technically, they are not being “trafficked” but it’s not a free “choice” either.

The Bad Guys

Then there are those who make it their business and way of life to manipulate, coerce, force and control people, usually young women, into the sex trade.

Those are sex traffickers and they need to be stopped.

The oldest profession will never die.

To advocate for the shutdown of the entire industry is naive and misplaced at best. Sex workers are everywhere.

You more than likely know at least one sex worker and have certainly come across them in your every day life.

They’re at the local diner, on college campuses, or in the insurance office. She or he could be the single parent, the part time nurse, or the yoga instructor.

Yes. It’s true.

You have met a sex worker and meet them every day.

Sex workers come in all shapes, sizes, backgrounds and ages.