The Shady Lady Ranch, a licensed brothel in Nye County, Nevada, has begun recruiting its first male prostitutes. This may appear to be a small step toward gender parity, but the real inequality that needed correcting is one between women: for the very affluent, pricey male escorts and gigolo boyfriends have long been an option. Shady Lady's prices are aimed, however, at mid-market customers, starting at $180 for 40 minutes. Brothel owner Bobbi Davis makes a point of welcoming "average" customers – including women – who don't see themselves as high rollers.
Other brothel owners aren't convinced her plan is realistic. George Flint, longtime lobbyist for the Nevada Brothel Owners' Association, isn't shy about discussing allegedly elevated health risks posed by female clients in a brothel setting, fearing that the addition of male prostitutes might re-introduce Aids after 25 years without a single case in the industry. It is easy to dismiss him as a voice of the old guard who doesn't welcome female customers or male workers, but Flint is no fool. For two decades he's been representing the political interests of Nevada brothel owners – and has managed to keep those brothels legal.
Wherever sex work is tolerated, reactionary crackdowns are a constant threat; laws can be rewritten, licenses revoked. In the northeastern state of Rhode Island, indoor prostitution was legal until 2009, when an assortment of shrill prohibitionists passed a law criminalising all prostitutes. During Copenhagen's recent climate control gathering, local politicians conducted an insidious campaign against sex workers – even though prostitution is actually legal in Denmark. These are just two of many examples. As a sex industry lobbyist, Flint is surely aware of these events. Anything that might push the buttons of anti-prostitution operatives is a red flag to him.
Beyond specific health risks, Flint's main worry seems to be that male brothel workers will sell sex to men, which might result in a backlash, endangering Nevada's regulated sex industry. He recently voiced concerns about the controversy:
We've worked hard for years to make the traditional brothel business in this state socially acceptable … something we can be proud of that most Nevadans accept. We have some concerns that this can be diluted by what Ms Bobbi Davis wants to try.
Opponents who agree with Flint do have a point, as homosexual services might be the inevitable next step: very few male prostitutes earn a living servicing women exclusively. In every income bracket, men are more capable and determined consumers of professional sex. Women have less experience – and less inclination as well. We aren't 50% of the customer base and I doubt we ever will be.
So why exactly should introducing male prostitutes to Nevada's legal brothels be problematic, when every major American city already has male escorts? Male sex workers in Nevada will earn more if they're gay-for-pay or bi, but I fail to see why that should worry George Flint or anyone else in 2010. There is no reason to assume male prostitutes will favour unsafe sex. As for bisexuality? It's merely evidence of a decent work ethic.
