Historically, prostitution has been punished, sometimes tolerated and only rarely accepted in society. The stories around sex work have been told mostly by researchers, artists and other academics. But today, mapping the different ways in which sex work has been perceived helps us to understand, and to look beyond stigma. Words by Agnese Reginaldo 19 January In Greece and Rome, brothels were established institutions, but sex work was often performed by slaves.
The very first public brothels in Greece had a precise social function: to prevent homosexuality between young men. Women of the aristocracy were sometimes attracted to brothels, not for money but for pure enjoyment, the most famous being undoubtedly Valeria Messalina, third wife of the Roman emperor Claudius. It is said that when evening fell, the beautiful Messalina ran at great speed to the lupanare brothel , where she enjoyed herself in the trade, adopting the name of Licisca.
According to a story by Pliny the Elder, she once challenged the most famous sex worker of the time to a race and won, having 25 intimate encounters in one night. This may also explain why the term bordello in Italian also means noise or mess. Mary Magdalen is undoubtedly one of the most powerful women mentioned in the Bible.
While much has been said about her, very little is known about this influential woman. This last is supported by representations showing her with long, curly hair more respectable women of the era would have had their heads covered and wearing yellow, a colour traditionally symbolising shame and madness. Most religions have traditionally frowned on sex as a form of pleasure, promoting the act as sacred and reserved for reproduction.
Male sex workers are commonly seen as engaging in sex work out of their own free will and for enjoyment, while female sex workers are often perceived as victims. The Cleveland Street scandal saw numerous aristocrats identified as attending a male brothel in Fitzrovia London. At a time when sex between men was a crime in England, the scandal encouraged the attitude that homosexuality corrupted young people of the lower classes.
