Art & Beauty in the Sex Trade

Written by Vanessa Raqs

 

Art & Beauty in the Sex Trade

I remember watching the TV series, Firefly, when it first aired. I was fairly enamored of Inara, the “Companion” (high class prostitute/coutesan). She rented a shuttle from the space captain, Mal. When she applied to be his tenant (shown in a later episode), she assured him that he most certainly would rent it to her and at a fraction of his asking price. When he asked her why she believed so, she replied confidently that it is because she brought “a certain respectability…”.

Phèdre nó Delaunay de Montrève, courtesan of the Night Court, is a fictional character in an epic and addictive Fantasy/BDSM genre book series called Kushiel’s Dart, written by author, Jacqueline Carey. I’ve read all six novels in this series, at least three times over now. Throughout the series, Phèdre both embodies and helps to reform, the already-highly-sophisticated sex trade within her culture. The Night Court is the central focus within her D`Angeline society. Sex isn’t just socially acceptable, it is also celebrated, glorified, appreciated and beautified! The courtesans of the Night Court are highly trained, specialized professionals who represent the classiest of pastimes within the city. Trained to have impeccable manners, numerous skills, and an artful representation of themselves and their trade. You cannot read these books without coming away from it wishing that there were a place of its quality, artistry and beauty, somewhere on this planet.

Even within our real-life human history, there is room for such approach within the sex trade. For example, consider the Geisha. These Japanese courtesans were highly educated and trained to be living art in their communities. Again, they were so much more than solicitors of sexual expertise.

These three examples are meant to bring a hint of the attributes which such things as tradition, art, sophistication, education and respect, can bring to something as basic (or as complicated) as sex.

My entrance into the sex trade was a rather innocent one. I wanted to dance for an audience. I also wanted to make some money doing something I loved. I started out camming on one of the more popular sites for this service. I bellydanced! I absolutely revel in bellydancing. I would turn on my WebCam, put on my favorite blues music, come on camera wearing a skimpy but beautiful belly dance costume. And dance my heart out until my body didn’t want to move anymore! I made so very little in tips, as the men mostly wanted to pay to see my boobs (as if there weren’t already enough models providing that particular service! For free, no less!), but I still received a great deal of appreciation for what I did. The very first day that I attempted this pastime, I found a message in my inbox. A man had written me to tell me how I had made his day especially wonderful. He had watched me dance, enjoyed the blues, and sipped a glass of wine. For me, that message was the best thing I received from my experience of dancing on WebCam. It made me feel as though I had brought something beautiful and unique to others. And yes, something sexy as well!

High quality, classy entertainment, and the sex trade are a natural love-match.

I realize that the opinion I am about to present might very well open me up to some criticism. But I personally feel that the most common presentation of the sex trade, in our modern society, is a lazy one! We are lazy in our presentations of it as well as in our expectations of it. Granted, a good deal of this is due to the fact that much of the sex trade is either illegal, discouraged or frowned upon. I won’t deny that this trade is stifled. While in novels, film or rare moments in history, it has been depicted as a profession of refinement, this is seldom the case nowadays. Its existence anywhere though, tells me that we are, nonetheless, craving this higher expression of our sexuality.

I recognize that the general public view of sex and the sex trade, has in fact evolved by leaps and bounds over these past few decades. People are not only becoming more comfortable with it, but we have reached a point where it is not even uncommon for individuals to identify as something more/other than simply male or female. I personally even know a particular 13-year-old who has come to passionately refer to her/himself as “gender fluid” and “pansexual”. I have received quite an education on these labels, in fact, by this individual… Our younger generations are already feeling the need to move into new new territory, sexually, than that of the limited range of their predecessors. What’s next?

Now, imagine a world where the sex trade reaches a point of accessibility and acceptability, by which it becomes possible to even consider it a trade worthy of legitimate education. Imagine the possibilities if we could open ourselves to sex in all its artistic potential. If our society could embrace it for its beauty, it’s therapeutic qualities, and simply it’s natural and rightful place within our humanity. There is so much more to be explored in the sex trade then what we have thus far. Don’t get me wrong… As a phone sex operator I am most certainly aware of just how thoroughly certain aspects of the sex trade have been explored…but we are still neglecting so much of it. so much of it which could be seen as breathtakingly beautiful, were we to give it the chance.

Human sexuality is as diverse as the world around us. While, I agree, there are some stones that can be gladly left unturned, there are so many other wonders which we don’t begin to explore because much of modern day society shakes its finger at us and says “No, no, no… put your clothes back on!”.

I realize there is a great deal more that can be said here on all angles of this subject. More than I can express in one blog. But these are thoughts I’ve had many times over. I welcome the thoughts of others on this subject. Whether you agree with me or disagree, or have a perspective somewhere in between, or perhaps even a thought on a subject that is off to the side as it were, I would love to hear it!

 

© 2017-2020 Vanessa Raqs, All Rights Reserved

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