Female sex workers in SF: Difference between revisions

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Characters whose work explicitly involves sexual behavior or sexual performance. Includes people who provide sexual services for money or professionally, e.g., whores, prostitutes, streetwalkers, escorts, callgirls; sex performers; and people who do sexual performance for money or professionally, e.g., strippers, actors, lapdancers, nude or pinup girl models, etc.  
Characters whose work explicitly involves sexual behavior or sexual performance. Includes people who provide sexual services for money or professionally, e.g., whores, prostitutes, streetwalkers, escorts, courtesans, callgirls; sex performers; and people who do sexual performance for money or professionally, e.g., strippers, actors, lapdancers, nude or pinup girl models, etc.  


See also [[List of non-female sex workers in SF]]
See also [[List of non-female sex workers in SF]]
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* Brian W. Aldiss. "Lambeth Blossom" in Strange Bedfellows: Sex and Science Fiction, edited by Thomas N. Scortia (1972). © 1967.
* Brian W. Aldiss. "Lambeth Blossom" in Strange Bedfellows: Sex and Science Fiction, edited by Thomas N. Scortia (1972). © 1967.
* [[Margaret Atwood]]. ''[[The Handmaid's Tale]]''. Forced prostitution by the handmaids; and houses of ill-repute secretly provided for the bigwigs.
* [[Margaret Atwood]]. ''[[The Handmaid's Tale]]''. Forced prostitution by the handmaids; and houses of ill-repute secretly provided for the bigwigs.
 
* [[Lois McMaster Bujold]]. Vorkosigan books. LPSTs on Beta Colony (Licensed Practical Sexual Therapists) of both sexes.
* [[Lois McMaster Bujold]]. Vorkosigan books. LPSTs on Beta Colony (Licensed Practical Sexual Therapists)
* [[Jacqueline Carey]]. ''[[Kushiel's Dart]]'' (2001) & sequels - Series focuses on [[Phedre no Delaunay]], a female courtesan, but society includes sex workers of both genders.  
 
* [[Jacqueline Carey]]. ''[[Kushiel's Dart]]'' (2001) & sequels
* [[Jayge Carr]]. ''[[Leviathan's Deep]]'' (1979). Not a major theme, but there are definitely whores -- they're male. The society isn't primarily capitalist, so it may be that they are fulfilling religious service more than for money.
 
* [[Melissa Kwasny]]. ''[[Modern Daughters and the Outlaw West]]'' (Spinsters Book, San Francisco, 1990). A small Wyoming town is infested with quirky lesbians, ghosts, and politics. One of the ghosts -- a leading town-mother -- was the town madame / hooker.
* [[Melissa Kwasny]]. ''[[Modern Daughters and the Outlaw West]]'' (Spinsters Book, San Francisco, 1990). A small Wyoming town is infested with quirky lesbians, ghosts, and politics. One of the ghosts -- a leading town-mother -- was the town madame / hooker.
 
* [[Mercedes Lackey]]. The Gryphon books and other [[Valdemar series]] books include the "[[kestra'chern]]" profession; a sex-worker that is respected ins ociety and is a combination therapist, sex therapist, and masseur.  They come in both sexes. One of the Gryphon books focuses on [[Amberdrake]], a male kestra'chern.  
* [[Mercedes Lackey]]. One of the Gryphon books have a sex-worker ([[Amberdrake]], a "[[kestra'chern]]") as a protagonist; these particular sex-workers are respected in society, and are combination therapist / sex therapist / masseur, and are of both sexes. Examples of that profession crop up in other of her later Valdemar works. This is also one of the rare examples of a male sex worker in SF.  
 
* [[Donna McMahon]]. ''[[Dance of Knives]]'' (2002) (major character was previously a sex worker; sex workers are common in the society)
* [[Donna McMahon]]. ''[[Dance of Knives]]'' (2002) (major character was previously a sex worker; sex workers are common in the society)
 
* Charles Oberndorf. Sheltered Lives (1992). After the spread of "hives," a deadly STD, the government sets up shop with licensed sexual service workers of both sexes.
* Charles Oberndorf. Sheltered Lives (1992). After the spread of "hives," a deadly STD, the government sets up shop with licensed sexual service workers.
* J. Neil Schulman. ''[[The Rainbow Cadenza]]''. All women are required to spend several years in "the Service" - prostitution.
* J. Neil Schulman. ''[[The Rainbow Cadenza]]''. All women are required to spend several years in "the Service" - prostitution.
 
* [[Sarah Waters]]. Tipping the Velvet (It's not fantasy/sf, but readers of fantasy might well like it; the London of the early 20th century is pratically fantastic. This is a lesbian picaresque novel & well worth reading. The [[butch]] woman is passing as a man when she is selling blow jobs on the street.
* [[Sarah Waters]]. Tipping the Velvet (It's not fantasy/sf, but readers of fantasy might well like it; the London of the early 20th century is pratically fantastic. This is a lesbian picaresque novel & well worth reading.)
* [[Joss Whedon]]. "[[Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]]" (character of Inara is a Companion, a registered multi-talented professional who at least sometimes includes sex in her services; she is regularly described as a whore by major character Mal; in episode "Heart of Gold", a former Companion is now a madame of a house of prostitution)
* [[Joss Whedon]]. "[[Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]]" (character of Inara is a Companion, a registered multi-talented professional who at least sometimes includes sex in her services; she is regularly described as a whore by major character Mal; in episode "Heart of Gold", a former Companion is now a madame of a house of prostitution)
* [[Gene Wolfe]]. Free Live Free
* [[Gene Wolfe]]. Free Live Free
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** episode 2x11 (#35) "Phase One" Sydney undercover as an escort
** episode 2x11 (#35) "Phase One" Sydney undercover as an escort
** episode 2x21 (#43) "Second Double" Sydney undercover as a dominatrix
** episode 2x21 (#43) "Second Double" Sydney undercover as a dominatrix
* "[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica (1978)]]"
* "[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica (1978)]]"
** Cassiopeia was a "socialator", basically a courtesan or call-girl
** Cassiopeia was a "socialator", basically a courtesan or call-girl
* "[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]] - [[Niki Sanders]] (played by Ali Larter) was an online performance sex worker
* "[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]] - [[Niki Sanders]] (played by Ali Larter) was an online performance sex worker


Revision as of 10:00, 29 April 2007

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Characters whose work explicitly involves sexual behavior or sexual performance. Includes people who provide sexual services for money or professionally, e.g., whores, prostitutes, streetwalkers, escorts, courtesans, callgirls; sex performers; and people who do sexual performance for money or professionally, e.g., strippers, actors, lapdancers, nude or pinup girl models, etc.

See also List of non-female sex workers in SF

List of works

  • Brian W. Aldiss. "Lambeth Blossom" in Strange Bedfellows: Sex and Science Fiction, edited by Thomas N. Scortia (1972). © 1967.
  • Margaret Atwood. The Handmaid's Tale. Forced prostitution by the handmaids; and houses of ill-repute secretly provided for the bigwigs.
  • Lois McMaster Bujold. Vorkosigan books. LPSTs on Beta Colony (Licensed Practical Sexual Therapists) of both sexes.
  • Jacqueline Carey. Kushiel's Dart (2001) & sequels - Series focuses on Phedre no Delaunay, a female courtesan, but society includes sex workers of both genders.
  • Melissa Kwasny. Modern Daughters and the Outlaw West (Spinsters Book, San Francisco, 1990). A small Wyoming town is infested with quirky lesbians, ghosts, and politics. One of the ghosts -- a leading town-mother -- was the town madame / hooker.
  • Mercedes Lackey. The Gryphon books and other Valdemar series books include the "kestra'chern" profession; a sex-worker that is respected ins ociety and is a combination therapist, sex therapist, and masseur. They come in both sexes. One of the Gryphon books focuses on Amberdrake, a male kestra'chern.
  • Donna McMahon. Dance of Knives (2002) (major character was previously a sex worker; sex workers are common in the society)
  • Charles Oberndorf. Sheltered Lives (1992). After the spread of "hives," a deadly STD, the government sets up shop with licensed sexual service workers of both sexes.
  • J. Neil Schulman. The Rainbow Cadenza. All women are required to spend several years in "the Service" - prostitution.
  • Sarah Waters. Tipping the Velvet (It's not fantasy/sf, but readers of fantasy might well like it; the London of the early 20th century is pratically fantastic. This is a lesbian picaresque novel & well worth reading. The butch woman is passing as a man when she is selling blow jobs on the street.
  • Joss Whedon. "Firefly" (character of Inara is a Companion, a registered multi-talented professional who at least sometimes includes sex in her services; she is regularly described as a whore by major character Mal; in episode "Heart of Gold", a former Companion is now a madame of a house of prostitution)
  • Gene Wolfe. Free Live Free
  • "Alias"
    • episode 2x11 (#35) "Phase One" Sydney undercover as an escort
    • episode 2x21 (#43) "Second Double" Sydney undercover as a dominatrix
  • "Battlestar Galactica (1978)"
    • Cassiopeia was a "socialator", basically a courtesan or call-girl
  • "Heroes - Niki Sanders (played by Ali Larter) was an online performance sex worker
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