The Pervert's Library
The Home for the Literarily Bent
Daughters of Joy, Sisters of Misery: Prostitutes in the American West, 1865-90
Aug 17th
Front cover for Daughters of Joy, Sisters of Misery
By Anne M. Butler
Published in 1987 by the University of Illinois Press
Butler’s Daughters of Joy, Sisters of Misery survey of Old West prostitution begins by examining the prostitutes themselves. Who were the women who became prostitutes? The short answer to this question is much the same then as now: poor women without reliable friend or family networks.
The book continues by examining prostitutes’ cohorts such as colleagues and family. Contrary to the popular notion of prostitutes forming a tight sisterhood, Butler paints a portrait of prostitutes as being almost singularly selfish. While a casual observer might expect prostitutes to band together to improve their lives collectively, given the poverty and chaos that marked prostitutes’ lives it is hardly surprising that they valued short term interests instead of long term thinking.
Butler continues her analysis by examining the complex and contradictory relationships prostitutes had with police officials, the court system, and the US military. These officials often tolerated, if not actively encouraged, the practice of prostitution while simultaneously forcing prostitutes to live on the haggard existences on the fringes of society.
My only lament is that there was not enough information about non-prostitutes to allow for any sort of comparative analysis. Nor does Butler give any time to discuss how societal attitudes have changed over time. By failing to consider prostitutes’ status and place in society was not the result of prejudices against the poor, women, or particularly poor women, it is difficult, if not impossible to conclude that the difficulties prostitutes faced were not the result of those biases.
For instance Butler mentions that rapes of prostitutes were rarely prosecuted. Since Butler did not supply more information about society as a whole, I was left to wonder how often rape was prosecuted regardless of the victim’s social, economic, or occupational status. Were rapes more likely to be prosecuted if the victim was affluent? Simply poor but not a prostitute? A resident of a big city in the northeastern US? While Butler devotes lots of time to the awkward relationship that prostitutes had with police and governmental officials, she does not stop to examine if prostitutes simply did not report the crime of rape to officials.
In a similar vein, it is difficult to discern whether the difficulties prostitutes endured in the Old West were the result of their occupation or a general animosity towards poor women.
Despite this shortcoming, the book serves as an interesting spotlight into the Old West generally as well as the prostitutes of the time.
Perversion in the News: International Intrigue
Jul 23rd
This entry of Perversion in the News contains two entries for your twisted enjoyment.
First comes a story from South Africa that takes the notion that “she was asking for it” to a new absurd low. According to the article from the Independent Online, Anthony Julies, arrested for bestiality, told police, “…the dog mustn’t flaunt herself like that…” You can read the entire article http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=iol1279700444989D122.
Not to be outdone by the South African, England’s entry courtesy of news.com.au contains a cross-dresser and a dog. You can read the article at http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/cross-dressing-man-caught-having-sex-with-dog-at-english-castle/story-e6frfku0-1225895330430.
Perversion in the News: Florida Man Arrested Over Sex with Christie Brinkley Claim
Jul 20th
Here’s a short item from the Atlanta Journal Constitution that shows some people have no sense of humor. A 64 year-old man was arrested after joking with a veterinarian’s office that he had sex with his Great Dane. Anyone who attended my last Thanksgiving celebration will be left to wonder if they should be in fear that the local SWAT team will swoop in and ruin the festivities.
You can read the item at http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/florida-man-accused-of-572614.html.
The Contemporary Dictionary of Sexual Euphemisms
Jun 29th
Front cover for The Contemporary Dictionary of Sexual Euphemisms
By Jordan Tate
Published in 2007 by St Martin’s Press
I came across this book at a sidewalk sale of one of my favorite local booksellers. Having read it, it is easy to see why it didn’t sell well at full price. The Contemporary Dictionary of Sexual Euphemisms begins on a bad note with E. J. Collins’ introduction. Collins claims that the euphemism began “from society’s inability to accept sexuality as a normal part of existence.” He further claims that the euphemism exists in modern times as a “shield and weapon” against the fragility of masculinity and bemoans that masculinity cannot define itself “independent of feminity.”
Collins misses the mark badly. He fails to acknowledge that the euphemism is a linguistic conceit. Though they can be used to obscure, they can also be used to illuminate a subject. Also, the euphemism is often employed to add humor to a subject. Unless you’re doing it wrong, sex should be fun (among other things). If all discussions about sexuality were somber and clinical, would it not be reasonable to assume that sexuality is likewise somber and clinical?
Unfortunately, the book never recovers from Collins’ introduction. Every entry in The Contemporary Dictionary of Sexual Euphemisms is presented in a disjointed, but consistent, fashion. Entries are presented in alphabetical order and typically have with three definitions – two absrurdist literalisms followed by an explanation of the euphemism’s real meaning. For example, the entry for “makin’ bacon” consists of:
- To prepare the salted and smoked meat from the back and sides of a pig.
- To cook or prepare salted and smoked meat from the back and sides of a pig by heating.
- Coitus (slang)
This dictionary style information is then followed by etymological information, a usage example, and a brief commentary about a euphemism’s origin. Some of the entries are photo-illustrated. But don’t get too excited, these illustrations are pictorial depictions of the literal absurdities being described. For example, the illustration for “hiding the salami” shows a girl on her knees sneakily putting a salami under a carpet.
Taken as a whole, the entries leave the reader puzzled as to the book’s intent. Is it intended to be a work of humor? A serious exploration of the change of language? A joke perpetrated on the reader? If Tate knows the answer, he never bothers to inform the reader. Had Tate had chosen any one of these ideas and fleshed them out, the book would not only have been more cohesive, it would have been entertaining. Instead we are left with a meandering mess that neither informs nor entertains. These major problems aside, Tate does deserve credit for including euphemism that are both humorous and vulgar.
New Feature – Perversion in the News
Jun 20th
Perversion in the News is the latest feature here at the library. This feature will share news items, feature stories, and editorials involving offbeat sexual topics. If you are aware of any perverted news stories that I should cover, drop me a line at todd@pervertslibrary.com.
The first installment of Perversion in the News features, is a commentary by Jesse Bering that appeared on Scientific American’s discussing whether zoophilia is a fourth sexuality (after hetero, homo, and bi-sexuality). I always thought the fourth sexuality was asexuality, but that is neither here nor there. To read the commentary visit http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=animal-lovers-zoophiles-make-scient-2010-03-24.