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Men of all sorts (especially unmarried) have an itch to scratch. At that time as before and long afterward unmarried young women or girls were strictly off limits. You messed with some man's daughter, got her in a family way or just sullied her (and by extension her family's) name there often were consequences and repercussions.
This leaves really only two options; whowas and dabbling in homosexuality for lack of female options.
Prossies have been around since ancient time (their in the Bible....) and for good reasons. They don't call it the world's oldest profession for nothing.
It was also long felt that access to whowas kept men in check (especially military) as they provided an outlet that otherwise would lead to rapes.
New York City like Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Los Angeles along with others were port cities. Where you have ports you also have sailors. Large urban areas of all sorts also attract or have large numbers of men (single or married) from all walks of life looking for some action. Everything from sailors to businessmen to college men to yokels in town from the country.
Also large port cities were usually first places immigrants arrived in USA. So you had large numbers of men arriving say in NYC from Europe or elsewhere again sooner or later with an itch to that needed to be scratched. Every immigrant community had prostitutes that catered at least to their own kind; Irish, Jewish, Italian, German, blacks....
By 18th century where directories of "sporting houses" for nearly every major city. These "guides" listed brothels or whores, what they offered, rated attractiveness of ladies, etc..
If a white guy wanted some "Lady Marmalade" by 1920's or so guides or word of mouth directed him to Harlem where there where houses that had whores to catered only to white men.
But then was all dems Whowas orphans or something like that or divorced women who hated their families? If sullying the family name was that important, what father even allow their daughter, or what husband, BF allow their women to pross themselves.
But then was all dems Whowas orphans or something like that or divorced women who hated their families? If sullying the family name was that important, what father even allow their daughter, or what husband, BF allow their women to pross themselves.
New York City was once prostitution capital of the USA if not world. Large numbers of young girls or women (of all ages) turned to whoring for various reasons but one thing was clear, it was very profitable.
There weren't many other sorts of employment around for women especially if they lacked education. Domestic service, working in shop, etc... those sort of jobs were out there and paid very little. Meanwhile even a street urchin or young girl living in a tenement could make more money in a week whoring (even if only giving out hand jobs) than many men made in an entire month.
You also had many young girls or women who were forced into "white slavery" and kept there by same means human trafficking still does today; threats of or actual bodily harm.
I just finished reading a book about this period of NYC's history, and it read like Fiction. I had to keep going to the back of the book to see that whatever I read was factual, well-documented.
Still hard to believe: 3rd tiers of Theatres were reserved for Prostitutes, Saloons/Barbe Shops/Cigar STores, all with rooms in the back for prostitutes, to bring in more patrons. Landlords could charge more rent for prostitutes, making it more difficult for the very poor to find affordable housing.
The police never wanted prostitution to end as they were enjoying handsome profits from protection fees.
Abortionists, who could even advertise in newspapers, made lots of money during this period.
NYC was truly the Sodom and Gomorrah of the world during this period, would anyone agree with that?
Most of the prostitution back then was practiced within the confines of fronts; Saloons, stores, etc... Today, most states consider promoting prostitution as a felony while solicitation is considered a misdemeanor. A prostitution front today would net some serious jail time for the owner of the establishment even if they treated the women well or even just turned a blind eye. The end result was the rise of street prostitution in the cities that had high-traffic areas like NYC. It moved the ladies from behind the scenes into the streets controlled primarily by criminal groups/gangs and right into their hands. With FOSTA-SESTA passing, more women are driven to the streets.
Similarly, cities in TX have escalated simple solicitation to a felony now. So the word on the streets is that many of the women working the strolls of Houston and Dallas have relocated to NYC.
I personally think that sex between consenting adults whether for personal or financial gain is a private matter... so linking it to Sodom and Gomorrah in a religious context, seems a bit biased towards marginalizing a group of people just trying to make a living. Something that has been done for eons. It wouldn't be a stretch to start treating these people as people and provide a safer way to operate because prostitution will never be eliminated... just driven elsewhere and underground to more dangerous situations.
Amazingly, Liverpool was the largest port on the world at one time, managed to keep it all under control. The city had a heavy puritanical streak to it.
Amazingly, Liverpool was the largest port on the world at one time, managed to keep it all under control. The city had a heavy puritanical streak to it.
A lot of those countries approach prostitution with the intention of containment rather than pressing for elimination. Furthermore, they come down hard on street prostitution and opt to keep activities indoors. These areas eventually get known as red-light districts and authorities use these areas to keep it under control while residences steer clear of these areas as necessary.
But then was all dems Whowas orphans or something like that or divorced women who hated their families? If sullying the family name was that important, what father even allow their daughter, or what husband, BF allow their women to pross themselves.
It was mostly a middle-class and especially upper-class concern about sullying the family name. Maintaining respectability was all-important. Or at least--maintaining the appearance of respectability...
When the authorities finally cracked down on the red light district, it evolved into a warehouse/industrial area and didn’t change much until the 1970s & 80s when some restaurants & bars began to open.
By the 1990s & the turn of the century, developers saw the opportunity to pick up relatively cheap downtown land in the still somewhat run down seedy section and started building high rise condos & apartments. Plus the new City Hall was established at a prominent intersection.
So today, the once infamous S&G Guy Town has been totally transformed into the posh district of multimillion dollar condos, gourmet restaurants, and high $$$ shopping - now known as the 2nd Street District.
Only the “elite” need to apply.
This is what the area looks like today…
Most of the prostitution back then was practiced within the confines of fronts; Saloons, stores, etc... Today, most states consider promoting prostitution as a felony while solicitation is considered a misdemeanor. A prostitution front today would net some serious jail time for the owner of the establishment even if they treated the women well or even just turned a blind eye. The end result was the rise of street prostitution in the cities that had high-traffic areas like NYC. It moved the ladies from behind the scenes into the streets controlled primarily by criminal groups/gangs and right into their hands. With FOSTA-SESTA passing, more women are driven to the streets.
Similarly, cities in TX have escalated simple solicitation to a felony now. So the word on the streets is that many of the women working the strolls of Houston and Dallas have relocated to NYC.
I personally think that sex between consenting adults whether for personal or financial gain is a private matter... so linking it to Sodom and Gomorrah in a religious context, seems a bit biased towards marginalizing a group of people just trying to make a living. Something that has been done for eons. It wouldn't be a stretch to start treating these people as people and provide a safer way to operate because prostitution will never be eliminated... just driven elsewhere and underground to more dangerous situations.
Ahhhh...the Republican obsession with sex and authoritarianism.
NYC area is still a center for naughty stuff. Seems Roosevelt Ave in Queens is the current hot spot. The police seem not to care or are paid off?
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