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Author Topic: "American Courtesans" documentary - has anyone else seen it?  (Read 1933 times)

MaddieMoo

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"American Courtesans" documentary - has anyone else seen it?
« on: 09 October 2013, 06:37:29 pm »
I'm pretttty sure this is the right section to post this in..?

Has anyone else seen this documentary and what do you think? I paid for it on iTunes and I thought it was very much worth the money and thought it was really honest and would be insightful to the anti-SW brigade or people on the fence. I was very happy it showed that while some women feel they have no choice but to work in the sex industry for financial reasons, that is the same reason anyone gets a job, because they need money and that while some sex workers may have/had drug issues that's not the case for all sex workers. The point made about us actually not all being disease ridden because that would ruin our careers was also well put. And how we're excluded from legislation consultation too. I just felt that it covers everything and I found the stories of the women that had chosen this career path or were initially forced to it both very moving.

Only criticism is that I don't like terms like courtesan but that's so trivial!

My boyfriend and I have only been together a couple of months after being best friends for so long, and while he knew what I did before we got together because I've never hid anything from him, and accepts it and sees that "sex work is work" I think showing him this will be even more helpful to him in getting over little niggles he has and doesn't like having and really see the human value to my job too!
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amy

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Re: "American Courtesans" documentary - has anyone else seen it?
« Reply #1 on: 09 October 2013, 06:42:46 pm »
This is the correct section for stuff that doesn't belong in Questions and Answers and isn't to do with activism, research or a media enquiry :).

We had some random punter sign up here trying to plug this a while back, and now I see why. And no, I haven't seen it. Quite apart from not being interested, as far as giving money to Apple goes I'd rather eat my own shit ;D.

MaddieMoo

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Re: "American Courtesans" documentary - has anyone else seen it?
« Reply #2 on: 09 October 2013, 07:08:25 pm »
Haha Amy your hate of Apple is like most of my mates!! I don't quite understand the reason, I've never thought to ask which is odd because I assume it's for a really good one! I don't like the lack of room for customisation and the DREADFUL, emotional adverts.
And thanks, I misplaced a new thread from not paying attention at all earlier (coffee comedown strikes) and I didn't wanna be THAT pain in the bum that drives moderators batty today lol

And fair enough indeed if it's not your cuppa to watch. I've seen so many crappy docus on sex work so this one struck me as way better than any of the crap channel 4 spin out (not exactly hard, granted!)
« Last Edit: 09 October 2013, 07:12:27 pm by MaddieMoo »
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amy

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Re: "American Courtesans" documentary - has anyone else seen it?
« Reply #3 on: 09 October 2013, 07:18:06 pm »
Oh, I'm sure some folk'll have watched it (and I didn't watch the other one, either) :).

All these things leave me cold tbh; after doing the job for nigh on eleven years on and off, the thought of wanting to sit about in my free time reading books and watching TV programmes about it just mystifies me completely, but for newer folk I'm sure it's a bit less like a busman's holiday. I'm having a Breaking Bad-a-thon instead.

MaddieMoo

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Re: "American Courtesans" documentary - has anyone else seen it?
« Reply #4 on: 09 October 2013, 07:28:55 pm »
Yeah I can totally see what you mean, I am still so very new to all this and I'm sure I'll be bored of reading etc about it eventually! I've not long got wifi put into my new flat and breaking bad is the next on my catch up list, I won't deny that it has higher entertaiment value :P
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ellie38hh

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Re: "American Courtesans" documentary - has anyone else seen it?
« Reply #5 on: 10 October 2013, 10:29:49 am »
Amy would have to agree its totally like a busmans holiday... but i do find myself watching some of these programmes just to see the portrayal of us in the media, when am not working i do enjoy time out from it all totally!!! 25 years in this business has made me cynical to the tv image of us all from Band of gold to the crappy channel 4 documentaries!!!  Thats just my opinion ladies xxxx

MaddieMoo

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Re: "American Courtesans" documentary - has anyone else seen it?
« Reply #6 on: 10 October 2013, 01:56:09 pm »
Amy would have to agree its totally like a busmans holiday... but i do find myself watching some of these programmes just to see the portrayal of us in the media, when am not working i do enjoy time out from it all totally!!! 25 years in this business has made me cynical to the tv image of us all from Band of gold to the crappy channel 4 documentaries!!!  Thats just my opinion ladies xxxx

Secret Diary was the equally unrealistic "high class" version of Band Of Gold I think - where was all the "Crap, hold ups have not held up, make up is running off my face and oh great, now I've to get into an argument about him underpaying me."?  :P
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transparentbetty

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Re: "American Courtesans" documentary - has anyone else seen it?
« Reply #7 on: 12 October 2013, 05:41:00 pm »
I downloaded this but I have to say I think the american life does differ to ours.  This focused a lot on the bad mostly, will there ever be a realistic doc?  I found this sooo boring and just not relevant to any of my experiences in the industry.

MaddieMoo

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Re: "American Courtesans" documentary - has anyone else seen it?
« Reply #8 on: 12 October 2013, 08:24:47 pm »
I thought it was very interesting rather than boring but I did think it has a lot of people who had a bad start in the industry before it got better, only two out of eight or something who had generally constantly positive ones. But I think this really is keeping with what i think the purpose of the documentary is - to highlight the need for changing social stigma and decriminalisation. And yeah American life is very different, but I can never tell if maybe it just appears to be  ??? obviously prostitution being illegal is a main thing but there's other stuff I can think off the top of my head that might just not be as talked about here.
I like my men clean, gentlemanly and with envelopes...