My experience is pretty much the same as Mirror's, although I tend to stick to a fairly small group of friends so it's not a massive sample group (I don't keep my job a secret full stop so of the people in my town who would recognise me even in passing, it's unlikely they wouldn't know).
I've never had a bad reaction but it's worth remembering that most people are curious and will ask what might seem like rude or inappropriate questions. It's not intended to be crass, but it can be annoying as it is for the same reasons as anybody else who gets quizzed about their work when they're not doing it (doctors, for example 
).
It doesn't hurt to have a reaction. The bad reactions have come from unexpected quarters, quite often from women who aren't aware of the huge amount of control indoor workers have over their err, work. Until I explain how my appointment system and screening works, they are under the impression that it's some sort of free for all. How else would they know any different without speaking to a sex worker?
Feminist?
I took the scary leap of speaking to a 'feminist' MEP, the only reason I dared do it was because she was a friend of someone very close to me, who said it would be ok. So along I went terrified, ready to grab my bag and run. That MEP I now consider a friend, and she hugs me whenever she sees me which can be at public speaking engagements. We learned a lot from each other that day and I've seen some of her social media posts mention that she knows sex workers who do run their work as a business, do pay taxes, do operate a proper system, do deserve recognition.
That first meeting I had with her I mentioned that feminists are seen as anti-sex worker. She then told me that I'm a feminist. I'm a woman who has a voice, wants to be heard.
Feminism doesn't mean hating men, or hating sex, or hating prostitution, or hating bras. It's about women, that's it.
It's so easy to stereotype any group of people.
Topic: acceptance from female friends (Read 5050 times)