Class Distinctions
» Sex Workers
An 18th century example of the role class plays in sex work from Jo Manning 's My Lady Scandalous : The Amazing Life and Outrageous Times of Grace Dalrymple Elliott, Royal Courtesan .
Ms. Manning makes an interesting sociological point when she suggests that the fact that Grace was not an aristocrat handicapped her longterm success as a courtesan. As the author analyzes the situation, "Although aristocratic women could be tramps before as well as during marriage, young women from a lower stratum of society could not afford to fool around." In other words, the farther up the social ladder you were, the more of a tramp you could be.
A successful courtesan's life among the rich and highborn