Welcome to The Real Live Ho Show!

I have presented The Real Live Ho Show for a multitude of colleges and universities for over 15 years. Some of the more illustrious venues I have had the pleasure of speaking at include Kent State and Stanford. When I walk into the classroom I head straight for the blackboard and write:

Veronica Monet:

Current Sexologist
Former Prostitute
Lifetime Whore

As you might expect, this elicits some laughter and whispers of confusion. I will be the first to admit that I love creating controversy as a learning tool. It's no fun unless my audience is engaged in the discussion. I love to be as interactive as possible and if a particular crop of students is reticent to share their thoughts I have been known to give away porn to the first student to give a correct answer.

My favorite question is "What is a Bonobo?" It is amazing how many college students have never heard about this amazing animal. Bonobos are the mascot of many sex-positive organizations and movements because they solve their problems with sex. They are in fact the only non-violent ape. You would think that alone would catch more press but otherwise intelligent and objective people are just too squeamish about the Bonobo's sexual behavior. Bonobos not only engage in sex frequently, they practice sex which violates the taboos of most human cultures. Bonobos do it all: gay sex, lesbian sex, missionary style heterosexual sex, french kissing and prostitution. No wonder so few people know about this animal. They really do flaunt some sacred cows of conservative moralists.

My presentations also include a slide show. I wish to demystify prostitution and highlight the healing benefits of sex, so I have created an erotic slide show of real life sacred prostitution. It is both a documentary and an artistic account of my professional relationship with a prostitution client. As the images transition on the screen, I love to watch jaws drop in shock. The surprise is not due to some unfamiliar or degrading sex act but rather a response to the affection, compassion and spiritual connection. No one ever expects to see that.

I keep my presentations topical so they morph from year to year while retaining the salient features. The flavor of the moment is "trafficking." Much hysteria, legislation and entertainment preaches the evils of this latest scourge of sex for pay. The trouble is, it isn't new and it isn't any more real than "white slavery" was a couple hundred years ago. While some children and women are forced into a life of prostitution, the vast majority are simply seeking a way to feed themselves. Many of the so-called "trafficking victims" who are "rescued" very quickly return to the profession as soon as the handouts from those who would "rescue" them dry up.

A much more effective and realistic way to ensure that exiting prostitution is easy and accessible to everyone is decriminalization. If we simply remove existing laws, we will make it possible for people to move into other jobs without the stigma of an arrest record. Additionally, if we redirected the millions of dollars spent by most major cities putting prostitutes and their clients in jail, we could afford to open recovery houses, training centers and daycare. Unfortunately, none of that is as glamorous as rushing into a suspected crime scene and whisking a "victim" off to an interrogation room to recount her tail of woe. Put in that situation, I could cough up a pretty convincing story about my innocence too.

Which is NOT to say that some of the people "rescued" are not in need of it. But the "trafficking" problem has been vastly over-stated and too many of those who are "rescued" are NOT better off once they have been "rescued." People don't need to be perceived as "victims" nor do they need the patronizing efforts of those who want to play hero. What everyone deserves is equal protection under the law (something prostitutes do NOT have) and the freedom and dignity of choice.

There is so much more to this topic. Future installations will include discussions about sex and religion (for instance, did you know that the Catholic church used to operate brothels?) and help you distinguish between the many branches of the sex industry (what is the difference between a prostitute and a courtesan?). I may even broach the topic of how sexual shame leads to global warming. Stay tuned.

Yours Without Shame,
Veronica Monet