I provide below a free extract from my book about this very subject.
Speaking of male prostitutes, doubtless there are some who might make a living at it, but these are rarer than professional gamblers. The predominant reason that male prossies aren’t successful is because women are sexually different to men. It would appear that they don’t need sex in the same way men do or are satisfied with what they get in standard relationships. In addition to this they are possibly put off by the stigma that is still attached to paying for it.
Some years ago there was a television documentary about a pair of redundant Doncaster miners who had set themselves up as male escorts. The programme followed their fortunes over a year, during which their success rate was akin to that of the England football team in international tournaments post 1966. (Watch them win the upcoming European Championships now!) Each month one of them would say, ‘Don’t worry, something will turn up soon.’
‘Bound to,’ his positive partner would echo supportively. But, despite this endearing optimism, their bookings remained resolutely at a big fat zero.
Eventually, after following them for a year, the younger, better looking one secured a client. It was as if the film crew had been determined to follow them until this moment. At one point I thought the programme was going to give ‘Coronation Street’ a run for its money.
He was extremely nervous as he prepared for the appointment and the camera tracked his anxiety with relish, even pursing him to the hotel where the woman, who was apparently much older than him, was staying. For the sake of propriety the film crew didn’t follow him into the bedroom and we never saw his client. However as soon as he emerged they interrogated him about the appointment.
‘Yeah, it went alright,’ he beamed like a conquistador discovering new lands. ‘I think I can make a go of this.’
Whether he did make a go of it we never found out. Maybe she became his sole regular client, or maybe he had to wait another year for his next booking. Alternatively, perhaps word spread like wildfire about his sexual prowess and he became a veritable gigolo for the frustrated middle aged ladies of South Yorkshire. As for his older, less hunky mate, who you couldn’t help feel sorry for, maybe he’s now ensconced in a call centre or cruising around in a cab.
