I am interested in our society's reaction to the idea of prostitution. In particular, why do prostitutes have such a terrible reputation?

Seems to me that selling sex for money is not essentially different from providing other personal services like manicures or hairdressing. But our society looks down on prostitutes and all the other names for them are very negative. Why, for Goodness Sake? It's just another job. I can think of other professionals that I respect FAR less - starting with politics.

I suppose that it's not a valued profession - it doesn't require much training and every woman has the appropriate equipment. It's also essential to intimately touch people you might not like - but nurses etc know all about that too. So it might be that the ill-educated and desperate gravitate into it. But I think that what is keeping better educated women out of it is the social disapproval - particularly the disapproval of other women.

I can sit down for tea with a prostitute without degrading her or trying to get a freebie. But it's a rare woman who could do the same.

Why not, ladies? Tell us how you feel......