Providers, Hobbyists, And Hardwood Floors: Walking The Virtual Streets

Free and open discussion of things that were formerly considered taboo is one of the best things about the interweb: websites like Craigslist and The Erotic Review have made it easier than ever for johns hobbyists to hire hookers providers for sex sensual fun, and have also made it more convenient for sex workers auto racing enthusiasts to offer their services and network with one another. But that doesn't mean it's still not a mysterious enterprise with a language all its own (who knew that "We took a trip to the Mediterranean" was shorthand for "anal sex"?) and its own private message boards where users do their best to avoid the wrong kind of attention.

Take the website "Seattle Art Suppliers," for example, which used to be "St. Louis Auto Specialists"--and which is actually a forum where escorts and their customers can "discuss everything from gardening to philosophy to how they prefer one another's pubic hair to be groomed". (Or at least it was until an article about it appeared in the local alt weekly.) It seems that some discussions on the interweb still need to be kept under wraps after all. The more things change ...

· "OldestProfession2.0: A new generation of local 'providers' and 'hobbyists' create a virtual red-light district" (riverfronttimes.com, via Valleywag)
· Seattle Art Suppliers (stlasp.com; memberships closed)