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1. Way back in the fifth century BC, Pericles had a son by a woman called Aspasia. She was wealthy, well educated, and a courtesan. What word is used for women like Aspasia, who were the closest thing to "women's libbers" in Ancient Greece?

Answer: Hetaerae

Hetaerae (singular Hetaera) were very much the 'upper class escorts' of their day, rather like geishas in Japan. They were often extremely well educated and wealthy, much more so than ordinary women at that time. They were independent of men and could even own property; mistresses of important, powerful men could wield influence in their own right, too. Aspasia has been the subject of much scholarly debate over the years, given that Pericles 'fell from grace', was an object of ridicule, and was 'put down' by chroniclers who came after him.

She was also recorded as the courtesan consort of Lysicles, after the death of Pericles.

2. The tradition of a red light in a window to indicate a brothel is said to have begun with a Biblical woman who hung a red cord in her window, so that her family were spared from the massacre of the citizens of Jericho, after she hid two spies from the town guards. Described as a "harlot" in the Book of Joshua, who was she?

Answer: Rahab

The story of Rahab and the spies can be read in the Book of Joshua, Chapters 2-6. Although she is described as a harlot, scholars have made a case that she was not actually a prostitute at all, as she was close to her parents - she asks that they be spared by Joshua's soldiers when the city falls. If she was actually a prostitute, her father would have disowned her.

3. Carol Leigh is an author and campaigner for rights and protection for prostitutes. How is she known in the full title of her book "Unrepentant Whore"?

Answer: Scarlot Harlot

Leigh is credited with coining the phrase "sex worker" to refer to people involved in prostitution and various related industries. Her book "Unrepentant Whore: Collected Works of Scarlot Harlot" was first published in 2004.

4. Valerie Solanas spent several years as a homeless prostitute, before becoming (in)famous when she tried to murder which famous man?

Answer: Andy Warhol

In 1968 Solanas lay in wait for Warhol at his "Factory", and fired three shots at him, one of which struck him. Although he survived, he was never the same again, and suffered after effects for the rest of his life. Solanas went to prison, but was released in 1971, before being rearrested and returned to jail for stalking Warhol. She died in 1988.

5. Possibly one of the most famous Royal mistresses of all time was Nell Gwynn. In the latter half of the 17th century, she had two sons by King Charles II of England. What were their names?

Answer: Charles and James

Both the boys were acknowledged by their father, the King. Charles, known as Beauclerk, was born in 1670, and went on to become Duke of St. Albans. James, born in 1671, died aged just nine years.
King Charles II had at least 15 illegitimate children by several mistresses, often granting them lands and titles, and making good marriages for them as they came of age. He never had any legitimate children with his wife Catherine of Braganza.

6. In 1989, married couple Mary Ellen and Wilbur Tracy were convicted of "pimping, pandering, and prostitution" by a court in Los Angeles. What was particularly scandalous about the brothel they ran?

Answer: They also ran a church from the same building

They called their church the Church of the Most High Goddess, and Mary Ellen was the High Priestess Sabrina Aset. Both the Tracys were jailed for their offences, and Wilbur was also fined.

7. Which ancient Chinese courtesan, famed for her wisdom and beauty, wrote the "Song of the West Tomb"? "I ride in a decorated carriage, My darling rides a blue-white horse. Where should we tie the knot for our heart? Under the Xiling pine and cypress."

Answer: Su Xiaoxiao

Sometimes known as "Little Su", Su Xiaoxiao died, aged just nineteen, sometime around the year 500. Some of her writings survive to this day, and there are many folktales and stories told about her, too. Her tomb at West Lake was a place of pilgrimage for over 1,000 years, but was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. It has since been rebuilt for people to visit again.

8. Mary Elizabeth Thompson was kidnapped by Red Indians as a child, then rescued, then ran away from home aged fourteen after her father shot and killed her suitor! She ended up as a dance hall girl and prostitute, eventually owning her own brothel in Sweetwater, Texas. What rather strange nickname did she acquire?

Answer: Squirrel Tooth Alice

Mary was married from the age of seventeen, until she was widowed in 1897 when her husband, Billy, died of tuberculosis. They had nine children together, and as far as records show, they followed their parents into gambling and prostitution.
The nickname "Squirrel Tooth Alice" came about because she kept several pet prairie dogs.

9. It is not only women who have "sold their favours" throughout history. One man who has spoken openly about his work in the sex trade in his native Canada is Raymond Gravel. He later came to public attention when he took up which job?

Answer: Member of Parliament

Not only was Raymond elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 2006, he was also ordained as a priest in the early 1980s. Having been given special dispensation by the Church, he served in Parliament for two years after his election, before an ethical conflict led to his resignation of his seat.

10. Who found notoriety in the 1990s as "the Hollywood Madam"?

Answer: Heidi Fleiss

Heidi Fleiss was arrested in 1993 on charges relating to running a brothel, and in 1995 she was the subject of a television documentary called "Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam".
She has since become something of a media personality, writing magazine columns and making appearances on various television shows, including "Fox News" in the US, and the 2010 series of "Celebrity Big Brother" in the UK.

Source: Author Rowena8482

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Can't Buy Me Love Trivia Quiz

So goes the song, but throughout history many men have done exactly that. How many of these famous practitioners of "the oldest profession" can you remember?

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