Daughters of Joy, Sisters of Misery

Prostitutes in the American West, 1865-90

Author: Anne M. Butler
ISBN: 9780252014666

They were called "frail sisters," "fallen angels," "soiled doves," and "whores." They worked the brothels, saloons, streets, and "hog ranches" of the American frontier. They were the prostitutes of the post-Civil War West. This book details the destitute lives of these nearly anonymous women. Anne Butler reveals who they were, how they lived and worked, and why they became an essential element in the development of the West's emerging institutions. Her story hears little resemblance to the popular depictions of prostitutes in film and fiction. Far removed from the glittering lives of dancehall girls, these women lived at the borders of society and the brink of despair. Poor and uneducated, they faced a world where scarce jobs, paltry wages, and inflated prices made prostitution a likely if bitter choice of employment. At best, their daily lives were characterized by fierce competition and at worst, by fatal violence at the hands of customers, coworkers, or themselves. They were scorned

Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Publish Date: 1987-01-01

Subjects: History / United States / 19th Century, History / Social History, Social Science / Women's Studies

This book is available in the following Community Centers: Women's Center (Location: Sex Work)