Medin

This must be an American or LA thing. it's not common in other parts of the world do this. 
I guess it's the escort's right to choose whom they want fuck or be sexual with.  ut the implication is that it's sex for pay, so pickiness is limited somewhat. The normal format is that as long as a person isn't overly stinky, or has evident skin conditions, or in terms of behaviour 

What is this? Never been offered one …

Those guys haven’t quite got the idea of what the job is. Definitely right to move on. 
Sometimes I get clients sending me a description of themselves and they ask if they’re suitable to book. They might even include a photo. They have this perception that they need to be ‘fit’ to come for a session. I tell them they only need to be healthy, as in no health conditions that might be a problem, but that their physical appearance is immaterial.
This belief that you need to be conventionally fit arises because so many bad sex workers have criteria or age caps on who they will see. I don’t think those guys are worth booking. Your session will be all about them. 
 

If you can give, give instead of lending. There.
But what I've found interesting about the original post is the escort's ghosting of his friend, presumably because he feels awkward.  It's become more and more common for people to allow awkward feelings to prevent them from doing what they should do.  Young adults don't write post-graduation gift thank you letters anymore because, what, they feel "funny" about it? Parents should insist.  How often do you hear people say that they "Just can't" visit this or that loved one in the hospital or assisted care facility because it's just "too difficult"?  What the fuck?  Difficult?  I can guarantee you that no matter how "difficult" a 20 minute visit to a medical facility may be, it's INFIINTELY harder for the patient, because they are stuck there.  Man up.  Too difficult.  Jesus Christ, watch South Park for an hour when you get back home, compartmentalize, you'll be fine.

Same here.  I provide a description but would never provide a photo.   I completely agree with Simon above.   I'm paying $300+ for a service and in my opinion, that includes anonymity to some degree.   I'm kind of surprised to read that so many other guys send their pics to an escort for what is still (unfortunately) an illegal activity.  I've met enough crazy providers to know it is likely not in my best interest for them to have my photo and attached message asking about their rate and sexual interests.   In all my years of hiring, I think I've been asked to send a photo twice.  Both times I refused and they still saw me.  

Same here.  I provide a description but would never provide a photo.   I completely agree with Simon above.   I'm paying $300+ for a service and in my opinion, that includes anonymity to some degree.   I'm kind of surprised to read that so many other guys send their pics to an escort for what is still (unfortunately) an illegal activity.  I've met enough crazy providers to know it is likely not in my best interest for them to have my photo and attached message asking about their rate and sexual interests.   In all my years of hiring, I think I've been asked to send a photo twice.  Both times I refused and they still saw me.  

Same here.  I provide a description but would never provide a photo.   I completely agree with Simon above.   I'm paying $300+ for a service and in my opinion, that includes anonymity to some degree.   I'm kind of surprised to read that so many other guys send their pics to an escort for what is still (unfortunately) an illegal activity.  I've met enough crazy providers to know it is likely not in my best interest for them to have my photo and attached message asking about their rate and sexual interests.   In all my years of hiring, I think I've been asked to send a photo twice.  Both times I refused and they still saw me.  

I’ve rarely been asked my age. Since I look younger than my chronological age, I never volunteer it.

It's my policy to never send personal pics. If there's fakes on RM, there are also blackmailers.
I keep my RM client stats accurate and available, and often send a link.
The only time this was a problem was when a new hire came to my floor. I went into the condo hall to greet him, and at the same time, one of my neighbors came into the hall too. The neighbor was fat and old, and the escort greeted him, thinking that he was the client. When I called to him, he seemed relieved  

I’d think a description of yourself would be sufficient so that there’s some amount of familiarity that the person the escort is meeting is the one who contacted him, as well as to alert the escort to anything major that could be a dealbreaker (ie I think it’s important that he knows how short I am).

I don’t think so. Clients hire us for privacy, relative anonymity, and for us to not care what the client looks like but to service him anyway. That’s part of the inherent value of hiring; not having to appeal to another person’s tastes and preferences, particularly with regard to the way you look. This dynamic may be weird in other contexts but totally normal for this one. We providers are used to it. 
Imperfect as the comparison may be, I might hire a therapist in some small part based on the way they look in their photos. Are they inviting, compassionate, and open, or closed, judgmental, and creepy? They have never seen me before but I hire their services and show up sight unseen, and their job is to help me with some rather personal, emotional, and intimate aspects of my life. In that limited way, hiring a therapist is somewhat adjacent to hiring a provider. I can’t imagine feeling compelled to send my therapist a photo of myself before our first meeting. 
Sending a photo is a nice courtesy, and I welcome it, mostly just to help me remember the client better and to add to their contact as a quick reference along with my notes. 
More often than not a client expects us to offer some commentary or react to the way they look. He wants validation, but there is no good way for us to give it to him. No matter what we say, we can’t win:
1) We say something positive. You assume we’re not genuine.
2) We say something positive. You believe we are genuine. You might conclude we lack professionalism because we’re meeting with you for the wrong reasons.
3) We say something vague, neutral, or even negative about the way you look. You assume the worst about us and how the meeting will go. Perhaps you cancel because of it.
So…that leaves only one reasonable option: say nothing about the way the client looks. Consider this when you send a photo. Expect your provider to say nothing. When he says nothing, would you still want to send it? If yes, you’re sending for the right reason. Conversely, are you feeling disappointed that your provider does not comment on your looks? Then you’re sending photos for the wrong reasons.
Our work is very different from other businesses in many respects, and the client is hiring us based on many factors, including in large part based on the way we look, both above and below the neck. This business has unique norms and expectations on both sides of hiring, but it’s a business nonetheless. I don’t find seeing clients sight unseen to be at all weird given the specific context.
This topic brings to mind hookups and how different they are to hiring. Yet even there, context matters. Looks are very important for most hookup situations, or even a date. You need mutual interest and attraction for both parties to agree to meet. Not always though. I suppose it depends on what you want. “I’m ass up, face down, in a dark/dim room and I want your anonymous load. Come in through my unlocked door at: [insert location and other details here].” Sometimes what the other person looks like is immaterial. Meeting sight unseen is not weird in a context like this one.

I identify as bisexual, because I will have sex with BOTH gay men and straight men.

A young therapist presumably? 😉

most of my friends are early 60s & late 50s - I’ve never heard the conversation about younger gays being unappreciative or anything similar.  Or, the work & pain speech.  I don’t know anyone who thinks they’re owed something by the younger generations - it’s not even a thought 
 

FYI: Psychotherapy is covered under most health insurance policies.
 

Per hour, most therapists are cheaper than an escort. 

If studies are correct, the average is 5.17 inches erect and 95% of men fall into the 4-6" range.  Only 1% are longer than 7 inches.  It seems like a lot of the guys must measure from their navels.  

I was referring to Carter Jay (DesnudoMassa).   I haven't met StraightBoyJ.  

@pubic_assistance I didn't want to bring this up again, but based on past posts, you have no place in the gay community, and definitely no right to speak about it. Right now, your actions (if not substance) are pretty much the same as a closeted gay guy whose only contact with the community is when you commit adultery on your wife.
I don't know of many gays who feel "owed" by young people...except by not being treated badly. I don't ask for any recognition, but I do ask not to be insulted by young gays simply for walking into a room while being old.
And I don't know how you raised your kids, but as a financially-secure adult with elderly parents, I gladly perform my filial duties, whether it's visiting them, helping them out, or just being there for them. I'm capable of gratitude.

I was not in my 20s in the 70s but I was very grateful to my predecessors who fought for that first nondiscrimination laws, who founded GMHC and ACT UP, who created and entire culture and when I was in high school and college were bearing the brunt of the AIDS crisis.
 
Honestly, it’s even more disrespectful for young queers today to lack appreciation when the information is so readily available. And the rising tide of anti-queer fascism is cutting our rights off left and right in many states. So the kids should wake up before they find themselves in a pre-Stonewall situation just like we’re in a post-Roe situation. 

As my posts here indicate, I tend to have an aversion to the attitude held by many younger providers. I'm hiring them less and less, and only when I have a good expectation that they'll act more responsible.
I could go into "grumpy old man" mode, and repeat everything about how younger providers tend to be entitled, arrogant, overpriced, and irresponsible, not to mention their inability to follow a schedule.
However, as an openly gay man, the biggest attitude factor is that gay youth nowadays have a lot more privileges, acceptance, and opportunities than I and other older gays did at that age. So I see a lot of them as selfish ingrates who don't recognize how much work and pain older gay men had to go through to create the society they enjoy now. And selfish, uneducated ingratitude will make me lose a hard-on faster than anything.

This is a terrible analogy. First, lots of queer men from every generation have raised children. Several of my friends (Gen Xers) have children, biological, step and adopted. Second, younger people in a marginalized community should be grateful to their forbearers. Should African Americans take MLK for granted? 
Third, me and most of my friends are very grateful to our parents for what they did for us. Sure, we had bratty moments as teenagers but as an adult - whether you're a parent or not - you realize how much your parent(s) provided you with love, security, mentoring, etc. 
Lastly. as a non-parent, I see a lot of parents in my generation doing an absolutely shit job and raising little entitled narcissists. That's not "natural." That's just bad parenting. 

I’ve been told to go fuck myself many times.  If only I were younger. 

The Carter Jay he references in the Youtube video is this guy:  
DesnudoMassa - Pornstar Performer, Rentboy, Gay Massage in Midland, MI | RentMen
RENTMEN.EU Pornstar Performer & Rentboy in Midland, MI - DesnudoMassa: Carter Jay I've met him.   Wow...quite a mess.  One of my worst hires and I walked out.  
 

The Carter Jay he references in the Youtube video is this guy:  
DesnudoMassa - Pornstar Performer, Rentboy, Gay Massage in Midland, MI | RentMen
RENTMEN.EU Pornstar Performer & Rentboy in Midland, MI - DesnudoMassa: Carter Jay I've met him.   Wow...quite a mess.  One of my worst hires and I walked out.