New Guys: Is it the Economy?

[Guest ncm2169]

It seems there's been a plethora of new guys surfacing lately. Men4RentNow has at least 2 or 3 dozen (or more) new guys listed daily (nationally). Same for Guys4Rent, which apparently has their promo going in conjunction with their new "Review Site." Even on AOL, I find new guys.

 

What's the story? Anyone else discovering this phenomenon? Is it the economy, or just summer break?

[Guest Merlin]

Perhaps, but I think there is less negative stigma attached to escorting that there once was. At one time, it was primarily the domain of street hustlers. But now, the internet makes it possible to earn good money without actually "hustling" for the money. The client base has broadened to include people who did not like the danger and weirdness of picking up someone on the street corner. It not includes clients willing to pay substantially more than what a street hustler can expect. But, the clients expect and get someone good looking, in good or great shape, healthy,showered and shaved, and respectably dressed. They are more likely to meet in a clean hotel room or in the client's home. With video, porn stars have achieved a celebrity status and have raised the prestige of escorts within the gay community. All these factors have contributed to the change in escorting and I think it will continue to change as gays cease to look down on other gays who escort.

[Boston Guy]

Yes, it's the economy.

 

The job market in general is tough and the job market for this year's college grads in particular is even worse. It's lousy out there and I think that is reflected in some of what you are seeing.

 

BG

 

ps: The posts on the other thread notwithstanding, I think the lousy economy is also responsible for the many offers of discounted prices I've seen, or more time for the same money or sometimes even both.

 

pps: I was the very first client for an escort recently. He told me "it's either escort or get kicked out of my apartment."

[VaHawk]

I guess this is true in a lot of regards, but I feel that it can be looked at from a different angle, also. With the widespread use of the internet, I believe it opens up a lot more opportunity for more isolated and lonelier guys to be more susceptible to a true "hustler" by which I mean those out to take advantage of and use such people.

 

IMO, hiring someone from a chat room and even some escort sites leaves one much more open to danger/legal hassles/financial risk and weirdness than the street scene ever did. I feel that it is only in recent years when the street scene has been replaced by the internet, that the street hustler scene has denigrated to the physical dangerousness that it now entails. Before, most of the street hustlers were honest to deal with guys just out trying to make a living. Did they ever "not show"?, "steal your credit info"?, "not perform"?,

 

I believe that if you would revisit the past that you would find that the majority of the street boys were also young, good looking, clean and well dressed (at least for bar/street work - after all you weren't picking them up to go to the theater with you). I also believe you would find most of them full of less bs and hustle than many that you meet on the internet. I also believe that if you equated the normal fee to today's dollars that you would find the prices not that far apart.

 

This whole scenario with the internet today is just pure marketing and advanced technological opportunity. I believe that advertisers of all types of products/services have known this since tv became a staple of American life. Those Madison Ave. types can convince you to pay top dollar for products/services and convince you that you are getting a bargain in the process. The higher prices go to covering mostly all the advertising and packaging.

 

I never found anything particulary dangerous/weird about cruising the streets for working boys back when that was the main scene. I had a lot of friends who worked the bars/streets (what the heck I did it a few times myself). It is only now, that the scene has been relegated to the homeless druggies that it is somewhat dangerous, but even now if you are a vet and know what you are doing it is fairly safe.

 

And as far as acceptance of escorts/working boys goes, I don't recall any gays who looked down at the street boys.

[Guest Gringo]

I agree VA, but I think less experienced people are probably entering a more dangerous arena than existed in the pre-www world. And then of course, there is a difference between the part timer and the professional sex worker. That same tired forced smile is found on the face of every whore in the world. But, IMHO, the spontaneity of the amateur is undeniable.:+

[axebahia]

>Yes, it's the economy.

 

Actually, I think it is just normal seasonal variation. I find the period just before and just after Christmas and from May to August to be the high points of the market. The Fall is always bleak, as is the period after the Christmas debts until the beginning of Summer.