I always appreciate it when people in the media try to normalize sex work. However, seeing Internal Conflict Face on any actress who dares try to portray a woman who gets paid to have sex, and doesn’t have an obvious external source of abuse? This becomes tiring.

The only great exception recently has been Sherlock‘s Dominatrix Irene Adler, who I am head-over-heels in love with. I’m glad someone realizes that most ladies in this business have resolved their shame issues and are mostly having fun. In Blue, the title character spends enough time mooning about and being rude to clients that we, the audience, can rest secure in the knowledge that the filmmakers Do Not Approve of prostitution. Also, (spoiler alert) she first had sex when she was 12. That scene, which occurs in Ep. 2 in a discussion with her 13-year-old AP-physics-taking, porn-watching son, could have turned out so well. The long, drawn-out, pregnant pause could have ended with the story of her completely normal loss of virginity at some point during high school. Yes, plenty of people have bad sex too early in their youth and end up becoming escorts. No, there is not a clear causal path between the two.

Despite the conflation of being an escort with having massive internal drama (tune in next week for the exciting resolution!), I always welcome another way to slyly tell trustworthy folks what I do by referring to a piece of media.

Trustworthy chap: “So, what do you do for a living?”

Me: “Ever see that show, Firefly? Remember the really hot chick who rents the shuttle from Mal? Yeah, like that but with less flying through space.”

Chap: “Pity, I always wanted to join the 100-lightyear-high club.”

Me: “You’re a nerd after my own heart. Shall we adjourn to a more private location?”

Adorable Amsterdam sister act! Definitely a piece of history…