The aim of my research is to discover if there’s a relationship between the rise of male dominance in commercial sex, and the independence of prostitutes, or the increased accounts of publications for profit from 1790 to 1920, with a focus on the mid-to-late 19th century.
As Catherine Holder Spude states in her 2005 article Brothels and Saloons: An Archaeology of Gender in the American West, historical archaeology has become an increasingly useful tool for elucidating gender studies. This allows a greater understanding of culture in today’s world in regards to social inequalities.
Some of the most interesting findings in my research include resources discussing the prostitutes who were murdered and the killer being let go. Such cases include the murder of Kate Townsend in 1883, which was published in the New York Times. This can be found in the link below.
Not only are their increased published accounts for profit regarding journalists and editors, but after further research, one finds published accounts advertising prostitutes and halls in which they resided.
What I have found not only includes increased publications for profit in relation to the rise of male dominance in commercial sex, but also publications for the brothel owners and prostitutes themselves.
-Stephanie H.