III

prostitutes and perversion

1

PROSTITUTES in America, as elsewhere, gettattooed because of certain strong masochist- exhibitionisticdrives. Feeling sorry for their sorry fate, they seek to givethemselves more cause for self- pity by undergoing the painof tattooing. They twist their inturning commiseration intobitter inscriptions full of cynical humor. Many of these maybe easily imagined but practically none may be set down inthese pages.

The story is told of a New Orleans woman of joy who hadthe picture of a hula- hula girl tattooed on the belly in suchingenious juxtaposition that by doing a semblance of dansedu ventre, she gave her waterfront clients some highly enter-taining exhibitions. Here we see a desire to hold or increasetrade by unusual inscriptions or figures; as in the circus, theprofit- motive is allied with the drive of exhibitionism.

Exhibitionism sometimes brings not only monetary profitbut also physical protection. There must be something ofthis consideration, however inarticulate, when a prostituteorders upon her skin the name or even a likeness of her lover-protector or pimp. Thus, in the dock districts of the London

24