Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/447

 suffers much in his 'business' in those many cities where soldiers and sailors are his rivals. A large proportion of the clientage much prefer a soldier-prostitute; for reasons we have mentioned in a former chapter.

The homosexual—or de facto homosexual—prostitute who if older or younger, solicits publicly in a female costume, is a frequent phase; as we have seen in foregoing instances. Such types haunt the parks, public thoroughfares and so on, after nightfall; or are met in the lowest of café-chantants, balls and bars. But to make a practice of such a travesti requires a style of physique, an age, and a natural effeminacy not so general as is supposed. The trick is not always useful, either; for the imitation may be so perfect that a homosexual client looking for a male pathic is deceived, and pays no heed to the maneuvers and charms of what he supposes to be a woman street-walker. Again, if he recognizes the under-sex, he is perhaps repelled by any masculine type that appears so womanish, and so will have nothing to do with it. He is seeking for virility; a robust, coarse soldier, or even unclean but manly voyon, is vastly more to his taste. An additional reason against such masquerading is that it is an immediate offense against police regulations, and makes the male prostitute liable to arrest, even if, he is not caught in soliciting. Hence it is not favoured by much the largest proportion of prostitutes, whether they can adapt themselves well to it or not.

A general custom in the world of homosexual prostitution, though perhaps more one that is observed in its "smarter" grades, is the changing of the masculine names to its female equivalent, especially when correspondence or conversation concerning the subject is in question; or assuming some female name of independent source; or taking some nick-name—vulgar or aristocratic, delicate or crude—belonging to the feminine category.