Female homosexual ties among prostitutes form a counter-universe restoring human dignity

Evidence

One can see that the girlfriend plays approximately the same role that the best friend plays for the virtuous woman surrounded by women: she is the companion in pleasure, she is the one with whom she has free, gratuitous relations, that can thus be chosen; tired of men, disgusted by them, or wishing for a diversion, the prostitute will often seek relief and pleasure in the arms of another woman. In any case, the complicity I spoke of and that immediately unites women exists more strongly in this case than in any other. Because their relations with half of humanity are commercial, because the whole of society treats them as pariahs, there is great solidarity among prostitutes; they might be rivals, jealous of each other, insult each other, fight with each other; but they have a great need of each other to form a “counter-universe” in which they regain their human dignity; the friend is the confidante and the privileged witness; she is the one who approves of the dress and hairdo meant to seduce the man, but which are ends in themselves in other women’s envious or admiring gazes. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1676

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to Beauvoir’s broader argument about female solidarity and the ‘mitsein’ of oppressed groups, and to the chapter’s theme of how exclusion from patriarchal value creates alternative communities. — connects to: Female homosexuality is a reconciliation of autonomy with bodily passivity — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1035; Female homosexuality is common among prostitutes and begins early in their careers; Prostitutes’ frigidity is a revolt against male domination rather than mere incapacity — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1686
• DEFINE: Introduces ‘counter-universe’ as a concept for how the oppressed construct alternative communities of dignity.

Broader Connections

• Female homosexuality is common among prostitutes and begins early in their careers #expands (0.85)
• Prostitutes’ frigidity is a revolt against male domination rather than mere incapacity #expands (0.82) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1686