SW Representation in Film: American Gigolo
"Richard Gere is so hot.
I didn’t like this movie but I would re-watch it just for Richard Gere’s full frontal (and full BUSH! It was the 1980’s, people!). American Gigolo follows Julian, a male sex worker, who becomes a suspect of murder of a former client of his. My #1 issue with this film is that, even in a movie about a male sex worker, a woman still dies!!!! And violently, at that. My other complaint is that, in the process of being framed, a detective approaches him and Julian actually talks to him AND TELLS HIM HE DOES SEX WORK! Again, the sex work part is nearly moot because he’s a man and is protected by patriarchy. Which, IMO, is good accidental commentary and a reminder why I don’t center men in my sex work activism.
He has two pimps in the film, one of which is a (Swedish?) woman who’s in a custody battle for her kid but the implication is that she’s actually, maybe a deadbeat parent? And I thought it was super funny that we got a subversive version of a pimp lol (we also *did* get a stereotypical pimp, in flashy boots. All he was missing was the cane)."
– Raquel Savage
American Gigolo scored 2/4 on The Red Light Rules™ test that assesses portrayals of sex work in film. We created 4 questions to determine this:
- Does the film show an understanding of choice, circumstance, and/or coercion? yes
- Does the SWer interact with another person in a positive manner unrelated to SW? yes
- Does the SWer have a storyline, hobby, or interest outside of SW?
- Does the film have a happy and/or non-traumatic ending for the SWer?
