Everyone has their own approach to developing a sex worker/courtesan persona. What ever your journey is, remember, you represent a strong group of people who have worked hard to gain ground and respectability in the SCA. What you do as a sex worker/courtesan persona, or while wearing the symbols of the Knowne World Courtesan, reflects on everyone. Take your time to study the history of sex work, courtly etiquette, misogyny, sexism, and whorephobia before taking that leap. And then make your entrance on your own time, when you’re ready. I spent a year before I donned the red veil and hart pin (psst… that’s not a requirement).
Category: Knowne World Courtesans
A list of items with the Knowne World Courtesan hart (badge/symbol) on them, and some things just for fun.
It’s probably not what you think… Well, if you think it’s about an independent group of living history re-enactors portraying, studying, and educating others about pre-17th century sex-workers, then you’d be right. The Knowne World Courtesans (KWC) is one of the many diverse groups in the Society of Creative Anachronisms. An inclusive group, consisting of all genders, who portray a sex-worker persona, and of course their supporters. The KWC also stands against whorephobia, slut-shamming, bigotry, racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, and all other forms of prejudice. Members of the KWC do not have sex for money or trade under any circumstances.
Here are some resources on the various areas and types of historical sex work. I suggest picking one area that interests you as it can be a bit overwhelming. These resources were collected by the Knowne World Courtesans.