Gay male sex workers in Tianjin, China

Unlocking the Red Closet is an ethnography of gay male sex workers in Tianjin, China.

I wouldn’t really recommend reading it. The author has a fantastic data source, but fails to say anything especially interesting. Did you know that trans female sex workers are oppressed by the cops, but find solidarity and mutual support through their relationships with each other? Well, good news, the author is going to belabor it for half a chapter. Surely there is no way you could have figured out this shocking fact based on your general knowledge of humanity. Here I have collected all the most interesting facts into a single post.

The ethnographer’s primary research area was Pistachio Bar in Tianjin: “a high-end bar that revels in its glorious stereotype: high ceilings, plush carpet, gaudy drapes, overstuffed furniture, and erotic artwork tastefully displayed.” Pistachio is open from 3pm to 7am, with nightly shows from 9pm to midnight. The shows include striptease, simulated sex, drag, and Chinese opera (!). It is typically busiest before 3am because people start the night there.

To be admitted to Pistachio, you need either a membership or an invitation from a sex worker or the bar owner.

At first, when you’re on the bottom floor, it seems like an ordinary nightclub: dancing, drinks, conversation, and even a full restaurant menu. You soon notice, however, the large number of tall, very muscular, shirtless men, who dance well and pour drinks and remember everyone’s names.

The club has 150 full-time sex workers associated with it, as well as up to 350 guest sex workers. Clients generally seek a “fresh flesh man” who is “young, cute, cheerful, and having a good figure.” Most male sex workers are pale and effeminate; however, clients strongly prefer tan, muscular, and masculine sex workers.