Floating City
Page 28
After my work with the UJC was completed, I began gathering material for a documentary film. I also launched a formal study of the middle-and upper-class segments of New York’s sex trade, which ended in 2009; material from that study is currently being prepared for academic publication.
This book is a memoir of these experiences. As such, the bulk of this book is not appropriate for mainstream academic social science publications. Only the formal research findings have appeared in academic publications. Some parts of the book are based on field notes, others on personal diaries and journals, and the rest is based on memory.
In an effort to conceal the identities of some people and organizations, for the sake of protecting their privacy in some cases and to maintain academic protocol in others, I have adopted pseudonyms—although all the people and organizations portrayed are real, and no composites have been created. I have also altered dates to ensure that the incidents reported could not be traced back to the actual persons who were involved.
INDEX
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Abbie, 128
Amy, 218–20
Analise, 6–26, 49, 133–35, 158–60, 165, 173–74, 176, 177, 215–35, 242, 253–58, 265, 266–71
Amy and, 218–20
apartment of, 215–16
art gallery and, 230–34, 237–41, 267
attack on, 226–29, 232
Betsy and, 133–34
Brittany and, 11–13, 17–18, 20, 21, 220–22, 226, 234, 237–41, 254–57
drug use and, 10–13, 20
J.B. and, 13–18, 21, 22, 159–61, 215–16, 226–29, 256
Jo Jo and, 221–25, 256
Kate and, 230–34, 237–38, 267
Kimberly and, 219, 221–25
as madam, 17–23, 25, 26, 135, 158–59, 215–29, 232–33, 237, 242–43, 254, 255, 267
Shine and, 7–13, 101, 215, 241, 256, 272
S.V.’s meeting of, 48–49
Angela, 56–60, 62, 71, 72, 78–79, 83–88, 94, 98, 103–4, 110–25, 135–39, 141, 143–46, 154, 158, 162, 163, 172, 173, 175, 182–83, 202, 221, 223, 224, 230, 234, 242, 257–60, 262, 263, 265, 266, 271, 272
apartment of, 112–16, 118–24, 135–37, 162, 165, 231
departure for Dominican Republic, 251, 264
Internet ad of, 111–12
Azad, 75–77, 91
Bearman, Peter, 28, 130, 167–68
black market, 76, 137, 176, 177, 233, 242, 243
wealthy young philanthropists and, 104
blacks, tangle of pathology and, 144
Bodega de la Familia, La, 103–4
Bourdieu, Pierre, 165
BRIC nations, 177
bricolage, 5
Brittany, 11–13, 17–18, 20, 21, 159, 160, 220–222, 226, 234, 237–41, 254–57
brokers, 173–74
Capone, Al, 142
Carla Consuelo, 113–26, 135–38, 143–46, 162–63, 173, 177, 200, 221, 224, 234, 251–54, 257, 260, 262, 265, 266, 271
attacks on, 116–21, 123, 124, 189–90, 196–98, 236, 253, 258–60
as escort, 125–26, 236, 251
Margot Kerry and, 163–66, 189–90, 196–98, 199, 200, 251–53, 258–60
Carlos, 67–68
Carter, Mindy, 7
Castells, Manuel, 176
Cathy, 183–89, 190, 204
Chelsea, 3, 56, 63
Chicago, 8, 85, 271
gangs in, 49, 54, 62, 63, 71, 86, 103, 171
gentrification in, 56
neighborhoods in, 5, 31
New York contrasted with, 8, 24, 31, 32, 33, 42, 56, 62, 201, 269–71
S.V.’s documentary on housing projects in, 10, 166–67, 179, 180
S.V.’s work in, 23–24, 30, 86, 104, 130, 132–33, 144, 166, 178, 250
underground economy in, 5, 40
young philanthropists and, 109
Chicago, University of, 5, 27–29, 31
Cicourel, Aaron, 175, 178
Cincy, 112–16, 118, 121–24
Clark, Michael, 30, 32, 33
class divisions, 145, 176
low income, 175, 176
middle and upper class, 176
moving across, 165, 176–78, 201, 202, 238, 242
new, 177–78
cocaine:
crack, 1, 99–100, 143
powdered, 100, 139
Shine’s business in, 1, 9–11, 127, 129–32, 138–43, 207–14, 241, 243, 273
Cohan, 101
Collins, Michael, 42–43, 82, 89, 95–96, 146–47, 197
Columbia University, 27–28, 40, 47
ethical research methods and, 179–80
S.V. at, 130, 166, 185, 269
S.V.’s arrival at, 27, 29–30, 261
Conover, Mortimer, 50–54, 60, 61, 73, 84, 150, 263
stroke suffered by, 51–52
crack cocaine, 1, 99–100, 143
crime, observing, 103
cultural capital, 165, 167, 209–10, 249, 253
cultural repertoire, 213
Darlene, 183, 185, 190–91, 215
Declining Significance of Race, The (Wilson), 29
developing world, 177
dot-com bubble, 98, 236
drugs, drug dealing, 7–8, 52, 76, 129, 138, 177, 242
Analise and, 10–13, 20
cocaine:
crack, 1, 99–100, 143
powdered, 100, 139
Shine’s business in, 1, 9–11, 127, 129–32, 138–43, 207–14, 241, 243, 273
Manjun and, 89, 91, 96
Shine and, 1, 4, 9–11, 58
in suburbs, 144
East Village, 132
economy, mainstream, in New York, 39
economy, underground, 40, 86, 92
brokers in, 173–74
in Chicago, 5, 40
connecting to overworld, 178
connectivity in, 172–73
floating communities and, 53–54
legal system and, 171
role of, in lives of middle class and wealthy, 182
social relations in, 52–54
speculation about, 39
trust and confidentiality in, 138
economy, underground, in New York, 1–2, 24, 41–42, 61–62, 86–87, 98, 177, 242
apartment renting and, 84
bank accounts and, 83, 84, 87
black market, 76, 137, 176, 177, 233, 242, 243
wealthy young philanthropists and, 104
day laborers in, 72–73
drugs, see drugs, drug dealing
as floating community, 53–54, 58
in Harlem, 36–37, 39–40, 175
health care and, 83, 84
sex work, see sex industry
Social Security and, 77
spread into surrounding world, 71
violence in, 89, 196–97
entropy, 242
escort services, 43–44, 84, 121, 182–83, 202, 225, 242
Analise and, 17–23, 25, 26, 135, 158–59, 215–29, 232–33, 237, 242–43, 254, 255, 267
Carla and, 125–26, 236, 251
Fiona and, 245–47
Morgan and, 245–48
quitting in, 240
see also prostitution, prostitutes
ethnography, 1, 39
Evalina, 2–3, 9, 11–12, 101, 141, 158, 256
Shine and, 10, 12, 214
Fiona, 245–47
floating communities, 53–54, 58, 137
see also underground economy
Foner, Nancy, 94
food stamps, 108
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (Levitt and Dubner), 39, 98
Friedman, Milton, 209
Gang Leader for a Day (Venkatesh), 1, 29, 40
gangs, 99
in Chicago, 49, 54, 62, 63, 71, 86, 103, 1
71
gang leaders’ self-image and, 142
Gans, Herbert, 27–28, 167, 203
Geertz, Clifford, 25
generalizability problem, 40
gentrification, 4, 38, 55–56, 177
Giuliani, Rudy, 4, 63, 68, 76, 78, 83
global cities, globalization, 37–39, 61, 93–95, 172, 177, 241, 252, 271, 272
floating and, 137; see also floating communities
informational cities and, 176
New York as, 5, 37–40, 93–94, 137, 172, 201, 215, 269–70
sociological study of, 38
Greenpoint, 114
Harlem, 31, 35–37, 59–60, 74, 99, 102, 105, 209–10
underground economy in, 36–37, 39–40, 175
Harvard University, 48, 165
wine tasting, 48–49, 133–34, 224
Harvey, David, 37
Hell’s Kitchen, 4, 5, 55–56, 60, 95, 111, 147, 215
hipsters, 112, 114
homeless, 72–73
immigrants, 93–94, 177, 202
underground railroad for, 97
informational cities, 176
international law, 173
Internet:
entrepreneurs, 98
prostitution and, 111–12, 114, 252
Janowitz, Morris, 85
J.B. (Junebug), 13–18, 21, 22, 159–61, 215–16, 226–29, 235–38, 253–54, 256, 257, 265
film career of, 159, 160, 215, 226, 229–30, 235–37, 255, 256, 268
Shine and, 255
Jimmy, 261–64
johns, 186, 194–95
emotional exchange and, 187–88, 193–95
Jonathan, 192–95
Martin, 186–89, 191–95, 203–6, 250, 257–58
money exchange as protection for, 187–88
Nate, 192–95
Jo Jo, 221–25, 256
Jonathan, 192–95
Joshi, 77–79, 81–82, 88, 91, 162, 263
Juan, 157–58, 165, 207–13, 237–39
Jung, Carl, 236
Karina, 171–72, 173
Kate, 230–34, 237–38, 267
Kerry, Margot, 147, 149–55, 158, 163–74, 175–83, 224, 257, 263–65, 271
background of, 152–53
Carla and, 163–66, 189–90, 196–98, 199, 200, 251–53, 258–60
financial advice given by, 245–48
finishing school of, 199–201
as madam, 154–55, 163–66, 168–73, 176, 181–83, 185, 189–92, 199–201, 215, 230, 232–33, 238, 245–49, 251, 252, 264
sex business quit by, 264, 270
strip clubs and, 180–81
Khan, Shamus, 224
Kimberly, 219, 221–25
Kings County Hospital, 118
Kotlowitz, Alex, 105
Kozol, Jonathan, 105
Kristina, 83–86
La Bodega de la Familia, 103–4
Latino community, 103–4
law, 171
international, 173
Levitt, Steven, 54, 98, 130
Liebow, Elliot, 145
London, 37, 39, 172, 176
Louise, 165
Lower East Side, 63, 98, 103, 104, 110
Madrigal, Father, 113, 115, 118–20, 122–24
Manhattan Nights, 172
see also Kerry, Margot
Manjun, 56–63, 65–71, 73, 77, 80–81, 84–86, 88, 91, 94, 111, 138, 143–46, 154, 155, 162, 172–73, 175, 223, 225, 231, 257, 265, 266, 270–72
disappearance of, 88, 91, 95–96, 146
drug trade and, 89, 91, 96
forced prostitution and, 91–92
shop of, 56–59, 61–63, 65, 69–72, 76, 77–80, 82–84, 86–90, 150
thief and, 80, 82, 89, 91
Margot, see Kerry, Margot
Marjorie, 204
Martin, 186–89, 191–95, 203–6, 250, 257–58
Marx, Karl, 209
Max, 21
McCombs, Silvia, 105–9
Merton, Robert, 27, 167, 217
Michael (acquaintance of Analise), 160
Michael (acquaintance of Shine), 127, 128, 129
Michael (brother of Shine), 155–57
Midtown, 4, 62, 63, 74, 83–84, 97, 98, 102, 126, 129, 149
Mills, C. Wright, 27–28, 167
Morgan, 245–48
Mortimer, see Conover, Mortimer
Moynihan Report, 144
Nate, 192–95
New York, 271–72
Chelsea, 3, 56, 63
Chicago contrasted with, 8, 24, 31, 32, 33, 42, 56, 62, 201, 269–71
contrasts in, 38–39
East Village, 132
gentrification in, 4, 38, 55–56, 177
as global city, 5, 37–40, 93–94, 137, 172, 176, 177, 201, 215, 269–70
Greenpoint, 114
Harlem, 31, 35–37, 59–60, 74, 99, 102, 105, 209–10
underground economy in, 36–37, 39–40, 175
Hell’s Kitchen, 4, 5, 55–56, 60, 95, 111, 147, 215
hipsters in, 112, 114
immigrants in, 93–95, 97, 177, 202
Latino community in, 103–4
Lower East Side, 63, 98, 103, 104, 110
mainstream economy in, 39
Midtown, 4, 62, 63, 74, 83–84, 97, 98, 102, 126, 129, 149
poverty in, 94
sex work in, see sex industry
sociology and, 23–25
Soho, 3, 132, 149
suburbanization of, 95
Times Square area, 76
Wall Street, 4, 63, 129, 203
Williamsburg, 114
New York, underground economy in, 1–2, 24, 41–42, 61–62, 86–87, 98, 177, 242
apartment renting and, 84
bank accounts and, 83, 84, 87
black market, 76, 137, 176, 177, 233, 242, 243
wealthy young philanthropists and, 104
day laborers in, 72–73
drugs, see drugs, drug dealing
as floating community, 53–54, 58
in Harlem, 36–37, 39–40, 175
health care and, 83, 84
sex work, see sex industry
Social Security and, 77
spread into surrounding world, 71
violence in, 89, 196–97
9/11 attacks, 97
Ninth Avenue Family Video, 56–59, 61–63, 65, 69–72, 76, 77–80, 82–84, 86–90, 150
Park, Robert, 29
Patriot Act, 97
philanthropists, young, 104–10, 132
black market and, 104
poor, 23, 94, 201–2, 225
hard work and resilience among, 143–46
stereotypes about, 143–44
welfare and, 106
Silvia and, 106, 108, 109
porn shops, 68–69, 71, 72, 74, 90, 202
of Manjun, 56–59, 61–63, 65, 69–72, 76, 77–80, 82–84, 86–90, 150
of Santosh, 74–75, 88
poverty, see poor
prostitution, prostitutes, 1–2, 22, 26, 42–44, 52, 75–76, 110–11, 177
Analise and, 17–23, 25, 26, 135, 158–59, 215–29, 232–33, 237, 242–43, 254, 255, 267
Angela and, 56–60, 62, 71, 72, 78, 83–88, 98, 104, 110–25, 135–39
aspiring artist types and, 184–85
Azad and, 75–76
Brittany and, 11–13, 17–18, 20, 21, 159, 160, 220–222, 226, 234, 237–41
Carla and, see Carla Consuelo
Cathy and, 183–89, 190, 204
Cincy and, 112–16, 118, 121–24
clients and, see sex industry clients
escort services, see escort services
exit strategies and, 232–33, 245–48
female empowerment and, 232
forced, 91–92
high-end, 182–85, 192, 202, 205, 252, 263; see also escort services
Internet and, 111–12, 114, 252
Jo Jo and, 221–25, 256
Kimberly and, 219, 221–25
Manjun and, 91–92
Margot K
erry and, 149–55, 163–66, 168–73, 176, 181–83, 185, 189–92, 199–201, 215, 230, 232–33, 238, 245–49, 251, 252, 264
Santosh and, 74
street, 42–43, 71, 73, 78, 84, 98
Vonnie and, 110–25, 135–39, 141
women from business world in, 184–85
Rajesh, 75–76, 91, 98
revanchist policies, 177
Ricky, 198, 258
Santosh, 74–76, 88, 90–93, 97–98, 145–46, 231, 233, 270, 271
Sassen, Saskia, 37, 38
Savage Inequalities (Kozol), 105
September 11 attacks, 97
sex industry, 61, 71–76, 202, 264
aspirations and, 155
escort services, 43–44, 84, 121, 182–83, 202, 225, 242
Analise and, 17–23, 25, 26, 135, 158–59, 215–29, 232–33, 237, 242–43, 254, 255, 267
Carla and, 125–26, 236, 251
Fiona and, 245–47
Morgan and, 245–48
quitting in, 240
ethnic variance in, 181
exit strategies and, 232–33, 245–48
Kristina and, 83–86
multinational nature of, 71–72
networked community and, 84–85
porn shops, 68–69, 71, 72, 74, 90, 202
of Manjun, 56–59, 61–63, 65, 69–72, 76, 77–80, 82–84, 86–90, 150
of Santosh, 74–75, 88
prostitution, prostitutes, 1–2, 22, 26, 42–44, 52, 75–76, 110–11, 177
Analise and, 17–23, 25, 26, 135, 158–59, 215–29, 232–33, 237, 242–43, 254, 255, 267
Angela and, 56–60, 62, 71, 72, 78, 83–88, 98, 104, 110–25, 135–39
aspiring artist types and, 184–85
Azad and, 75–76
Brittany and, 11–13, 17–18, 20, 21, 159, 160, 220–222, 226, 234, 237–41
Carla and, see Carla Consuelo
Cathy and, 183–89, 190, 204
Cincy and, 112–16, 118, 121–24
clients and, see sex industry clients
escort services, see escort services
exit strategies and, 232–33, 245–48
female empowerment and, 232
forced, 91–92
high-end, 182–85, 192, 202, 205, 252, 263; see also escort services
Internet and, 111–12, 114, 252
Jo Jo and, 221–25, 256
Kimberly and, 219, 221–25
Manjun and, 91–92
Margot Kerry and, 149–55, 163–66, 168–73, 176, 181–83, 185, 189–92, 199–201, 215, 230, 232–33, 238, 245–49, 251, 252, 264
Santosh and, 74
street, 42–43, 71, 73, 78, 84, 98
Vonnie and, 110–25, 135–39, 141
women from business world in, 184–85
Santosh and, 74–75
social networks and, 73
socioeconomic and ethnic mixing in, 164–66
strip clubs, 6, 44–47, 49–50, 185, 202, 261–62