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It’s been more than 1½ years since British author Belle de Jour posted an unforgettable blog entry about facial scarring, and the resulting positive impact it has had on her life.
In the meantime, has society eased its harsh condemnation at all of anything that falls outside its narrow definition of female beauty? No, if anything it’s gotten much, much worse.
I was reminded of the issue last week when Dr. Brooke Magnanti, the real woman who has written the international bestsellers using her famous erotic pen name, posted the following June 25 on Twitter:
“Open letter to genre novelists: How about just once, the person with facial scars turns out *not* to be a bad guy? Love, Me”
Last year, Brooke wrote that she was grateful for the "gift" of her scars, that they saved her from being just another boring blonde! Her wonderful attitude underscores her astounding inner strength and fortitude.
I do not have facial scarring, but I was an overweight kid and teen, and was teased mercilessly by other teens, and even strangers who taunted me and, more than once shouted insults at me as I walked down the street.
I, too, keenly remember what it felt like to be judged by my superficial appearance and not my actual self. But unlike Brooke, I am not grateful for those experiences. They did affect my self-esteem, which had already been hammered by suffering sexual molestation for years at my elementary school by the elderly male janitor, and my mother’s worsening alcoholism.
With bullying in the headlines almost daily, and a concentrated attempt to teach teens to accept gays and lesbians they encounter — or to accept themselves if they are gay or lesbian — it seems the perfect time to reassess the pressure we put on kids to physically conform.
Both girls and boys are bombarded with overt and covert messages that their bodies should look so-called “perfect.” They know that anything that deviates on any portion of their anatomies is to be loathed, or at least that they should feel ashamed if they cannot conform, or at least come close to the norm.
Well folks, it’s past time that we mature as a culture here and in the U.K., and start looking beyond the mere physical. We need to start sending the message that scarred people are heroes, and fat girls can be legitimate romantic leads, not merely comedic foils.
Ironically, I grew up to have Lupus, which is taking away my ability to walk. I manage with two canes, and again have drawn the attention and cruelty of strangers and teens who frequently taunt me, even though I'm 55!
Hey Brooke! I am now secure enough to be able to say, FUCK THEM! I am still blown away that Brooke was secure enough as a person to be able to say that when she was a teen. She is one amazing woman.
Brooke wrote about her experiences via a post on her old blog. Since then, she has launched a brilliant new blog, Sexonomics, and has also promised we fans a new book.
In 2009, Brooke revealed her identity after a newspaper was about to disclose it without her permission. Brooke, formerly of Bristol, England who now lives in Scotland with her husband, was a noted scientist whose specialist areas were developmental neurotoxicology and cancer epidemiology. She has a PhD in informatics, epidemiology and forensic science and had worked at the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health as part of a team that researched the potential effects on babies of their mothers' exposure to toxic chemicals.
But, from 2003 to late 2004, Brooke worked as a high-class call girl for a London escort service. Her original blog was award-winning, and she penned the bestselling books based on her experiences as a sex worker. Her writing also formed the basis of the TV series Secret Diary of a Call Girl, starring Billie Piper in the title role of "Belle," which is now available on DVD.
I have been a fan, and honored to be a stalwart friend of Brooke’s for many years. Her’s is an important voice that should be heard. As usual, I do not have the writing skills to adequately describe her post from last year, so I am reprinting Brooke’s blog entry here in full:
“mercredi, janvier 13
Let me tell you about the best gift I ever received. And it's not a bit of sparkly jewellery, or a shiny car, or even a thoughtful trinket of affection.
I'm talking about my scars.
I had terrible acne as a teenager. By the age of 16 it was so bad a dermatologist said it was the worst she'd ever seen, which, ya know, is not super encouraging. At the hospital where I volunteered mothers pulled their children away from me, convinced I was plagued with something contagious. Strangers avoided making eye contact.
It was so bad I could not wash my face without bleeding. Many mornings I woke up stuck to the pillowcase. And oh yeah, it was only on my face. Not one blemish anywhere else on my body. To this day, I still never have seen a photo of anything like it - apart from some daguerrotypes of smallpox patients.
It was a very long, and very expensive, journey to improving my skin - remember, this all went down in America, where having a disfiguring condition you have no control over is not covered by health insurance, and duh, there's no NHS.
Long story short, a lot of Roaccutane and Dianette did for the acne. And more importantly, here's what I learned:
1. Beauty is fleeting. Thank fuck for that.
I had a narrow escape from being just another boring blonde - not to mention an early release from the cycle of self-hatred and frantic desperation that plagues many women as they age. Corollary 1a: The larger part of how people perceive you is how you present yourself.
2. People can be hurtful to strangers. That's their problem.
My best childhood mate had spina bifida. She walked on sticks and refused to use a wheelchair for reasons I only started to appreciate years later. Looking like a medical oddity gave me, for a very brief time, a very small taste of what she encounters every day of her life. It made me pity people who equate someone's appearance with their value as a person. This generalises magnificently to strangers judging you for, in fact, anything at all. Corollary 2a: The most vocal critics are often the most insecure.
3. Other people have things you don't. Big deal.
There is no such thing as the Most Beautiful Woman in the World (sorry Buttercup). Who cares? What is considered desirable is not especially worth getting hung up on. You may not be a six-foot Amazon so will never have legs up to your neck - but for all you know, that same supermodel would give her left arm to have your hair. This concept generalises to wealth, success, talent, and intelligence as well. Corollary 3a: Envy of other women's looks is a zero-sum game, and uses far too much time and energy to be bothered with.
4. Quality of love is not a function of attractiveness.
Elizabeth Taylor, for instance, has been married eight times. Beautiful people have dry spells and get their hearts broken like everyone else. The most worthwhile and loving relationships in my life all happened after my skin problems. And for what it's worth, I've been fortunate to date some pretty nice, smart (and attractive) men in my time. See Corollary 1a above.
5. Confidence doesn't come overnight.
It also doesn't happen in a vacuum; it requires nurturing. As with anything else worth having it's work. But let me tell you, it is so worth the work. A mate recently told me about a magazine 'happiness quiz' in which one of the questions was, "are you comfortable with your body, and do you exercise regularly?" If you can see why this should not have been a single question, you're on the way. Corollary 5a: Confidence happens when you let it happen. No one gives it to you, which is great, because it also means they can't take it from you.
6. When someone says I am beautiful, they really, really mean it.
There is something about knowing someone sees you, quirks and all, and likes what they see... something rare and kind of overwhelming (in a good way). 'Beautiful' is one of those words (a bit like 'awesome') that has lost meaning in being overused as a generic affirmative. We call all sorts of people beautiful in one sentence and tear them down in the next. I'm happy to be different enough that anyone who uses it to describe me sees more than just hair and makeup.
POSTED BY BELLE AT 7:29 PM”
Oh, and as for Brooke today — she remains a beautiful woman, inside AND out!
If you have any interest in thoughtful discussions about sex-related and scientific topics, I urge you to follow Brooke's blog. You can also follow her on Twitter.
She is a unique woman, and an equally unique writer whose work continues to dazzle.
Brooke's books include: Belle de Jour’s Guide to Men, 2009; Belle’s Best Bits, 2009; The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl, September 2005; The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl, May 2007; and Playing the Game, June 2009.
You can find all of her books at the U.K.’s largest independent bookseller, Waterstones.
Also check out Brooke's op-ed articles on a variety of topics including reforming libel law in the UK, as well as the importance of ensuring the rights of sex workers.
— The Curator
As a physically disabled woman, I know first-hand how invisible we are within the culture when it comes to meeting or even discussing our sexual needs.
I have blogged about my own situation extensively, that is why it was so heartening to read a wonderful and insightful post by Dr. Brooke Magnanti, the real woman behind award-winning erotic U.K. author Belle de Jour.
The post appeared on Brooke's new blog, Sexonomics, which launched earlier this month.
Brooke writes that many clients (I assume women as well as men) who frequent prostitutes have various types of disabilities. Sex workers provide these disabled people with a level of unconditional acceptance and lack of judgment little experienced in the "real" world. They have also learned the requisite skills to provide each client with the maximum pleasure possible.
I cannot tell you how important talking openly and honestly about this topic is. It is also incredibly freeing to be able to acknowledge that I remain a sexual being despite my disability. Bravo to sex workers who understand that, too bad that information has not percolated up to the general population!
Brooke has a unique and important voice that should be taken seriously about many topics that happen to include sex work and sex workers.
In 2009, Brooke revealed her identity after a newspaper was about to disclose it without her permission. Brooke, formerly of Bristol, England, was a noted scientist whose specialist areas were developmental neurotoxicology and cancer epidemiology. She has a PhD in informatics, epidemiology and forensic science and had worked at the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health as part of a team that researched the potential effects on babies of their mothers' exposure to toxic chemicals.
But, from 2003 to late 2004, Brooke worked as a high-class call girl for a London escort service. She has written an award-winning blog and several bestselling books based on her experiences as a sex worker. Her writing also formed the basis of the TV series Secret Diary of a Call Girl on Showtime, starring Billie Piper in the title role of "Belle."
Please read this great post in full below, or visit Brooke's new blogsite:
WEDNESDAY, 20 APRIL 201
Sexual Ability
One of the more common questions I am asked as an ex-sex worker is "what sort of a man uses prostitutes"? The answer, if I'm feeling flippant? "All of them."
The reality is that while sex workers can (and we certainly do) have a laugh among ourselves about certain annoying client 'types', it's really no different from a group of friends laughing about non-paid dates. Sex work literally does take all kinds.
One of the most frustrating stereotypes is that of the faceless, nameless, conscience-less "John" who is somehow both ubiquitous (he'd have to be, to be supporting the fictional 80,000-woman-a-year forced sex trade) and at the same time, not a person anyone will admit to having met. Because we'd hate to think people we know bought sex, wouldn't we? And yet, of course they do!
Anyway. One of the best tools to challenging this assumption is asking those who stereotype clients: what about disabled people?
There are all kinds of disabilities, and these have all kind of effects on the sexual lives of people. Some people experience varying degrees of difficulty; others make use of mating-and-datingresources on the internet. Some blog about the ups and downswith sensitivity and eloquence. There are great how-to guidesabout the mechanics of wheelchair sex on the web. There's all manner of great stuff at Outsiders. And of course there is the legendary Bob Flanagan.
But the truth is, even with help, guidance, and guides, it's just not always easy. And so disabled clients are a significant part of the client base for sex workers. If you have been a sex worker for any length of time, you have had a disabled client. And they have probably made you see things somewhat differently. Now, disabled people are not the majority of most sex workers' clients, but they're a significant group.
It's well-known what the effects of denying human touch are to babies and children, but few people consider the effects on adults. In my opinion, touch is a basic human need... so basic, it might as well be at the base of Maslow's hierarchy alongside sleep, food, and all the other physiological needs.
The environment in which most of us operate is almost callously unable to provide this need to those who don't easily fit in physically. Added to which, many adults with disabilities live at home with family members, which can make it difficult to be seen as a sexual adult. Even if you're not the most touchy-feely person, you can probably appreciate how even little things like being a different height to everyone else would have a knock-on result to, say, getting hugs. People who like hugs can usually get them. If they're standing face-to-face with others. Or if their limbs are fully mobile. Or if they have all their limbs.
And for people whose mobility is seriously limited, the most intense touch they might get in a day could be a carer or nurse changing their clothes. That is just not on. Restrictive, sense-deprived environments create knock-on effects for physical and psychological well-being. Here's a 1957 article describing early experiment in limiting senses and mobility, and the effects.
Over time, I came to see sex work as a kind of social service; many others do too. Because access to touch, to pleasure and yes — to sex — is something we regard as natural and accessible to everyone. Even to those without money, without jobs, without rights. And yet there are people in our rich, employed, democratic society who struggle to scratch this basic itch. Fulfilling this need as a paid sex worker is not about pity - it's about providing a basic service. Groups like TLC Trust openly acknowledge this reality.
With constant challenges to legal sex work in the UK (especially in Scotland, where I live), I can't help but wonder if the trendy Swedish model of criminalising clients would actually have a knock-on effect of targeting disabled clients. Law enforcement shows a disinclination to pursue difficult criminals in favour of nabbing easy ones. It feels inevitable that someone is going to start "juking the stats"* to make it look like "sex criminals" are being rounded up in unprecedented numbers. Who are those people going to be? The ones who are easiest to find and catch, of course.
A lot of folks point to the Swedish laws that criminalise clients as if they are some sort of panacaea, in spite of criticism of their actual effectiveness. And they defend them using ideology alone: invoking a world in which all who pay for sex are able-bodied, wealthy, and male. A world in which all sex workers are disadvantaged, poor, and female.
The myths perpetrated by opponents of sex work assume that men always have more power than women, and that only cisgender, heterosexual people are involved. It's not true.
It's not a realistic view of the diversity of what goes on between sex workers and clients. Passing laws based on the narrowest and most stereotypical of assumptions will surely become just one more example of bad law.
* - Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of statistics. But I'm also a fan of transparency in statistics... making it clear exactly what collection and analysis methodology has been used to draw which conclusions. Part of the point of the scientific method is to put it all out there so the accuracy of your results can be tested.
This post actually came from a Twitter discussion with another blogger about something else entirely — will get to writing about prostate massage another time!"
Posted by Belle de Jour at 05:20
If you have any interest in thoughtful discussions about sex-related and scientific topics, I urge you to follow Brooke's blog. She is a unique woman, and an equally unique writer who should NOT be missed.
Brooke's books include: Belle de Jour’s Guide to Men, 2009; Belle’s Best Bits, 2009; The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl, September 2005; The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl, May 2007; and Playing the Game, June 2009.
Each one is well-worth reading and re–reading, you can trust me! You can find all of her books at the U.K.’s largest independent bookseller, Waterstones.
Also check out Brooke's op-ed articles on a variety of topics including reforming libel law in the UK, as well as the importance of ensuring the rights of sex workers.
— The Curator
The exposure over the weekend of a so-called female escort who allegedly penned ‘The Real Princess Diaries’ as a fraud that was perpetrated by a male government employee has generated a lot of comment within the sex worker community and outside of it.
I was especially interested to read comments by two of the genuine article: One who remains a sex worker, Tasty Trixie, and the other who left the field, the always fabulous British erotic author, Belle de Jour.
Last year, Belle step out from behind her famous pen name and revealed her identity. She is Dr. Brooke Magnanti of Bristol, England, a noted scientist whose specialist areas are developmental neurotoxicology and cancer epidemiology. She has a PhD in informatics, epidemiology and forensic science and had worked at the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health as part of a team that researched the potential effects on babies of their mothers' exposure to toxic chemicals.
But, from 2003 to late 2004, Brooke worked as a high-class call girl for a London escort service. She has written an award-winning blog and several bestselling books based on her experiences as a high-end, call-girl in the sex industry. Her writing also formed the basis of the hit TV series Secret Diary of a Call Girl, now in its third season on Showtime, which stars Billie Piper in the title role of “Belle.”
Brooke was pretty much hounded by journalists throughout the U.K. who sought out Belle’s true identity relentlessly for years. During that time, there was constant speculation that Belle was also a fraud, and that the author was a man. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Brooke came forward on her own terms, after learning that a newspaper had managed to finally discover who she was, and had been planning an unauthorized expose. Brooke was everything, and more, that she had ever purported to be. She is also an incredibly talented writer, who may have gained fame because of the topic that she wrote about, but has maintained that fame because of the quality of her writing – and that sparkling ability continues to amaze.
Disgustingly, the ‘Real Princess Diaries’ took much of Brooke’s real-life experiences and turned them into poorly written fiction that the author asserted to be non-fiction. So, who better than Brooke to comment about this whole mess.
This is Tasty Trixie, in her own words:
“My name is Trixie. I live in a small town near Seattle, Washington. I also feel like part of me lives on the world wide web because of this site; I'm alive wherever people see me on their monitors and hear my voice through my videos, spycams and live shows.
I began doing private webcam shows and phone sex back in the year 2000 and started building this website for myself and my fans in 2002. I do a lot of different things online (blogging, podcasts, etc.) but for the past six years my main focus has been here on my site, sharing myself with my members.
...My website is a very personal labor of love where I share my homemade porn, true stories, and spycams allowing my members to see and hear inside our house around the clock.”
The real author of Diaries had claimed to be the sexy, 24-year-old “Alexa Di Carlo” who plied her trade in San Francisco where “she” was supporting herself while she attended grad school. “She” was unmasked as Thomas "Pat" Bohannan, who works for a government agency in Delaware.
The persona of Alexa DiCarlo (aka AlexaRPD, aka Caitlain of 'Caitlain’s Corner'), was allegedly that of an on-line sex worker/escort who wrote explicitly about “her” experiences and struggles.
By lying and posing as a sex worker, Bohannan insulted all readers, but especially those who do make their living in the sex industry, and most especially women. He created then hid behind a character – a sexy woman – that would entice and even arouse readers. He also pretended to be a knowledgeable sex educator, who frequently gave advise to readers in that guise.
Bohannan pulled the plug on his blog, which sadly won awards for its content! He did so without remorse, instead claiming his privacy was invaded by the disclosure. This is not an issue of privacy but of intellectual and literary fraud perpetrated perhaps for monetary gain, but certainly for ego enhancement and aggrandizement, and maybe for some hidden personal sexual agenda.
One can only imagine that Bohannan patted himself on the back quite a lot during the past two years for so thoroughly duping his readers – but not most sex workers, as they were the ones who often challenged the blog’s authenticity. It seems clear that his worst derision was directed at women. I can only hope that Bohannan is no longer amused.
Both Tasty Trixie and Brooke wrote about the ‘Real Princess Diaries’ scandal on the blog of Charlie Glickman, a respected Adult Sexuality Educator. Trixie’s comment appeared before Brooke’s so I have reposted them here in that order. Do check out Glickman’s post directly at his blog.
Trixie
Oct. 23
“You can create a harmless fictional or semi-fictional persona WITHOUT fabricating specific educational credentials you don’t have (name of school, etc. and relying upon that to establish trust you don’t deserve & set yourself as an expert you are not), WITHOUT stealing images to use on your blog & fake escort portfolio from a real sex worker who specifically does non-nude, tease-only projects, WITHOUT putting real sex workers at risk by using your fake fucking self as a reference to so they’ll see you or others as clients when you have not been vetted by a real sex worker, WITHOUT telling real sex workers and real sex educators how to do (and not do) their jobs, etc.
“Alexa” did all that and more, WITHOUT one morsel of apology, expression of remorse, or admission of any wrongdoing whatsoever, instead consistently manipulating her rabidly loyal fans into thinking S/HE is the person wronged.”
Belle de Jour
Oct. 23
"I’m 100% with Trixie on this one.There have been anonymous blogs in the past that turned out not to be authentic (Shirley Shave for instance) – it’s disappointing for sure, but it’s a whole other world when someone puts themselves forward NOT as telling their own story, but as an actual source of counselling and advice.
To claim to have academic qualifications you don’t have in order to gain others’ trust is unethical. We bloggers do not have a written code of conduct, but there is certainly a code that most people adhere to, especially in sex blogging.
I hesitated to comment on Alexa in the past, because I knew before coming out there were people who doubted me too. It’s frustrating to hear people call you fake when you know you’re not, but cant fight back because you have a life and career to protect.
However, it’s worth pointing out (and this is true for many anonymous or pseudonymous sex bloggers) that you have to gain trust. Obviously my agent and publisher believed in me, as did a couple of people in sex education in London who met me in person. And crucially people whose opinions I respected ([Tasty] Trixie and [Mistress] Matisse for instance) believed in me and supported me. So it’s possible to be anonymous and still prove your bona fides to the people who count. The person writing the Alexa blog has never done that, even though plenty of discreet, trustworthy people tried to reach out and make it happen.
Why does any of this matter? Why is this not just ‘oh, someone’s having a bit of fun?’ Because “Alexa” referred men to sex workers, potentially putting them at risk. Because some sex workers were threatened with exposure – perhaps not by Alexa, but certainly due to the situation. Because there are already countless bullshit stories about sex work peddled to the media every day, and someone claiming experience they don’t have Does Not Help. Because genuine sex educators fight to have their research taken seriously by prurient morons in mainstream media, and someone who tweets about “teaching your sons and daughters to suck ass and lick pussy” is absolutely not for real.
If someone was blogging about being disabled, and turned out to be able-bodied, there would be an uproar. If an anonymous blogger wrote about being a racial minority or queer, but wasn’t, that would be clearly manipulative and unethical: that person would rightly be shunned. But somehow, because it’s sex work, people still queue up to say “don’t take it so seriously!” Fuck that – we are a targeted, criminalised, marginalised minority who have the right to tell our own stories, and the right to protect that right.
At Desiree this summer I was very aware of how privileged I am to have the support to be fully out as an ex-sex worker to the world. I don’t take the position lightly. What offended me most was knowing someone like “Alexa” was riding the coattails of what I and countless others have achieved with real work, hurt, sweat, graft, fear, and love. Making a mockery of us, as if sex work is something anyone can do. It isn’t.”
Recently, Brooke took a hiatus from penning new entries for her REAL and award-winning blog (where she says simply, “Belle de Jour is the pen name of Brooke Magnanti, a UK-based writer and science researcher. Interests: whisky, taphonomy, PGP encryption), and from commenting on Twitter, or other social media outlets, except for an occasional tidbit or comment like the above gem.
Brooke’s books are Belle de Jour’s Guide to Men, 2009; Belle’s Best Bits, 2009; The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl, September 2005; The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl, May 2007; and Playing the Game, June 2009. Each one is worth reading, and not just because of the sexual content, but for Brooke’s unique writing voice – trust me! You can find her books at the U.K.'s largest independent booksellers, Waterstones.
Also check out Brooke’s op-ed articles on a variety of topics including reforming Britain’s libel law.
— The Curator
The incomparable erotic author Belle de Jour, otherwise known as Dr. Brooke Magnanti, was back in print with two great, but quite different, British interviews about her work in the sex industry.
Last year, Belle step out from behind her famous pen name and revealed her identity. Brooke, of Bristol, England, is a noted scientist whose specialist areas are developmental neurotoxicology and cancer epidemiology. She has a PhD in informatics, epidemiology and forensic science and had worked at the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health as part of a team that researched the potential effects on babies of their mothers' exposure to toxic chemicals.
But, from 2003 to late 2004, Brooke worked as a high-class call girl for a London escort service. She has written an award-winning blog and several bestselling books based on her experiences as a high-end call-girl in the sex industry. Her writing also formed the basis of the TV series Secret Diary of a Call Girl, now in its third season on Showtime, and starring Billie Piper in the title role of “Belle.”
Recently, Brooke took a hiatus from penning new entries for her award-winning blog (where she says simply, “Belle de Jour is the pen name of Brooke Magnanti, a UK-based writer and science researcher. Interests: whisky, taphonomy, PGP encryption"), and from commenting on Twitter, or other social media outlets, except for an occasional tidbit or comment.
Since I began my blog, I had unerringly reprinted her own amazing blog posts, along with any interviews that featured her. Despite her generally dropping out of active public sight, I remain unabashedly supportive of Brooke in all of her endeavors.
The following article appeared Sept. 16, in the U.K.’s Telegraph and is my favorite that has been done. It is a wonderful attempt to get to know Brooke, not Belle, for a change. I congratulate its author, Jessica Salter, for writing it.
I say this because in my view, it would be a very serious mistake to shackle this talented woman to the sex-book genre only – Brooke’s abilities far exceed the titillation of the senses, but also titillation of the mind.
The second article appeared in today’s Yorkshire Post, and relates to sex-industry topics. It is a much more traditional interview approach, so less illuminating.
Let me be very clear: I am thrilled to read in and all articles featuring Brooke discussing her sex-industry experience, but I would also be just as thrilled to read any feature in which she talks about – or especially writes on – any topic because she is simply just that good. Frankly, Brooke Magnanti is unforgettable.
Please read the Telegraph’s article in full below, or at the newspaper’s website:
Telegraph, UK, Sept. 16
Brooke Magnanti, author, blogger and former call girl
The 34-year-old discusses growing up in Florida, why she became a call girl and how her secret identity was revealed
By Jessica Salter
[Note: All photographs that appear in the article below were taken by Lucy Levene, and appear as they do at the website.]
Dr Brooke Magnanti, 34, a research scientist with a PhD in informatics, epidemiology and forensic science, is better known as Belle de Jour, the anonymous blogger who wrote about her life as a high-class call girl. Her blog spawned two books, which were adapted for the television series The Secret Diary of a Call Girl, starring Billie Piper. She unmasked herself last November, and currently works for the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health, studying the effect of pesticides on children’s brain development. Her latest book, Belle de Jour’s Guide to Men (Phoenix), is out now.
Routine I’m usually up by 7am but it takes me an hour of holding a cup of tea and listening to Radio 4 before I can do anything useful. Then I answer some emails, do a bit of writing, and then go to work at about 10am.
Florida I bought this citrus crate label (pictured) on eBay and framed it because it reminds me of growing up in Clearwater in west Florida, where you saw the crates of oranges and these labels everywhere. When I grew up, most of Walt Disney World hadn’t been built yet, and the area was just beaches and orange groves. When I go back I can still see little bits of old Florida poking through.
Fire Before I moved to Sheffield to start my PhD in forensic pathology, I left most of my things at my mum’s house in Florida and just took a suitcase and a bunch of books over to England with me. A couple of weeks later I got a phone call from my auntie. The first thing she said was, 'Don’t worry, your mum is OK,’ but she was calling to tell me that the house had burnt down and everything had gone.
Gourd One of the few old things that I still own, and that I take everywhere with me, is this little gourd (pictured), which has seeds inside. My uncle lives in Ecuador and he sent it to me when I was about five.
Rowing I started rowing when I got to Sheffield and one of my memories of living there was when the river was frozen over and we had to smash through the ice with the boat. This tankard (pictured) is from one of the regattas we won.
Cash flow After I had written my thesis I moved to London to find a job because I’d pretty much run out of money. I couldn’t get a bank loan or an overdraft because of my student visa, and I couldn’t get a job in science because my PhD hadn’t been awarded yet. A friend gave me a cheque for £150 to help out. I just looked at it and thought, 'But what about next month?’
Call girl In 2003 I met a well-heeled couple in a restaurant and we went back to their place. Afterwards the man called me a cab and shoved loads of notes in my hand, but it was only when I was inside that I thought, 'This is more than the cab costs.’ Then it dawned on me that working as a call girl wouldn’t be so much different from that evening. It was something I was willing to try, and if I didn’t like it, no one had to know. I charged £300 an hour, of which I got to keep £200 (the rest went to an agency). The average appointment lasted two hours and I saw clients two or three times a week until I gave up a year and a half later.
Birth of Belle I started the blog because I wanted to talk about what was happening to me. I’m very used to chatting with friends and suddenly I had all these anecdotes that I couldn’t tell anyone. I had already been writing a blog about science and another one about whisky, so I knew how to write them. I kept the science one going for a while because I didn’t want anyone to figure out the two were linked and work out who I was.
Chest of drawers I bought this chest of drawers (pictured) with the money I won for a blogger prize. This was before the books so I thought if nothing else came of Belle, in years to come I’d have something to show for it.
Relaxing hobbies My grandmother taught me how to knit. I find it so relaxing and I’ve usually got some kind of project on the go – at the moment it is a jumper (pictured). The really irritating thing is you can’t take your needles on flights any more, which is where I used to do most of my knitting. I love to bake as well.
Coming out A British blogger called Darren worked out my identity in 2004, because he’d followed a previous blog that I’d written, but he kept my secret. Unknown to me he had set up a widget that alerted him whenever my real name was Googled along with Belle de Jour’s, and he didn’t get any hits for five years. But last October he started getting odd hits and he traced the IP address to a tabloid newspaper and told me via Twitter. A few weeks later a reporter broke into my workplace. I decided to beat the tabloids to it and go public.
Relief The strangest part was telling my mum. She now lives in New York and I kept trying to call her but my phone kept dying. I knew I had a deadline because an interview with me was coming out in a newspaper so I ran out and bought a new phone. I thought this is definitely not the type of conversation to have on email. She was great about it but it was a very strange moment when she called me back, having bought and read my books and given them to my grandmother.
~~~~~~
The following news feature below appears in today’s Yorkshire Post, or at its website:
Yorkshire’s National Newspaper
Yorkshire Post, Sept. 21
Why money has stripped away class barriers in the sex
By Grace Hammond
In recent years, the middle classes have been busy monopolising areas they previously feared to tread.
Once sleeping in tents was only for those unable to afford to holiday abroad. Now you can't move on the average campsite for well-off families wanting to get back to basics. Dog tracks have seen an influx of professional punters and even bingo has be come a mecca for the middle classes.
Now in what may well be the final frontier, it seems they are also taking over the sex industry.
According to recent research by the University of Leeds, one in four lap dancers have a degree – and one of the most striking details of the Wayne Rooney affair was the background of two women he allegedly took to the Lowry Hotel.
Both had been brought up in middle class families, yet for one reason or another found themselves working as escorts, leaving their embarrassed parents to issue public apologies.
"Obviously, the economy is the key," says research scientist Dr Brooke Magnanti, aka Belle de Jour, whose infamous blog about her life as a call girl was made into a TV series starring Billie Piper. "More and more women are realising that the stereotype of the drug addicted streetwalker does not always (or even often) apply, and are voting with their wallets, so to speak.
"We've come a long way in accepting people for doing what is, let's face it, a legal and storied profession."
While inner city red light districts may still be the preserve of a vulnerable underclass, lap dancing clubs and escort agencies have a far wider cross-section of employees. It's easy to see why. The dancers questioned in the Leeds survey took home an average of £232 a shift. With most working between two and four shifts a week, an annual income of between £24,000 and £48,000 is more than most part-time jobs would ever pay.
For some, the sex industry may provide a good wage, but the seemingly endless supply of women wanting to sign up is bad news for campaign groups like the Fawcett Society and Objects, which believe they are little more than a form of commercial sexual exploitation.
While many may end up working as lap dancers and escorts of their own free will, there are concerns a significant number will become trapped in the job, unwilling to move on because of the money.
"No one should be forced to do any kind of work that they really don't want to do, simply to survive," says Catherine Redfern, of The New Feminist Movement, "and obviously this applies whether a woman has a degree or has no qualifications at all. The idea that this is more of a concern just because women with degrees are doing this work, is abhorrent.
"The fact that it's predominantly female students, and not male students who are doing this, highlights the entrenched sexism of the sex industry.
"It promotes the idea of women as passive sex objects to be looked at by men. We need to question why this is considered the norm, how society is set up to encourage men and women to see their sexuality in this rigid, binary way, and encourage a much more diverse view."
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Magnanti, who was completing a PhD at Sheffield University's department of forensic pathology when she became a call girl, takes a far more pragmatic view.
"I guess I was the only person in the country who wasn't surprised at the survey's results," she says candidly. "Stripping and sex work are a lot like waiting tables – some people have what it takes to do it for life, but most people are just moving through it on the way to another career.
"Many of the women I met in the business were well-educated enough to know a minimum wage job couldn't possibly fund their futures.
"In my opinion, it says less about women and feminism than it does about education and government priorities. I'm sure the survey results would have been very different if the study was conducted back when students had grants for university fees.
"However, when it comes to sex and people's private lives, it is absolutely hypocritical for others to judge.
"There isn't a person in this country with a spotless past if you look hard enough."
~~~~~~
As Belle de Jour, Brooke has written four books in addition to her blog about her work in the sex industry. Her fifth book, Belle's Best Bits: A London Call Girl Reveals Her Favourite Adventures
.
Here is a description of that book, provided by Orion Books:
“From the summer of 2003 Belle charted her day-to-day adventures on and off the field in a frank, funny and award-winning diaries. She was the first to reveal (among other things) how she became a working girl, what it feels like to do it for money, and where to buy the best knickers for the job. She also discusses her efforts to change from 'working girl' to working girl, whilst sneaking off to visit clients in her lunch hour. From debating the literary merits of Martin Amis with naked clients to smuggling whips into luxury hotels, this is a no-holds barred account of the high-class sex-trade, and an insight into the secret life of an extraordinary woman.”
Her other books are Belle de Jour’s Guide to Men, 2009; The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl, September 2005; The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl, May 2007; and Playing the Game, June 2009. There is not a ringer in the bunch – trust me!
Also be sure to check out her op-ed articles on a variety of topics including reforming libel law in Britian.
[Note: The top photograph of the beautiful Brooke was taken by Geraint Lewis]
— The Curator
The always fabulous Belle de Jour has crossed the pond to our neck of the woods to participate in several conferences that will no doubt increase her ever-burgeoning popularity in the U.S.
Her website describes her as: “Belle de Jour is the pen name of Brooke Magnanti, a UK-based writer and science researcher. Interests: whisky, taphonomy, PGP encryption.”
Today, she is in Sin City (Las Vegas, Nevada to the uninitiated. Nevada is the only state in the U.S. where prostitution is legal) participating on a Privacy and Security panel at an important conference sponsored by the Desiree Aliance.
[The above photograph, which appeared in the Expresso, Portugal, on June 26, is a great shot of Brooke in her trademark high heels, with an empty glass of a favorite single-malt in the foreground.]
Brooke, of Bristol, England, is a noted scientist whose specialist areas are developmental neurotoxicology and cancer epidemiology. She has a PhD in informatics, epidemiology and forensic science and is now working at the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health. She recently completed a project researching the potential effects on babies of their mothers' exposure to toxic chemicals.
But from 2003 to late 2004, Brooke worked as a prostitute via a London escort agency; she started blogging as Belle de Jour — after the Buñuel film starring Catherine Deneuve as a well-to-do housewife who has sex for money because she’s bored — shortly into her career as a call girl, after an incident she thought funny enough to write down.
She charged £300 an hour for her services, of which she got £200. The average appointment lasted two hours; she saw clients two or three times a week, “sometimes less, sometimes a great deal more,” she has said.
Brooke has been keeping a low profile on the Internet recently, but has kept a very busy schedule traveling to Portugal to promote the publication of her books in translation, then onto the West Coast of the U.S., and then to Nevada.
I have been a fan of Brooke’s since her award-winning and now iconic blog hit the Internet in 2003. I have remained a steadfast friend and supporter since, and eagerly await any and everything she chooses to write in the future - even if it's about science!
Earlier this month, Brooke gave a presentation at Femina Potens, (which was “tickled pink to introduce you to the multi-dimensional world of Sex Workers,) held in San Francisco. The following promotional article appeared in the San Francisco Bay Guardian on July 14:
Hot sexy events July 14-20
By Caitlin Donohue
[Ex sex worker-blogger Belle De Jour teaches the tricks of the (latter) trade at Femina Potens gallery.]
Brooke Magnanti didn't always appreciate the transformative power of writing about sex. As “the most famous call girl in the world,” she wrote an infamous blog in the UK about her life and times as a prostitute. She got famous – although she kept her true identity concealed – and a hit TV show was made of her life. Her frank sex talk kept everyone intrigued, titillated, and humanized sex workers for an online audience. And then the tabloids found out who she was.
And she was poked, prodded, harassed via email, her parents were interrogated, her ex boyfriend started getting all threaten-y. Her other career as a research scientist was called into question. Sucks. But she's better now, happy she voiced her sexual reality, and as found her relationships deepen on account of it. She's looking to teach you how to seize the power of the pen (and Ipad) for the same means this weekend, in a talk (Sat/17) and writing workshop (Sun/18) at Femina Potens gallery. She's ex-hooker, hear her roar.
~~~
Today, Brooke will participate in her panel after Dr. Joycelyn Elders, former U.S. Surgeon General, kicked off the conference as the keynote speaker.
"The Desiree Alliance is a coalition of sex workers, health professionals, social scientists, professional sex educators, and their supporting networks working together for an improved understanding of the sex industry and its human, social and political impacts. Our focus is on building local and regional leadership and constructive activism in the sex worker population to advocate for sex workers' human, labor and civil rights," according to its website.
This year’s conference, "Working Sex: Power, Practice, and Politics," continues until July 30.
Among the participants of the week are Furry Girl, and Nina Hartley, Adult entertainer, sex educator, and author.
(Note: Furry Girl, a fascinating sex worker with a not-to-be-missed blog that is also a favorite of mine, will be participating in a panel and also presenting Solo Girl.)
Fear not, oh U.K. readers, Brooke will be back home, soon. She is scheduled to speak on “Chance and Luck” appropriately on Friday, 13 Aug., with Science for All Brainwaves, part of the British Science Association, to be held at St George's Lecture Theatre, Sheffield.
Here’s the description:
Held on the apt Friday 13th, Dr. Brooke Magnanti will give a public lecture on chance and luck.
"What is luck, and what is chance? While these two terms are almost interchangeable in everyday usage, the meaning can be unclear.
Chance, odds, and other such ideas relate to the probability of occurrence – simple notions of discrete mathematics that, if the 65% of people who consider the lottery as a likely source of their retirement income indicates, are poorly understood. Using a few simple examples the statistical concepts will be illustrated.
But in the more philosophical sense, what is the meaning of luck? The finding of a lucky penny is determined by chance. Its discovery is imbued with the assumption that a semi-random action can subtly influence the events which occur after it. In other words, the universe is not a predetermined, closed system.
Both the ideas that the universe is predictable, but that it is also not determinable feed not only into popular understanding – and misunderstanding – of luck and chance, but also more sophisticated notions such as cosmic uncertainty, dark energy, whether the cyclic model of the fate of the universe is correct, and when, exactly, we can expect the singularity (hint: probably not on Friday the 13th).
~~~~
Her most recent books include Belle de Jour’s Guide to Men, 2009; Belle’s Bits, 2009; and Playing the Game, June 2009. Earlier books are The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl
, September 2005; and The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl
, May 2007.
All of her books are well-worth reading and widely available across the pond at Amazon's UK division.
Her writing has been so popular that it became the basis for the international hit TV series, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, starring Billie Piper. It can be seen on Showtime in the U.S., and the first two seasons are available on DVD. The third season was previewed by a special 30-minute interview of Brooke by Billie.
As always: Cheers, m’dear!
— The Curator
Belle de Jour will once again trade in her trade-mark high heels for athletic shoes this time on Mother’s Day to participate in a famous 10k run in support of another great charity.
Belle de Jour had been the nom de plume of the famous British erotic author. Last year, Belle revealed she is Dr. Brooke Magnanti, of Bristol, England, a noted scientist. Brooke works at the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health, and is currently part of a team researching the potential effects on babies of their mothers' exposure to toxic chemicals.
But, from 2003 to late 2004, Brooke worked as a high-class call girl for a London escort service. She has written an award-winning blog and several books based on her experiences as a high-end call-girl in the sex industry.
On Sunday, May 9, Brooke will run in the renowned 2010 Bristol 10k race in her home town, Bristol, England. She announced her participation today on Twitter and also on her blog.
She is seeking sponsors for her participation in the run, and all of the money she raises will go to the non-profit Bristol Haematology & Oncology Centre. The charity is one of two featured in this year’s 10k race. Anyone interested in sponsoring Brooke should go to her race webpage that is dedicated to the event.
The race route is similar to the Bristol Half Marathon that Brooke participated in last month, when she raised money for a different worthy charity. This race also uses a car-free course, starting from At-Bristol, along the harborside, then follows the Avon Gorge and Cumberland Road, returning to At-Bristol via Prince Street Bridge. For runners also planning to take part in the half marathon, it offers a great training opportunity to experience a short version of the course.
The website of the 2010 Bristol 10k proudly proclaims: “Runners of all abilities, from novices to elite, are being invited to ‘runbristol.’”
On her sponsorship webpage, Brooke writes:
“I’d guess you'd say this is getting to be a bad habit...!
I'm running the Bristol 10k this month, because I clearly didn't learn my lesson at the Shef Half in April, when I was beaten by The Incredible Hulk, Radioactive Man, and a Puerto Rican chicken. Or any of the runs before that... even though to date I have been beaten at races by Scooby Doo, Buzz Lightyear, a giant kidney, and pipped to the post by a man in a banana suit.
I'm running to raise money for the Above & Beyond Charities CaRE Appeal.
Why? Well, because I used to work in the Bristol Haematology & Oncology Centre, until the renovations renovated us right out into another hospital. The BHOC is a good facility filled with caring, professional staff, and it needs updating. The fantastic work done by those who work there should be matched by equally excellent and up-to-date surroundings.
With 1 in 3 people being diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime, it is a disease which affects nearly all families. The Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre (BHOC) opened in 1971 and cares for over 6,500 individuals diagnosed with cancer every year, with up to 1,000 visitors passing through the Centre each day.
You can help make a difference to patients and families by donating. And think of it this way – I'm running so you don't have to!
Thank you again for your support. I've seen firsthand the difference the appeal is already making, and know the goals of the appeal can be accomplished.
all the best
Bxx”
Brooke ran the Sheffield Half Marathon to benefit Sheffield Working Women’s Opportunities Project and posted on Twitter afterward on April 26:
‘Just under 2:06. Beaten by Incredible Hulk, Radioactive Man and a chicken. Not bad for no training though!”
You may still make a sponsorship donation to benefit the Sheffield Working Women’s Opportunities Project in Brooke's name.
(Note: The Above & Beyond Charities supports the work of the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI), Bristol Children’s Hospital, St. Michaels Hospital, Bristol General Hospital, Bristol Haematology & Oncology Centre, Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol Dental Hospital, Bristol Homeopathic Hospital and Clevedon Hospital.
Above & Beyond Charities funds projects which touch the lives of the thousands of people cared for by University Hospitals Bristol and local community services each year.
Last year the Charity gave over £2.2 million in grants to make a real difference to healthcare in Bristol and the South West.
Please follow this link to support the 'CaREAppeal'.)
Since she disclosed her identity, Brooke has been able to bring her celebrity to worthy causes. She’s participated in the half-marathon before to support non-profit charities, but no one knew that she was also the illustrious Belle de Jour.
On April 27, Brooke announced she is “taking indefinite hiatus from Twitter and blog.” I expect she will return better than ever, with even more entertaining, thought provoking and unforgettable writing about anything and everything.
In the meantime, I continue to applaud Brooke’s charity endeavors and re-read her books, Belle de Jour: Diary of an Unlikely Call Girl
. Not only is she a talented and gifted writer, she is a woman with strong social convictions and true compassion. Cheers, m’dear!
— The Curator
Belle de Jour will trade in her trade-mark high heels for athletic shoes next month to participate in a famous U.K. half-marathon race in support of a great charity.
Belle de Jour had been the nom de plume of the famous British erotic author. Last year, Belle revealed she is Dr. Brooke Magnanti, of Bristol, England, a noted scientist. Brooke works at the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health, and is is currently part of a team researching the potential effects on babies of their mothers' exposure to toxic chemicals.
But, from 2003 to late 2004, Brooke worked as a high-class call girl for a London escort service.
On April 25, Brooke will run in the renowned Sheffield Half Marathon, in Sheffield, England. She announced her participation today on her award-winning blog. (Note: The above photograph was taken of Brooke while she was training recently at the Newcastle Racecourse.)
She is seeking sponsors for her participation in the run, and all of the money she raises will go directly to the non-profit Sheffield Working Women’s Opportunities Project. The charity is one of 10 featured in this year’s Half Marathon race.
After raising £95,000 for the race’s 10 chosen charities in 2009, organizers are hoping to break the £100,000 mark this year. Last year’s amount brings the impressive total raised in the race’s 29-year history to more than £600,000.
Since she disclosed her identity, Brooke has been able to bring her celebrity in support of worthy causes. She’s participated in the half-marathon before to support other non-profit charities, but no one knew that she was also the illustrious Belle de Jour.
The half-marathon race limit of 5,500 runners has ALREADY been reached, and entries are now closed. “The pace that entries are coming in this year is amazing. It seems that this year’s race is on course to be the most successful to date and we are looking forward to seeing a record amount of money raised for 10 fantastic local causes,” said Ian Thomas, entries coordinator for the Sheffield Half Marathon.
There are also Senior Men and Senior Women half-marathon categories, with three runners scheduled to participate this year who are 70 years old.
The race's starting and finish line area is the city's famous Don Valley Stadium, the home of both the Sheffield Eagles Rugby League Football Club and the Rotherham United Football Club. From there, runners will head out on an out-and-back course that runs in a roughly southwest direction on the outward route, and a roughly northeast direction on the return route.
Half-marathon runners will encounter long straightaway stretches along Brightside Lane and Princess Street in the race's early going, followed by numerous twists and turns through the neighborhoods as the course winds its way toward and through Sheffield's city center.
The hilliest stretches of the race – which unfolds entirely over paved surfaces throughout – occur in the middle section of the race, between Mile Markers 4 and 9. The course reaches its peak elevation around the Mile Marker 8 (at Fitzwilliam Street) at a height of about 300 feet above sea level; the race's low point, which occurs in the first and last three miles or so of the race, is just under 150 feet above sea level.
Runners in the half-marathon will have a three-hour limit in which to complete the race's 13.1 miles, after which time a race bus will come along to pick up any stragglers or those having trouble finishing in the time allotted.
For runners who don't feel up to running the half, the race also offers a 3K "Great Fun Run," which is open to all ages, including wheelchair competitors and "fancy dress," which means it welcomes runners in costume.
Located just north of the geographic center of England, about 62 kilometers east of Manchester and nearly 270 kilometers north of London, the city of Sheffield typically experiences temperate weather conditions, with ample rainfall throughout the year – December is the city's wettest month of the year on average, while July is its driest. In April, Sheffield's average monthly temperatures range between 12°C and 4°C.
Brooke has linked a JustGiving website to raise sponsorships for the race and the charity she is supporting. The following is her statement in full. Anyone in the U.S., the U.K., or any other country interested in sponsoring Brooke should go directly to her JustGiving website to make a tax deductible donation on the secure website:
“Please sponsor me in the Sheffield Half Marathon
2010 Sheffield Half Marathon
on 25/04/2010
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
I'm running the Sheffield Half this year, because I clearly didn't learn my lesson last time. Or any of the runs before that...even though to date I have been beaten at races by Scooby Doo, Buzz Lightyear, a giant kidney, and pipped to the post by a man in a banana suit.
Nevertheless, please dig deep in your black, black little hearts...not to mention wallets...and sponsor me this year.
I'm running to raise money for SWWOP, the Sheffield Working Women’s Opportunities Project.
SWWOP provides evening street based outreach sessions addressing not only the sexual health needs of women working as street sex workers, but covering a wide range of health and social welfare issues. They drive to the locations where women work, in ‘the Johnny van’ (as the women call it). This has been adapted to enable women to participate in-group discussions or have one to one contact with workers who provide condoms, tea/coffee, biscuits, TLC etc. Advocacy and support is offered as and when needed by the service users.
SWWOP strive to provide a service to all women working as street sex workers in Sheffield, without discrimination. They are committed to supporting and empowering this vulnerable group. This does not include the promotion, control or reduction of prostitution as a goal; their role is emphasising the positives of women’s characters, i.e. the strength and resourcefulness they possess that enable them to do their jobs. This approach also includes highlighting the positives in their lives generally.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. Also, SWWOP will receive your money faster if you use this site and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
So please sponsor me...or else I will run after you! Very slowly!
Kthxbye.
Bxx”
Information from SWWOP appears below, or visit their website directly:
“Sheffield Working Women’s Opportunities Project Ltd (SWWOP Ltd) is a small Voluntary Sector Project, Registered Charity and Company limited by Guarantee.
We have been in existence since 1992 addressing the complex needs of women working as street sex workers in Sheffield. SWWOP have close working partnerships with Genitourinary Medicine Clinic, Turning Point Community Drugs Team, Jessops Specialist Midwives and Action Housing as well as strong links with many other voluntary and statutory agencies in Sheffield.
We strive to provide a service to all women working as street sex workers in Sheffield, without discrimination and are committed to supporting and empowering this vulnerable group. This does not include the promotion, control or reduction of prostitution as a goal; we see our role as emphasising the positives of women’s characters, i.e. the strength and resourcefulness they possess that enable them to do their jobs. This approach also includes highlighting the positives in their lives generally.
SWWOP provides evening street based outreach sessions addressing not only the sexual health needs of women working as street sex workers, but covering a wide range of health and social welfare issues. This is achieved by driving to the locations where women work, in our most valuable asset, ‘the Johnny van’ (as the women call it). This has been adapted to enable women to participate in-group discussions or whenever possible to have one to one contact with workers who provide amongst other things condoms, tea/coffee, biscuits, TLC etc. Advocacy and support is offered as and when needed by the service users.
Condoms are one of our other most important resources, not only to be able to provide them free to the women for their protection, but also as something practical to offer new contacts, and as a way of introducing ourselves and our service.
Outreach work has given insights into factors that make it difficult for women to attend mainstream services, and the aim of our partnerships is to make these services more accessible to the women by booking appointments on request, and by providing a familiar personal link.”
Visit the Sheffield Half Marathon website to learn about the other nine charities featured in this year’s race.
The first marathon race in Sheffield, the Sheffield Independent Marathon, was held in 1929 and started in Barkers Pool, finishing at the Niagra Sports Ground. It was held for two more years with some course changes then was discontinued until the end of World War II.
The Doncaster to Sheffield Marathon was first held in 1946, running between Chequer Road, Doncaster, visiting Rotherham and finishing at Sheffield Station. The course was slightly altered in 1960, and was last staged in 1961. Following the 1981 London Marathon, a marathon boom occurred in Great Britain.
Sheffield introduced the Sheffield Marathon and Half Marathon in 1982, starting in Hillsborough near the Sheffield Wednesday football ground and finishing in Hillsborough Park. The Half Marathon finished in Tinsley Park for the first two years, then changed to a Hillsborough Park finish. The venue for the race changed to Don Valley Stadium in 1991 when it was run in conjunction with the World Student Games Marathon. (The Half Marathon was not held that year.)
It has been run from Don Valley Stadium to the present day, except in 1993 when Sheffield United FC hosted the race at their Bramhall lane ground.
The course has incurred many alterations over recent years, caused in part by the introduction of the “Supertram system,” and partly due to competition for road space resulting from greatly increased traffic when Sunday trading was legalized. In 2001, the route went to Rotherham, visiting Orgreave and using less busy roads. It was a two-lap course for full marathon runners but was not a popular route.
The course was altered in 2003 to its present route through the city center, with the full marathon continuing to Orgreave for its second half. However full marathon numbers continued to fall and difficulties with maintaining a six-hour road closure increased so that 2003 became the last year when a full marathon was held in Sheffield. A lull in road race popularity in the early 1990’s resulted in Half Marathon entries dropping as low as 1545 in 1996.
Since then, participation has risen steadily, totaling 5,500 in 2009 and matching that healthy total again this year. The city center route has produced large crowds of spectators who give tremendous support to the runners, and attractions including live bands playing along the route add to the event. The finish before the crowds in the Don Valley Stadium is cited by many runners as a unique experience.
(Note: The above graphic depicts this year's half-marathon course.)
The SIG Insulations Sheffield Half Marathon has become one of the biggest participation events in Sheffield’s sporting calendar, with city center landmarks and roads lined with enthusiastic spectators to support elite, club and local runners. To attract quality runners from throughout Yorkshire, the event is host to the Yorkshire Half Marathon Championships and the South Yorkshire Half Marathon Championships.
The Sheffield's Great Fun Run steps off after the half-marathon, and is still open to all. Wheelchair entries and children in pushchairs are all accepted. A certificate is presented to all who participate.
Last year’s winning woman runner in the 17-34 year old category was Rebecca Robinson, crossing the finish line in 01:14:52. She will be running again this year, too.
----
I continue to applaud Brooke’s charity endeavors since she’s revealed her identity. Not only is she a uniquely talented and gifted writer, she is a woman with strong social convictions and true compassion. Cheers, m’dear!
— The Curator
