A gigolo is a man paid to be the companion of a woman, traditionally an older and wealthier one. Today the usual word is male escort, and the clients are women, men and couples. The law is the same as for any escort.
The words
- Gigolo. A French borrowed word, originally for a man kept by a woman, and now used loosely for a man paid for company or sex.
- Male escort. The general term. It covers companions for dinners and events as well as sexual services, and it is used by men who serve women, men or couples.
Who books one
Clients are women, gay and bisexual men, and couples. Some bookings are for company only, such as a dinner date, a wedding or a work event. Others include sex, agreed privately between adults. As with any escort, an advert is an offer and not a promise: see what an escort is.
What a booking involves
- A first message with the date, the length, the place and what you have in mind.
- Screening, which is normal, and often a deposit for a longer booking.
- A hotel or private address, with the total agreed in advance.
The steps are the same as in how booking works, and the etiquette applies in both directions.
The law
In England and Wales, a man selling or buying sex between consenting adults is as lawful as a woman doing the same. The offences are the same too: soliciting in public, keeping a brothel and controlling another person’s prostitution for gain. Is escorting legal in the UK? sets them out, and where is prostitution legal covers other countries.
Working as a male escort
It is self employed work, so the income is taxable and has to be declared to HMRC. Sharing premises with another worker can raise the brothel problem, which is why most work by outcall. Screening, telling a friend where you are and keeping your own safety rules matter as much as for anyone. Safety and help lists charities that support people who sell sex.