When we talk about notorious sex workers, the conversation usually drifts toward women, but the world of prostitution also boasts a remarkable roster of men. In this roundup of 10 male sex figures, we’ll travel from ancient Greece to modern America, uncovering the stories of men who dazzled philosophers, inspired artists, sparked political scandals, and even shocked the world with violent deeds.
10 Male Sex Workers Who Shaped History
1 Jeff Gannon
Jeff Gannon, born James Dale Guckert, led a double‑life that blended the corridors of power with the shadows of escort work. By day he was a credentialed member of the White House press corps under President George W. Bush, and by night he answered to the pseudonym “Bulldog,” advertising his services on sites like militaryescorts.com despite having no actual military background.
Gannon’s unusual access to the press gallery raised eyebrows when he slipped past the usual security clearances, prompting speculation that he enjoyed special treatment. The moment that thrust him into the national spotlight was a press briefing on January 26, 2005, where he asked President Bush, “How are you going to work with people [Senate Democrats] who seem to have divorced themselves from reality?”
The pointed, partisan question sparked a media frenzy, leading reporters to dig into his past and reveal his escort work. In 2007 he penned The Great Media War, a book reflecting on his experience within the press corps and the broader media landscape.
2 Mike Jones
Mike Jones, who insists on being called an escort rather than a prostitute, shot to fame by exposing the secret life of Reverend Ted Haggard. Haggard, a prominent evangelical leader and adviser to President George W. Bush, championed the Defense of Marriage Act, a law that barred same‑sex marriage.
When Jones learned that Haggard was secretly paying for male escort services, he decided to reveal the hypocrisy, despite knowing the fallout would likely end his own career. He famously said, “This [hypocrisy] is so strong for me, and it hurt me so deeply, that I simply reached the point where I had to say something.”
Jones’s decision to out Haggard sent shockwaves through the religious and political communities, highlighting the clash between public morality and private conduct.
3 Shai Shahar
Shai Shahar, a former soldier who served both the United States and Israel, earned the dubious honor of being the first man displayed in the famous windows of Amsterdam’s red‑light district. He claimed that his clientele spanned royalty, politicians, and movie stars.
Shahar also boasted an impressive tally: 500 different women and 40 couples. After hanging up his trade, he turned to singing, promoting burlesque shows, and advocating for legal prostitution and sex‑worker rights.
His post‑prostitution career reflects a commitment to reshaping public perception of the industry while celebrating its artistic and cultural dimensions.
4 Denham Fouts
Denham Fouts lived a flamboyant existence that placed him among the elite of the 1920s social scene. His client list read like a who’s‑who of wealth, art, and royalty, and his friendships included many of the era’s most celebrated authors and Bright Young Things.
After a daring robbery of a Greek millionaire landed him in jail, Welsh poet Evan Morgan, the 2nd Viscount Tredegar, bailed him out and became a patron. Fouts later left Tredegar for Prince Paul of Greece, though the relationship ended when Paul ascended to the throne. He also linked up with Peter Watson, an industrialist and publisher of Horizon.
Christopher Isherwood famously called him “the most expensive male prostitute in the world.” Fouts even sent a blank check and his Paris address to Truman Capote after falling in love with the author’s portrait. He died young of heart failure in Paris.
5 Jean Genet
Jean Genet stands among the most influential dramatists of French Modernism. The son of a prostitute, he channeled his own experiences as a male sex worker servicing sailors into his autobiographical novel Our Lady of the Flowers, which caused an immediate scandal for its frank portrayal of prostitution and criminal life.
The book’s raw honesty cemented Genet’s reputation, and he followed it with celebrated plays such as The Balcony, The Blacks, The Maids, and The Screens. His literary output also includes novels like Querelle of Brest, Funeral Rites, and The Thief’s Journal, as well as a short film titled A Love Song.
Beyond his artistic achievements, Genet became a political activist, and his influence even reached popular music—David Bowie referenced him in the song “The Jean Genie.”
6 Herbert Huncke
Herbert Huncke, whose surname is pronounced “chunky,” emerged as a central figure of the post‑World War II Beat generation and even coined the term “Beat” itself. Though raised in a middle‑class family, he was drawn to the gritty allure of street life.
Huncke’s foray into prostitution began in Chicago, where he briefly worked for Al Capone’s gang. He rose to prominence after moving to New York City in 1939, earning the moniker “Mayor of 42nd Street.” A lifelong morphine addict, his lifestyle influenced many of his literary peers.
William S. Burroughs based his debut novel Junkie on Huncke’s experiences, while Jack Kerouac modeled the character Elmer Hassel in On the Road after him. Additionally, Alfred Kinsey recruited Huncke to help gather subjects for his groundbreaking sexual research.
7 John Saul
John Saul rose from the depths of a Dublin slum in the mid‑19th century to become the most infamous male prostitute in Victorian London. He may have authored the pornographic novel The Sins of the Cities of the Plain; or, The Recollections of a Mary‑Ann, with Short Essays on Sodomy and Tribadism in 1881.
In 1884, Irish nationalists alleged homosexual orgies at a castle, naming Martin Oranmore Kirwan, a prominent Galway landowner’s son, as a participant. Kirwan had previously paid Saul for sexual favors. Saul was summoned to London to testify, though he never actually took the stand.
By 1887, Saul was working at the infamous 19 Cleveland Street brothel, which became the center of a public scandal in 1890. He openly testified during the ensuing trial, describing himself as a “professional Mary‑Ann,” the contemporary slang for a male prostitute. He avoided prosecution, likely because authorities feared he might expose clients such as Prince Albert Victor, Queen Victoria’s grandson and heir.
8 Febo di Poggio
Febo di Poggio served as one of Michelangelo’s many male models and lovers during the Renaissance. Contemporary rumors and Michelangelo’s own poetry painted di Poggio as a fickle, mercenary figure who demanded lavish gifts, earning him the nickname “little blackmailer” from the artist.
Michelangelo was so enamored that he composed two poems—G. 99 and G. 100—in his honor. These verses are packed with wordplay, referencing di Poggio’s surname (meaning “of the hill”) and his first name, which translates to “Phoebus,” another appellation for the god Apollo.
Despite the intensity of their affair, the relationship was brief, and Michelangelo eventually moved on to new muses.
9 Lao Ai
During the regency of Qin Shi Huang, Lao Ai was recruited to serve as the queen dowager’s intimate companion. Although smuggled into the court under the guise of a eunuch, he was, in fact, a fully formed man whose remarkable endowment caught the queen’s attention.
Lao leveraged his influence over the queen, openly boasting of his power. He conspired with the regent Lu Buwei in an unsuccessful plot against the future emperor, with the queen’s tacit approval. The coup failed, leading to Lao’s execution, Lu’s suicide, and the queen’s house arrest.
This dramatic episode underscores the perilous intersection of sexuality, politics, and ambition in ancient China.
10 Phaedo Of Elis
Phaedo, a striking young man from an aristocratic family, was captured in the war between Elis and the allied forces of Athens and Sparta. He was enslaved in Athens and forced into prostitution.
While serving clients at an event attended by the philosopher Socrates, Phaedo pleaded for his freedom. Socrates’s friends purchased his emancipation, allowing him to pursue philosophy.
Plato’s dialogue Phaedo bears his name, and he was present at Socrates’s death. Afterward, Phaedo returned to Elis and founded his own philosophical school.
+ Andrew Cunanan
Andrew Cunanan built a lucrative career as a male prostitute on the U.S. West Coast, supported by affluent clients. One patron, Norman Blachford, financed his globe‑trotting lifestyle, providing a car, housing, and a generous allowance.
Cunanan was a compulsive liar, constantly inflating his background and pretending to be independently wealthy. For reasons still unclear, he embarked on a violent murder spree in 1997.
The first victim was Jeff Trail, a former lover, followed by architect David Madson. He then killed Lee Miglin, a prominent real‑estate developer, which landed him on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list. His next victim, cemetery caretaker William Reese, had no obvious prior connection to Cunanan.
Fleeing to Miami, Cunanan murdered fashion designer Gianni Versace before turning the gun on himself. To this day, investigators have not uncovered a definitive motive for his killings.
Ann, a researcher and writer, is currently seeking employment. Learn more about her professional journey on LinkedIn or explore her articles on Medium.