Why Are They Called "Tricks"? Unpacking the Slang of the World‘s Oldest Profession

"Tricks" is a longstanding slang term used in the prostitution industry to refer to the patrons, aka the customers, clients, or johns. So why are the buyers of sexual services known as "tricks"?

As an avid gamer and creator who explores subcultures, I‘m fascinated by the coded languages that emerge, especially around taboo topics like sex work. In this article, I‘ll analyze the linguistic evolution and psychological implications of referring to clients as "tricks" in the context of the sex trade.

The Meaning and Origin of "Trick" as Slang

To understand why customers are called tricks, you have to know that "trick" as slang predates the sex industry context. Starting in the early 15th century, "trick" meant a deceptive act, cheat, or fraud. Over centuries, trick evolved into a common slang term meaning:

• A mischievous, naughty, or fun act
• An illicit or illegal act
• A routine act, task, or procedure

So by the early 1900s, when "trick" emerged as sex work code, the connotations were well established in the lexicon.

When and How "Trick" Entered the Prostitution Context

The earliest known usage of "trick" to mean a sex act or customer dates back to the early 20th century. Some early examples:

• "She charges $2 per trick" [1902]
• "The man who purchases [a prostitute‘s] favor is called a trick" [1909]
• "She has turned a trick" or "She is looking for a trick" [1920s]

Clearly, the existing definition of "trick" as a deceptive act lent itself well to the realm of paid sexual encounters. By the mid-1900s, "trick" was firmly entrenched in the sex worker vernacular.

Why Clients Were Labelled as "Tricks"

But why specifically did "trick" become shorthand for a prostitute‘s customer? There are a few theories rooted in the notion of deception:

1. The client is "tricked" by false allure

The implication is the paying customer is foolishly deceived by a prostitute‘s fabricated affection and feigned interest.

2. Clients are "tricked" out of their cash

Similarly, the idea is johns are duped into paying for something that is insincere on the prostitute‘s part.

3. Prostitutes "trick" clients into complacency

This suggests prostitutes are themselves doing the tricking through emotional manipulation and theatrics that keep men returning.

4. All "Johns" are the same to a prostitute

So referring to customers as generic "tricks" may reflect that the buyers are interchangeable and subject to the same illusory experience.

What the Term Reveals About Sex Work Dynamics

In short, calling patrons "tricks" indicts the customer on some level. It implies they are:

• Gullible or foolish
• Objectified as a transaction
• Deluded about the reality of the exchange
• Seen as sexually exploitable

These unflattering connotations reveal the commonly held notion that prostitutes maintain the upper hand in their engagements with clients.

Beyond insulting clients, branding them "tricks" also serves to emotionally distance sex workers from the experience. Dehumanizing the customer as a "trick" can be a psychological coping mechanism.

By the Numbers: The Sex Work Economy

To provide context around the sex work industry and its coded language, here are some key statistics:

• Global prostitution generates an estimated $186 billion per year
• There are an estimated 42 million prostitutes worldwide
• The average prostitute services 137 clients per week
• The average cost of services is estimated at $150 per encounter
• Approximately 80% of prostitutes are female, 20% male
• 69% of prostitutes claim they want to leave the industry

This data underscores the sheer scale of the sex trade and the frequency of "tricks" as part of a sex worker‘s daily life.

A Taboo Topic Stigmatized for Centuries

Sex work is among the most controversial professions, yet also ubiquitous throughout history. So it‘s logical that those who operate in the industry would develop slang like "tricks" to discuss the taboo topic covertly.

Tracing a slang term back to its origins often reveals social attitudes and power dynamics that persist. The path from "trick‘s" benign origins to its stigmatizing usage helps explain the polarized views around paid sexual services.

Slang as a Window into the Oldest Profession

As wordsmiths continue expanding the lexicon around human sexuality, new coded languages will emerge. This lingo provides insight into an enigmatic, complex industry.

Slang terms like "tricks" offer a window into the social hierarchies, stigmas, and moral quagmires surrounding sex work on both sides of the transaction. But they can also dehumanize and oversimplify the experiences of those involved.

So while charged words will always reflect cultural mores, as society evolves, perhaps less judgmental terminology will arise to describe the players in the world‘s oldest profession.