CARSON CITY, NV—If there's one thing sex workers know more about than perhaps the majority of the world's population, it's the power of human touch—and now Mustang Ranch, Nevada’s oldest operational brothel, has partnered with Bliss Life Media and Nevada-based videographers Chris and Nick Stanton to produce a short video detailing the importance of human touch and its relation to the legal sex industry. The video highlights the stories of four courtesans and a madam of Mustang Ranch and the profound impact the profession has had on the clients visiting the Nevada brothel. The video can be viewed through Vimeo.
“Every day that these ladies decide to be a part of this profession is another day that they must fight the stigma surrounding legal prostitution,” said Jennifer Barnes, madam at Mustang Ranch. “This video not only highlights the importance of this work but the significant impact these ladies have on their clients and the power of human touch.”
The short video, which is almost eight minutes in length, depicts the personal accounts of legal courtesans Kristina Marie, Lena Starr, Vera Bliss and Amira and madam Jennifer Barnes and their experiences while working at Mustang Ranch. The ladies also detail the safety measures in place at the brothel, why they chose to work in the legal sex industry and the importance of their work for their clientele.
“At the heart of this business is providing companionship, conversation and above all, an opportunity to connect with another human being through touch,” Barnes added. “While I’m very proud of this profession and the people this industry helps, I’m also aware of the stigmas and negativity surrounding the legal sex industry. Through this video, we hope that people will want to ask more questions and begin to understand why we’ve chosen this profession over others.”
In the summer of 2018, several organizations sought to ban brothels throughout Nevada, focusing on several brothels in Lyon County owned by the late Dennis Hoff. This initiative brought the conversation of legal brothels and the morality of prostitution in Nevada to the forefront of the media and political agendas. Furthermore, due to the profession becoming a focal point of discussion, an opportunity was presented to Mustang Ranch to speak to the importance of a legal and regulated sex industry.
“I have owned Mustang Ranch for close to 20 years and have seen, first hand, the importance of a legal and regulated sex industry, not only for the safety of the women working in this profession but also for the clients benefitting from its services,” said Lance Gilman, owner of Mustang Ranch. “This video not only highlights these benefits but also demonstrates that these are well-educated, driven and eloquent women who have chosen this profession because of their desire to help people and felt that they couldn’t fulfill that goal in any other line of work.”
Mustang Ranch is located in Storey County, Nev. right outside of Reno.
