Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527 - 1593) "Flora Meretrix"

We Are All Whores...But Of What Kind?

Technically marriage in Western culture has been a legal agreement to limit one's self (whether man or woman or something in between) to one prostitute, er, spouse, at a time.  Marriage in in trouble now since that system neither applies to our real lives nor works very well unless one or both spouses have the disposable money a man known as a "sugar daddy," rara avis, indeed, might have. Now, married couples are prostituted to their jobs since in most cases they both must work for the Man or Woman (and often at more than one workplace) to earn enough money to conduct life and raise a family in the manner to which they have been trained to expect. In most cases, however, sex with the boss is not an implicit condition of work. But it still happens. Selling your body is selling your body, no matter what for.  

The etymology of the word prostitute sheds some light on what I am poorly trying to 'get across.'   Prostitute - mid 16th century (as a verb): from Latin prostitutus- ‘exposed publicly, offered for sale’, from the past participle of the verb prostituere, from pro- ‘before’ + statuere ‘set up, place’. Romans had countless words for whores, but prostituta was not one of them, or at least not commonly used. Prostibilis also meant whore in Latin and is etymologically related with the prost (display for sale) prefix. The prostibulum, later prostibilis usually referred to the streetwalker who displayed herself in public. 

For example, "That influencer on Instagram is prostituting (id est "exhibiting for sale") her ass at the beach again. Maybe she will attract a sugar daddy who will pay her well for a few licks at that thing."

The most common word for whore in Latin was meretrix (etymology: From mereō ("merit, deserve") + -trīx. Literally "she who earns".} This is a more realistic, respectful and active word  than 'prostitute' a passive concept; "Exposing a thing for sale" which didn't get its present meaning of whore until the 16th century, is vulgar.  I would rather spend time with a skilled and enthusiastic meretrix than a prostitute.

When it comes to relationships perhaps we should all try to be more like the meretrix and earn love, rather than be like the prostitute who just accepts love and all that comes with it, merely for being available sexually.