Features
Who Are You Calling a Skank?


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skankwoman3.GIF Biblical Times

Mary Magdalene, a repentant prostitute, washes Christ's feet.



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Ancient Rome

Empress Messalina of Rome moonlights at a local brothel. (45AD)

A prostitute named Theodora marries Emperor Justinian (c. 500) and transforms palace life.



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Middle Ages

Lady Godiva's famous bareback ride (c. 1057)

Deposed queen Johanna I of Naples opens the Middle Ages' most fabulous whorehouse (1347)

Geoffrey Chaucer introduces English literature's first skanky chick, the Wife of Bath, who boasts, "Myn housbonde shal it have bothe eve and morwe" (1390)



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skankwoman2.GIF The Renaissance

King Henry VIII defies the Pope to wed Ann Boleyn, his wife's handmaid(1533)



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17th Century

English poet Robert Herrick pens Delight in Disorder—"A sweet disorder in the dress/Kindles in clothes a wantoness." (1648)

Shakespeare writes The Taming of The Shrew.



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18th Century

62-year-old Catherine the Great takes her last lover. He is 21. (1789)



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19th Century skankwoman4.GIF

A French prostitute named Rachel inspires Vincent Van Gogh to cut off his ear. (1888)

Skanky chicks celebrated in the art of Aubrey Beardsley.



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Turn of the Century

Skanky chicks celebrated in the novels of W. Somerset Maugham.



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1920s
  • Dorothy Parker.
  • Fannie Brice.
  • Skanky chicks celebrated in the novels of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
    • 30s
  • Mae West.
  • "Spicy" pulp magazines.
    • 50s
  • Betty Page.
    • skankwoman2.GIF 60s
  • Janis Joplin.
  • Mama Cass.
  • Marianne Faithful.
  • Nico.
  • Warhol Girls.
  • Russ Meyer Girls.
    • 70s
  • Nancy Spongen.
  • Nina Hagen.
  • Patti Smith.
  • Lydia Lunch.
  • Debbie Harry.
  • Pamela Des Barres.
  • MacKenzie Phillips.
  • Squeeky Fromme.
    • 80s
  • Chrissie Hynde.
  • Wendy O. Williams.
  • Joan Jett.
  • Pat Benetar.
  • Patti Sciafla.
  • Molly Ringwald.


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    Musical Skanks
    Riot Grrrls, Courtney Love, Kim Gordon, P.J. Harvey.

    Movie Skanks
    Drew Barrymore, Juliette Lewis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Martha Plimpton, Ellen Barkin, Patricia Arquette, Lori Petty.

    skankwoman4.GIF

    TV Skanks
    Traci Lords, Joanna Lumley, green aliens from Star Trek.

    Model Skanks
    Kate Moss, Jenny Shimoza, The CK kiddie-porn group.

    Sport Skanks
    Jennifer Capriati.

    Post-Feminist Skanks
    Camille Paglia, Elizabeth Wurtzel, Katie Roiphe, Anka.

    Cartoon Skanks
    Tank Girl, Betty Boop, Bitchy Bitch, "Hate" girls; R. Crumb girls, "Love and Rockets" girls.

    Skank Wannabes
    Liz Phair, Alanis Morrisette, Liv Tyler, Sofia Coppola.

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    Back Talk!