Shady Lady Bed and Breakfast (formerly known as Shady Lady Ranch until 2014) is a bed and breakfast in Farmer Station, Nye County, Nevada, United States, on U.S. Highway 95 about 31 miles (50 km) north of Beatty. It operated as a legal brothel until 2014.[1][2]
 Shady Lady Ranch pre-2014 | |
  Shady Lady Bed and Breakfast Location in Nevada | |
| Location | Farmer Station, Nye County, Nevada, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°15′31.15″N 117°00′28.7″W / 37.2586528°N 117.007972°W |
| Owner | Bobbi Davis |
History
editThe ranch operated as a brothel until 2014 when it converted to a guest ranch-oriented bed and breakfast.[3] As a brothel, it was known for challenging Nevada laws that prohibited the advertising of prostitution services,[4] and that effectively banned male prostitution by requiring all such workers to receive regular cervical exams.[5]
Legal cases
edit
Brothel advertising
editIn 2006, the owner Bobbi Davis, along with two newspapers and with help from the ACLU, challenged a 1979 state law which prohibited the advertising of brothels in counties where prostitution was illegal. This effort was opposed by other brothel owners who were wary that overly explicit brothel advertisements could result in outlawing of the industry.[4]
A federal judge overturned the law in 2007 as "overly broad",[6] but that decision was reversed by a 3-judge panel of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in March 2010.[7] The ACLU appealed,[8] but the Supreme Court of the United States refused to hear the appeal, leaving the ban in force.[9]
Male prostitution
editIn 2009, Davis decided to hire a male prostitute, a first in Nevada. The move was supported by the ACLU and opposed by the Nevada Brothel Owners Association (of which the Shady Lady Ranch is not a member), fearing that it could invite unwanted scrutiny and hurt the industry.[5] A Nevada law defines legal prostitutes to be women and requires them to submit to weekly cervical exams, but did not have any provisions for male prostitutes, a technicality that kept men from working as prostitutes. Davis successfully challenged this provision before the Nevada State Health Division and the Nye County Licensing and Liquor Board.[10] The law was changed to allow for men to legally work as prostitutes as long as they submit weekly urethral specimens, work exclusively with condoms, and submit to monthly blood tests.[11]
In January 2010 the brothel hired a male prostitute by the name of "Markus" and charged $200 for 40 minutes, $300 for an hour and $500 for two hours.[5] Markus quit several weeks later after drawing fewer than ten customers.[12] The brothel later hired a replacement.[13][14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Silver State's Brothel Industry Continues To Shrink". Nevada Public Radio.
- ^ "List of Nevada's Legal Brothels (as of June 2008)". Archived from the original on 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
- ^ Cutright, Emerson (28 August 2018). "There's A Themed Bed and Breakfast In The Middle Of Nowhere In Nevada You'll Absolutely Love". Only In Your State. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ a b "ACLU joins fight against limits on brothel ads", Las Vegas Review-Journal, March 18, 2006
- ^ a b c "Nevada brothel hires nation's first legal 'prostidude'", San Francisco Examiner, 2010-01-22[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Ruling for bordellos pleases workers", Las Vegas Review-Journal, August 28, 2007
- ^ "Federal court: State has right to ban brothel advertising", Las Vegas Sun, March 11, 2010
- ^ "ACLU appeals federal court decision upholding Nevada's brothel ad ban", Las Vegas Sun, March 25, 2010
- ^ "U.S. Supreme Court won't stop Nevada from banning brothel ads", Las Vegas Review-Journal, February 22, 2011
- ^ Adams, Guy (January 10, 2010). "Shady Lady seeks male escorts with staying power". London: Independent. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ^ "Brothel to get the bucks", Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2010-01-06
- ^ Martinez, Edecio (2010-03-29). "Male Prostitution's Self-Proclaimed "Rosa Parks" Gives Up Front Row Seat to History". CBSnews.com. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ^ "First 'prostidude' leaves Shady Lady Ranch", Las Vegas Review-Journal, March 25, 2010
- ^ "In Failed Whore News..." Dlisted. Archived from the original on 2012-03-16. Retrieved 25 March 2013.