“I went online to look for guys working as escorts and who were willing to work with me on this project,” award-winning photographer Ernst Coppejans tells Queerty in an exclusive interview. “In the Netherlands prostitution is legal. In Amsterdam we have the famous red light district. Only women work there, however.”
Coppejans lives and works in Amsterdam. Before becoming a professional photographer, he studied Art History at the University of Amsterdam and Styling and Design at Artemis Academy. His photo series Gay Escorts features stunning images of male sex workers in Amsterdam.
“Male prostitution is way less visible,” Coppejans explains. “I wanted to know who these guys were and what motivated them. It’s a very international crowd. The guys come from all over the globe. Spain, Brazil, Czechia, Israel, Poland.”
Coppejans photographed each of the men in the privacy of their own homes. He also interviewed them. During the interview process he learned that many genuinely enjoyed their line of work.
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“It was their choice,” he said. “Most of them were having sex very often anyway, so they figured why not charge money. Some started because of a crisis [like] losing their job, and found themselves still working even after it was no longer necessary.”
“These guys are normal guys who maybe have a job that’s out of the ordinary,” Coppejans says. “They also have hopes and dreams.”
Scroll down for images from Coppejan’s Gay Escorts series, and see more of his award-winning work on his website.
Published for one-time use only with permission from Ernst Coppejans. Photographs may not be saved, copied or republished on any other website.
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jockjack5
That first blonde boy is hot.
Some of the other guys look like they would kick my ass if I didn’t pay them!
Yikes!
Ronbo
In 2002 my spouse and I went to a “live” sex show and then hung around the bar later. We met lots of young male prostitutes, who are much, much more attractive than these guys. Several weren’t “officially” hired yet – more fun because they weren’t “on the job”. No sex but I did get to pick the brains of men from all around the world. They get benefits just as with any job, must have company sponsor before working and they don’t have the “gay OR straight” identity that we impose. The show was awful; but, the boys were fantastic and fun. Go see the show, party later with the boys. It was a world tour with young hotties.
Arconcyyon
the home barbie´s home closet gay boy mem the citty país ! the belive beautifllyy ups monstrons happys guys ! the lingerys is the ilary people site ciety medi in tuor ilgbtt .
Jonathonz
@Arconcyyon: Looks like someone’s been drunk typing again!
Stache99
@Jonathonz: She’s a weird bird for sure. I think she’s just looking for attention though.
Stache99
@jockjack5: Yeah, sure if you like bony out of shape twinks.
dhmonarch89
maybe one I’d consider sleeping with- but zero I would pay for it!
frubino
this last photo is my type of favorite and with sex him would be as first.
Alan down in Florida
@dhmonarch89: My thought exactly. Also are these men escorts or just ordinary body sellers?
Arconcyyon
Whom @@jonathonz whom nema ! wiche one text writte ! Do you is the whom whit city país city next is mem boy @Jonathonz ! toword is @ @ Jonathonz ! @ !
heavylifter
The one on the purple bed looks like Gollum from Lord of the Rings, lol.
SteveDenver
Such a shame that the WhyNot and Blueboy bars are gone. I still have a brochure of boys, and they could be ordered like pizza for different prices:
“Many of our boys speak several foreign languages to suit men from international backgrounds. They are all thoroughly versed in safe-sex standards and always practice such. You may request a boy to join you at your table clothed, one of our private sitting rooms clothed or nude, one of our private lounge rooms nude, or request a visit at a major hotel (list below).”
Followed by a menu-style price list.
My most vivid memory of the WhyNot Bar was seeing a man selected from the audience, undressed, frotted by two nude dancers, then jerked off.
jwtraveler
If people choose to do this work voluntarily, I see nothing wrong with it. I’ve had fun with a few prostitutes in Thailand and the Philippines. But that’s what they are: prostitutes. They didn’t escort me to the opera or a dinner party. If you’re not ashamed of the work, why be ashamed of the title.
jockjack5
@Stache99:
Dear Moustache Man,
I guess you still bear an animus towards me over my muscle-boy comments.
You are most likely the proto-typical, rough-trade-looking, biker-bar-with-leather-chaps with a huge, thick stache (got the visual image?).
Anyways, I still love my twinks, whether they be “in shape” or not. I like to have sex with my boy toys, not fight them with knives or guns.
Stache99
@jockjack5: The aging twink (your words) needs to stop being so defensive. You like little boys. I like grown up men.
Probably still hurt after your last rant giving us your opinion of anyone with muscles and body hair and how ugly it all is. Then getting your aging twink ass rightly kicked from the other commenters.
I had nothing to do with that though but I did enjoy it:-)
Maude
Following is an excerpt from a letter sent to me from a friend…….
“………..and at Amsterdam…….If that place is not struck by lightening soon,
I shall have to conclude that Sodom and Gomorrah were rather harshly dealt with!”
DogCollarPistolWhip
I’d bang every one of them, except Purple Bed Gollum. But some people like that I guess.
The muscle dudes are sexy especially if they are submissive.
jason smeds
This escort business in Amsterdam is just sad. Sad and tragic. It’s pure exploitation.
Amsterdam is not the open-minded city it claims to be. It’s a cesspool of exploitation masquerading as open-mindedness. Don’t fall for the idea that Amsterdam is open-minded.
You never really see two men holding hands down ordinary Amsterdam streets except maybe for the gay section. It’s very segregated and bigoted.
grrrrandy
They all look so sad and morose. What a grim series of images.
Was that the photographer’s choice I wonder? Or was that the subjects’ actual state of being?
It can’t be an easy life. My heart goes out to them.
Kangol
Some hot men in the mix (and the second guy, the muscle man, is a longtime porn star in those Czech or Hungarian films). Sex work should not be criminal if it involves consenting adults. Any society can use added legislation to ensure it’s safe(r) too.
jockjack5
@Stache99:
Guurrrrllll….
I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
xxxooo
ait10101
@jockjack5: “knives or guns” so macho sexy! Not.
Stache99
@jwtraveler: Here in America anyways it’s more a legal term as in your paying for someones time and what you do with that is between consenting adults.
McShane
jockjack5 and Stach99, agreeing to disagree? *slow clap* LOL!
I fuck!n’ love the idea of jason smeds having a lovely vacation home in Amsterdam. Glaring out the window at all the happy people. A little journal next to his cot, filled with entries about who is and who isn’t holding hands. Classic.
jockjack5
@ait10101:
Using the gotcha-word “not” is so 1990’s dude.
It is WAY beyond passé at this point in our collective cultural idiom.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Nice basket of goodies on the cute blonde………………
Clark35
@grrrrandy: Or maybe they were trafficked and forced into it?
jason smeds
Many of these “gay male escorts” do not identify as gay at all. They might take part in homosexual activity but their identity could be straight. Keep in mind that prostitution is a business transaction first.
Merv
Amsterdam is refreshingly tattoo-free (I counted only one guy). I guess the tattoo fad hasn’t caught on there. In the US, male prostitutes would be covered head to toe.
Maude
IMO, a tattoo is a fart on the skin.
danielmclion
@Merv: You mean only one tattood in this row pics! 😀 its getting worse in Amsterdam too! Gay and straight, tattoos are growing like fungus.
danielmclion
@jason smeds: Not sure if it’s true that many (suggesting most) are not gay at all. But indeed, gay or straight, it’s the money that counts! 🙂 But, not always! My lover (Romanian) loved to have unpaid sex with me. Or maybe my cooking did it…? :/ 🙂
sportyguy1983
If you are going to spend money on hiring an escort, shouldn’t the escort actually be attractive? Most of those guy are kind of gross looking.
Jerie Ragsac
“WunderseXXXXX” -EuroTrip XD
James Sigmon
lol
Robert Cella
They are all kind of icky
Doughosier
tney are so much smarter than us I’m Amsterdam!
Forumfriend
Gay escorts in Amsterdam and the rest of The Netherlands can be found at Boys4u.com
judysdad
Yikes! Who would pay a cent for any of them? Bald Knob, Arkansas probably has a better selection…
Zenguy
@Stache99:
Right! This was disappointing; I don’t think any one of them were attractive.
EvonCook
My flight is booked. Been there, and it is without a doubt the most magical, wonderful and sensuous people, society and place on earth. You can find so many liberated, sexy and honest people –don’t think there is one thousand of this in the USA, or most other places either. God bless them, and they are worth every penny! Nicely void of hate, bias, small mindedness, guilt, religiosity, social controls or the tendency to want to be faux heterosexual so prevalent here. Maybe the one place human males approach the natural blissful state of another primate, bonobo monkeys!
blessedwithlove
Except for a couple, thee guys are pretty scary! That old dude looks like a vampire!
jaack
@Arconcyyon:
Arconcyyon, did u read what u typed? Can’t understand what u are tying 2 say? The blond boy is superb specimen of male beauty. Most others look like the enforcers for organized crime, scary. I like nice body & face, doesn’t have to be Mr. Europe, but not the primate types who forgot to keep body hair down to human looks. I certainly will stop in Amsterdam when I visit St.Avold, France. Are there other cities with similar social mores as Amsterdam toward sex and gays/bisexuals/
jaack
@Arconcyyon:
Arconcyyon, did u read what u typed? Can’t understand what u are tying 2 say? The blond boy is superb specimen of male beauty. Most others look like the enforcers for organized crime, scary. I like nice body & face, doesn’t have to be Mr. Europe, but not the primate types who forgot to keep body hair down to human looks. I certainly will stop in Amsterdam when I visit St.Avold, France. Are there other cities with similar social mores as Amsterdam toward sex and gays/bisexuals.