[begos]

Originally Posted by Uniman

She popularized, or perhaps even coined, the word hooker in the sense of prostitute.

Granted, she may have popularized the term "happy hooker" in the sense that she was open, unashamed, and unapologetic about her profession. And also in the sense that she claimed to be happy in that role (as opposed to being forced into it or being a victim, etc., etc, -- you know, "unhappy").

But as to the term "hooker" itself, it's exact origin cannot be proven. The majority of sources associate it with American civil war General Joseph Hooker. He is claimed to have approved of (or at least been very tolerant of) the presence of female "camp followers" because the services they provided to the Union soldiers were good for their morale. These prostitutes were supposedly referred to as "Hooker's Brigade".

"Word-detective.com" disputes this explanation of the origin of "hooker" though. It offers the following explanation:
In any case, the theory that "hooker," meaning "prostitute," is taken from the name of Major General Joseph Hooker (1814-79), a Union commander during the Civil War, is a popular one. According to the story, Hooker's troops were poorly disciplined and famous for fraternizing with the "working girls" of the day, in some accounts a practice tolerated by Hooker to the extent of allowing prostitutes to set up shop in the troopers' barracks.

But while General Hooker's men were no Boy Scouts, they weren't the source of "hooker." "Hooker" showed up almost twenty years before the Civil War, and is probably based on the slang term "to hook," which back then meant "to entice or swindle." An 1850 magazine illustration, for instance, titled "Hooking A Victim" shows ladies of the evening, in hoop skirts no less, plying their trade at Broadway and Canal Streets in New York City.

Ironically, although General Hooker may not have inspired "hooker," the prevalence of the story that he did may well have been partly responsible for the popularity of the term.

So there ya go.

Xaviera should probably get credit for the "happy" part of the phrase "happy hooker".

But the popularity (if not the actual origin) of the term "hooker" itself most likely goes to Fightin' Joe.
_________________________

VEF -- helping to enlighten the world one pervert at a time!!!