Tracy Quan

Infobox Writer
name = Tracy Quan


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birthplace = USA
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occupation = Novelist, Columnist, Essayist
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period = 1999 -
genre =
subject = Sex, Sex work, Prostitution, Feminism
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Novel: "Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl", "Diary of a Married Call Girl"
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website = http://www.tracyquan.net

Tracy Quan is an American writer and former call girl. She is best known for her Nancy Chan novels. In addition, Quan writes on issues related to sex and sex work and is involved in the prostitutes' rights movement.

Biography

Tracy Quan was born in the Northeastern U.S., but grew up in Ottawa, Canada.Naiman, Sandy (2001). [http://lifewise.canoe.ca/Living/2005/02/08/924148.html CANOE Lifewise Living] . ] Her parents emigrated to the U.S. from Trinidad; she has spoken of Chinese, Indian, African, and Dutch ancestors. [Townsend, Emru (2001). [http://5x5media.com/eye/inte/tquan.php The Critical Eye] .] Howley, Kerry (Nov 7, 2005). [http://www.reason.com/news/show/34121.html "Reason" magazine] .] [Quan, Tracy (May 22, 2003). [http://www.alternet.org/story/15969 Time to Celebrate Asian Diaspora Month] .] Her parents divorced, and for a time her father was the custodial parent. She credits her close relationship to her father and her ease with older men to this experience. Buchwald, Laura (2001) [http://www.randomhouse.com/boldtype/0901/quan/interview.html Random House's "Boldtype" magazine] ]

Tracy Quan read Xaviera Hollander's book "The Happy Hooker" when she was 10 years old and decided to be a prostitute. (Her prior aspiration, to be a librarian, was due to her image of librarians as independent, working women who got to collect money in the form of library fines.) By 19 she was supporting herself as a sex worker, working at an escort agency and a house before becoming an independent call girl with her own client list. She reports eventually earning $500 to $800 for a 2-hour session. As she told CANOE magazine in 2005, "I was never on the street. I've had a relatively easy time." Quan notes she spent 15 years as a working girl in London and Manhattan, although she juggled both writing and sex work for a few years. Naiman, Sandy (2001). [http://lifewise.canoe.ca/Living/2005/02/08/924148.html CANOE Lifewise Living] . ]

As a writer, Tracy Quan first made a splash with her "Nancy Chan: Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl" column in Salon.com. Combining sex with a twice-weekly serial, the semi-autobiographical column centered on Nancy as she juggles her 'straight' boyfriend and family with her clients and girlfriends' problems. The story continues in the novels. Quan is currently a full-time writer.

Tracy Quan is reportedly vague on her exact age and birthplace.Naiman, Sandy (2001). [http://lifewise.canoe.ca/Living/2005/02/08/924148.html CANOE Lifewise Living] . ]

Philosophical and/or political views

Tracy Quan served as a spokeswoman for Prostitutes of New York, or PONY, a sex workers advocacy organization. [ Wren, Christopher (Aug 19, 1997) [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F07E5D71E3FF93AA2575BC0A961958260 "New York Times": Life Gets Harder on the Already Mean Streets] , retrieved on March 22, 2008.] Quan has been described as a "libertarian entrepreneur", who advocates decriminalization of prostitution in the US. [ Tierney, John (Sept 4, 2001) [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E0D71639F937A3575AC0A9679C8B63 "New York Times": The Big City; Hypocrisy Is So Sexy In A Call Girl] , retrieved March 22, 2008. ] Howley, Kerry (Nov 7, 2005). [http://www.reason.com/news/show/34121.html "Reason" magazine] .] At the same time, she does not encourage others to go into the business. Buchwald, Laura (2001) [http://www.randomhouse.com/boldtype/0901/quan/interview.html Random House's "Boldtype" magazine] ]

Notes

Works

Nancy Chan

* [http://archive.salon.com/health/sex/urge/1999/07/12/nancy/index.html Nancy Chan: Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl] ran in Salon.com from July 1999-January 2000 as a twice-weekly serial.
*"Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl" (2001) ISBN 978-0-609-60724-4. Despite name similarity, the events in this novel are set after the Salon series.
*"Diary of a Married Call Girl: A Nancy Chan Novel" (2005) ISBN 978-1-4000-5354-4
*"Diary of a Jetsetting Call Girl" (2008) ISBN 978-0-00-724938-1

Other

*"Orientalia: Sex in Asia" (2003) (With photographer Reagan Louie.) ISBN 978-1-57687-186-7

External links

* [http://www.tracyquan.net Official Tracy Quan site]
* [http://dir.salon.com/topics/tracy_quan/index.html Tracy Quan sex advice column] in Salon.com
* [http://www.courttv.com/talk/chat_transcripts/2001/0907quan.html Court TV Online - Chat transcript]