Xaviera Hollander

Xaviera Hollander is a Dutch-born author and former sex worker best known for her 1971 memoir, The Happy Hooker: My Own Story.

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The Happy Hooker: My Own Story: Xaviera Hollander’s 1971 memoir recounting her experiences in sex work and her rise to public notoriety. This memoir made Hollander internationally famous and established her public identity.
The Happy Hooker (film): A 1975 comedy film loosely based on Xaviera Hollander’s memoir. The book’s popularity led to a film adaptation that extended Hollander’s celebrity.
Peter McCabe: An American writer and editor who co-wrote The Happy Hooker with Xaviera Hollander. McCabe collaborated with Hollander on the memoir that defined her public career.
The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington: A book by Xaviera Hollander recounting her experiences and public activities in Washington, D.C. This later work continued Hollander’s autobiographical approach beyond her best-known memoir.
Amsterdam: The capital of the Netherlands and its largest city. Hollander was born in the Netherlands before building her career in the United States.
Bestseller: A book that ranks among the most commercially successful publications in a given market or period. The memoir’s bestseller status turned Hollander’s personal account into a mass-market phenomenon.
Gloria Steinem: An American feminist journalist and activist who helped lead the women’s liberation movement. Steinem’s feminist politics offer a contrasting framework for debates about sex work and women’s liberation.
Xaviera Hollander’s Happy House: A television series featuring Xaviera Hollander and her Amsterdam-based guesthouse. The series brought her public persona into a television format centered on hospitality and relationships.
New York City: The most populous city in the United States, comprising five boroughs at the mouth of the Hudson River. Hollander became a prominent figure in the city’s sex industry and media scene.
Sex-positive feminism: A feminist perspective that affirms sexual expression and opposes shame-based judgments of consensual sexuality. Hollander’s unapologetic account became part of debates over women’s sexual agency.