I think it was like 5 years ago I met near a dozen different indy / merb with no reference. They were serious SW back then... and presumably still concerned about safety. Shame on you for saying anyone willing to see someone without a reference/ID isn’t a serious Indy.
I have to agree with you. "Screening" doesn't really mean a specific set of requirements or procedures that all Sex workers follow exactly the same way. Screening can mean a lot of different things. Screening is whatever a SW feels comfortable with and that varies greatly. If it makes someone feel safer, then that's what matters.
However, while I 100% support any sex worker's right to require ID/references/deposits/anything else, it is not THE criteria that makes a sex worker "serious". It's a bit offensive to imply anyone who doesn't screen with ID/references is less than or not serious. It's absolutely not true.
Screening is a privilege. There are providers who would prefer to but are not in that position of privilege, so they simply can't screen the way they would prefer to. That doesn't make them less serious, just with less privilege.
I will say, however, that not being willing to comply with these requirements, especially for established providers, is really misplaced paranoia. Providers care about their safety and not having their time wasted. They don't care about your legal name and they certainly have no interest in ruining their reputation over a small deposit by scamming you. Even if it seems irrational to me, clients can certainly choose not to submit their ID and move on to someone else. But for the love of god, don't contact someone with a clear policy requiring it if you don't want to follow their procedures and try to bypass her screening. It only confirms you're a boundary pusher and shows a lack of respect or consideration for this provider's sense of safety. It is one of the reasons she's screening to begin with.
