Who's denying the past? I suggested it would be nice if writers tried to invent societies which weren't filled with implicit assumptions about male privilege and male power relationships. My post makes no mention of historical courtesans or dowager empresses. It simply points out that if prostitution exists, then the invented society is not equal - and unless there's good reason for that, it should be questioned.

There are lots of writers who do write about equal societies, who do question implicit privilege. Unfortunately, there are many who don't. I had in mind Leviathan Wakes by James SA Corey when I wrote that point.