Markus, who is a former US marine and a porn star, started work this weekend

He is USA's first legal gigolo

Markus, who is a former US marine and a porn star, started work this weekend

Ladies special: Markus will only accept women clients

The burly former US Marine has just been hired by the Shady Lady Ranch -- a brothel in Nevada. Shady Lady madam Bobbi Davis picked him from about 10 potential hires culled from hundreds of applications.

The trail-blazing Romeo sees himself as some kind of a civil rights crusader and a "surrogate lover" rather than
a prostitute.

He said, "It's just the same as when Rosa Parks decided to sit at the front (of the bus) instead of the back.

"She was proclaiming her rights as a disadvantaged, African-American older woman. And I'm doing the same...
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This actually isn't about selling my body. This is about changing social norms."

The Nye County, Nevada, Liquor and Licensing Board gave permission for the male addition to the brothel on January 5.

He started entertaining the ladies this weekend.

Markus -- the name the 25-year-old uses for work purposes -- is keen to share the love at $300 (Rs 14,000) for an hour.

He revealed, "I'm an equal opportunity employer. I don't discriminate based on race, colour, creed, ethnicity, or skin tone." But the former porn star added there's one condition.

"Notice I left gender out. That's for a reason." This gigolo is strictly for women only.

According to Jim Davis, the co-owner of the brothel, Shady Lady, had received dozens of e-mails expressing interest in the gigolo. He said it took years to establish steady business from truckers, salesmen and other travellers after the brothel opened 17 years ago, and getting paying women customers could take at least a month.

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