# The Red Lilght District
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-lilght-district/208836
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [October 22, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-lilght-district/208836 "2003-10-22T03:30:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Shanti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shanti)
#### Post date: [October 22, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-lilght-district/208836/1 "2003-10-22T03:30:43Z")
I was chatting with a pal today about this and that when we got onto the subject of “The Red Light District”. Neither of us were able to come up with a satisfactory answer as to the origin of the title.
Is there anyone out there who knows how this title came about and how it came to mean what it means today ?
My hubby put in his two cents worth with - the doctors used to have a red light outside their premises. Didn’t satisfy really.
P.S. I hope I’ve put this in the right board
Cheers Shanti
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### Author:  [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)
#### Post date: [October 22, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-lilght-district/208836/2 "2003-10-22T03:35:59Z")
I have no cite, but a friend told me once that the ladies would shine red lights on themselves to minimize blemishes and stuff. It DOES make you look a bit younger and better, as blue lights make you look older and paler.
I have no idea if it’s true.
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### Author:  [@Never\_to\_be\_Queen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_to_be_Queen)
#### Post date: [October 22, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-lilght-district/208836/3 "2003-10-22T04:43:00Z")
Internet research turns up that many brothels in Victorian times advertised with red lights or red candles in the windows.
It may also have came from the fact that railroad men would leave their red lanterns outside while paying a visit to the house of love.
You may want to ask in General Questions. They are good with word origins there.
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)
#### Post date: [October 22, 2003, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-lilght-district/208836/4 "2003-10-22T06:15:47Z")
This thread is better suited for [**General Questions**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3). Since you’ve already started this same thread in **GQ** , I’m going to close this one. Please don’t cross-post (posting threads/posts in multiple forums), **Shanti**.
[**The Red Light District**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=218775)
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**Cajun Man** ~ SDMB Moderator