Roman ambivalence toward physical pleasure is expressed by the "infamia" of those whose bodies provided it publicly. In a technical sense, "infamia" was an official loss of legal standing for a freeborn person as a result of misconduct, including sexual misconduct, but the word could be used for ill repute in general. "Infamia" was an "inescapable consequence" of certain professions, including not only prostitutes and pimps but performers such as actors, dancers, and gladiators: "These figures were the objects of other people's desires. They served the pleasure of others. They were tarnished by exposure to the public gaze."