Markets In Sex
Free-Market.Net in its Spotlight on Sexual Freedom quotes libertarian activist and former prostitute Norma Jean Almodovar on one of the many arguments that get raised against a free market in sex:
“If the reason society continues to arrest men and women who engage in prostitution is that it is degrading, then perhaps someone could explain how going to jail, being strip-searched, checked for lice, and asked to undress in front of dozens of insensitive guards and inmates somehow resolves this problem.”
Of course the answer is that cops and prison guards would demand higher pay if they didn’t get free peep shows in the workplace.
Just kidding. The real answer is that society doesn’t criminalize hooking because it’s degrading to the participants. Society criminalizes hooking because too many “respectable” women hate competition. More precisely, they hate the fact that prostitution puts limits on the ancient game of “do what I want or you won’t get any tonight.”
Shorter URL for sharing: http://www.erosblog.com/?p=887
I think you have one big can of worms here Bacchus, but I think you are being provocative.
I will start the ball rolling.
I think this:
for most of the women, and men, involved, prostitution requires a huge amount of courage;
it is outlawed because of religious teaching and, no matter what the creed, religion is still the dominant influence in the world today;
it will flourish because there is a continuing need;
there is a continuing need because religious teaching aims to suppress human sexuality (and would rather encourage war and suffering.
I would choose a prostitute as my friend over a religious bigot anyday.
got to do better than this. Your comments regarding prostitution appear to apply only to US and Middle Eastern society
Now, are women the lawmakers? Have women ever been the lawmakers in society? How long has prostitution been illegal? If women were the lawmakers in society, wouldn’t we have gotten the vote centuries earlier? It is the men and the church who make the laws!
Oooh yeah, gotta go with Hiromi there. Women have not, in centuries past, been in positions of power. Besides, for all of the “Happy Hooker” mythology, very few women actually choose prostitution. Most are forced into it and that’s what makes it wrong. To blame “respectable” women for the illegality of prostitution is right up there with blaming “non-respectable” women for rape. Both are the doings of men and only tangentially involve women. I’d say GJ is closer to the truth regarding the reasons prostitution is illegal. It’s religion and government that don’t like competition, Bacchus.
I agree a lot are forced into it. Why, though? Because it’s on the wrong side of the law! What we should be doing is outlawing the forcing, not the prostituution.
Bacchus — Neil Stephensen, in Cryptonomicon, calls this the Ejaculation Control Conspiracy.
Oz? So? I write as an American.
Hiromi: In America, the first effective enforcement of antiprostitution laws (resulting in the abolition of most bawdy houses, and a consequent overall decline in prostitution) took place at roughly the same time as women got the vote.
ArmyWife: I’m guessing you and I ascribe different meanings to the word “forced.”
I’m with Bacchus. I’ve been in the sex industry since I was 18. No one forced me, I wanted the money.
I’ve never had a pimp or anything even faintly resembling one. I think I’ve met about two women who did – out of, oh, a thousand or more other sex workers with whom I’ve had contact over the years.
I can state categorically that I’ve met very, very few women who were being “forced” to do this. I’ve met women who wished they could get other jobs, outside the sex industry, that paid as much and had as much flexibility and independence…but they couldn’t, so they stayed. That isn’t the same thing as being forced. Unless someone is holding a gun to your head (or the head of your child), you’re making a choice, you are NOT being forced.
Bacchus, I understand you write as an American. But outside USA the situation is different, yet your claimed underlying reason still exists. I think that GJ is closer to the truth, but I think that it’s conservatism and state-church complex misbranded as religion: controlled violence is more fun than uncontrolled sex (at least for those doing the controlling)
*smirks* i’d have been more convinced if it were instead that society criminalizes hooking because we’re too damn insecure to allow our partners a free pass to play, why… they might not come back.
Interesting points – about actual prositution, which shouldn’t be confused with sex slavery (if A pays B $50 to rape B’s latest purchase C for a night or pays B 10 cows to rape B’s daughter C for the rest of C’s life, then A may be paying for sex but C’s no prostitute because C’s not getting paid!).
My hesitation about legalizing prostitution is that if it’s legally just like any other job then people could be forced into it. You know, the way some welfare systems have work requirements to receive benefits a la “at least you were offered a burger-flipping job so flip the burgers or lose the food stamps.”Of course, *this* problem could still be solved without arresting prostitutes. Any laws allowing prostitution must also explicitly require that their jurisdictions’ welfare and workfare systems treat “can only find a sex job” and “cannot find a job” exactly the same way.
Matisse, thanks.
Have to agree with Linda, sex work involves flexible hours, often untraced income, and pays very well by the hour. And you don’t need a BA to do it.
If we want to reduce the number of people forced by economic circumstances into sex work, we should make sure usefull, low-cost training in good job sectors is available to all. “It’s the economy, stupid.”
I don’t think you can eradicate prostitutes, some people prefer to pay for sex and thus avoid any kind of relationship issues (if only for that night), some people like to have rough sex (and can only find partners in a forced situation, ie slavery), and some people just prefer having sex for money than working a ‘normal’ job (men and women).
Remember, if you empower people, you have to let them choose what they want to do with their new power, and if they don’t immediately become part of your theoretical dream society, that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
about prostitution i have worked both streets and for a pimp a good pimp is a necessity not only to direct you protect you see that you are paid direct customers i have a good pimp