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Original poster

is there and 'official' feminist view on prostitution? and what is it?

183 replies

ohnoitshimagain · 27/12/2013 09:48

hi, just signed up and want to get to the bottom of this issue

ok, I'm sure there's not an official view as such, but how about a consensus or just your own personal view on this topic

  1. Should prostitution be fully legalised including brothels?

I believe it should in the modern day, because of freedom

and I'm talking here about female prostitutes and male clients

hope to hear some responses, thanks, btw I"m a man

OP posts:
OldLadyKnowsNothing · 29/12/2013 04:14

PS,OP, have you never heard of "gay for pay"? Well,now you have.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 29/12/2013 04:12

OP might be interested in this Twitter account if it's real. Actually, lots of people might be interested, it's a shame he's in a different timezone.

Original poster
ohnoitshimagain · 29/12/2013 03:28

^My instinct is that in a sense devoid of cultural associations, sex isn't different from other intimate services that can be paid for. But sex isn't devoid of cultural associations, in fact it's bound up in millennia of them. ^

IOW, manufactured and artificial values.

The irony here is that many of you talk about evolution, yet you won't allow it in this case.

OP posts:
Original poster
ohnoitshimagain · 29/12/2013 03:22

^When you are poor, there are two options- surviving (and being a prostitute) and not. I don't think many would consider those reasonable choices iyswim.^

But you fail to see the fact that women have MORE choice than men here. A poor man cannot become a heterosexual prostitute.

Did you ever stop to consider that?

OP posts:
Original poster
ohnoitshimagain · 29/12/2013 03:18

that's a good point and my thoughts exactly and the next questions are:

Surely men have a RIGHT to pay for sex if they can find a woman willing to accept the terms?

Why should their rights be denied just because of the OPINION of other women?

OP posts:
Original poster
ohnoitshimagain · 29/12/2013 03:08

^Also - would like to have to have a stab at the questions posed to the OP upthread? (OP seems to have gone a bit shy).^

fire away, I am keen to answer now, seeing as the thread is up and running properly.

OP posts:
Original poster
ohnoitshimagain · 29/12/2013 03:04

^Are you studying currently, OP? What subjects?^

good to my word, I will now try to answer direct questions, so here is the first one:

Yes, I am studying for a BA in Social Sciences.

OP posts:
Original poster
ohnoitshimagain · 29/12/2013 03:00

^Mostly because consent within sex is necessary and lack of consent within the act sexual congress is called rape. Rape is a crime. Consent cannot be bought if it is to be considered not to be coerced. Coerced consent is no consent at all when considered ethically.^

Let's assume the sex-worker is NOT forced into it, in that she gives her consent because she wants the money and could easily say no.

That is not rape, it is a choice made by the woman to earn money.

Not the same thing at all.

OP posts:
Original poster
ohnoitshimagain · 29/12/2013 02:57

^Would you consider selling your orifices for money the same as working at mcdonalds?^

It would be more demanding work, for sure, hence the higher pay rate.

That is how capitalism works.

OP posts:
Original poster
ohnoitshimagain · 29/12/2013 02:54

^I'd be interested in his answers to some of the questions he's been asked though - he's conveniently ignored them so far - in favour of his own pontificating.^

ok, lay the questions on the line and I'll answer them honestly.

step by step

OP posts:
AnyFuckerForAMincePie · 29/12/2013 01:29

I never bother replying to cliched arguments like the burger ones. They bore me to fucking tears, tbh

FloraFox · 29/12/2013 01:06

Sex is different from other "intimate services" because it's the only "service" where the service provider can produce a new person as a result of the activity. That is not a workplace hazard that applies anywhere. This notion of construing man-pleasing sex as just another service is deluded nonsense. It cannot be removed from its cultural and biological context.

I have flipped burgers and I know lots of people who wipe arses of men and women for a living (including one who is a prostitution survivor). Having your orifices penetrated by 10+ strange men a day for their satisfaction is not the same thing. I can't actually believe anyone says this type of shit.

thisismyYuleTimenickname · 28/12/2013 23:32

Yeah that sounds quite accurate. They must have awfully sad lives...

AnyFuckerForAMincePie · 28/12/2013 23:28

Personally, I think they get a little stiffie from getting mumz all outraged and like to give it a stroke.

Until the next time.

thisismyYuleTimenickname · 28/12/2013 22:40

I would like to know why blokes like OP keep signing up (often under different names) here. Like, what do they expect? That all mums here will be converted to being pro-prostitution....? So if they use prostitutes while in a relationship their DW will be cool about it?

DadWasHere · 28/12/2013 22:39

What does it say about men as a class that they are happy to pay a woman who doesn't fancy or even like them to allow them to use them as a wank sock?

Depends. The higher the percentage of men who do the more it would say about men 'as a class'. The lower the percentage the less valid the question.

BuffytheElfSquisher · 28/12/2013 22:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WhentheRed · 28/12/2013 21:57

This reply has been deleted

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SolidGoldBrass · 28/12/2013 21:46

It's worth considering how often stuff such as helping people with their toilet issues is considered women's work, which should be done out of love and duty rather than for a wage. Women are often criticized for refusing to take on the caring responsibility for family members - particularly ILs - and choosing to pay others to do the work. Deciding to pay someone to provide a service rather than demanding a reluctant friend or relative to perform that service for you isn't necessarily reprehensible. Even if the service in question is something that you want rather than something that you need. People are paid to clean houses, remove rubbish or listen to egotists talking about themselves for hours, after all.

WhentheRed · 28/12/2013 21:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SolidGoldBrass · 28/12/2013 21:25

OK, the argument which insists that sex which is paid for cannot be consensual is a damaging and dangerous argument. Because if you take the position that no one can consent to have sex for money then you are stating that those who take money for sexual activity then can't or shouldn't complain when they do get raped (ie the client forces additional non-agreed activity on the sex worker).

And what about other activities/services which are sometimes but not always paid for? There was a thread on MN only a few days ago about inserting suppositories (into someone else's ringpiece rather than self-insertion). That's a job some people would find distasteful, others would feel they could do it for a family member if they had to, and yet others do it regularly as part of their jobs. Some people are a lot more squeamish/sensitive than others about a variety of things.

And WRT those who pay for services - some people would rather die than have others perform an intimate service for them (whether that's something sexual or needing assistance with toilet stuff), others will struggle to manage alone as long as possible, and some would rather pay to have their lives made more comfortable and pleasant even if they could manage to do whatever it is for themselves.

BuffytheElfSquisher · 28/12/2013 21:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pokerface1 · 28/12/2013 21:12

Like I said, escorts earn £100 per hour and upwards. I guess they can't be that poor.

WhentheRed · 28/12/2013 21:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Skogkatter · 28/12/2013 21:03

Feminism has no consensus. It is a way of thinking (or of life) but it is individual, some are radical, some are less so, some focus on different things to others, some see one thing as an issue whereas others don't. So there is no real consensus (I've met a "feminist" who saw prostitution as empowering Hmm ).

Fwiw, I massively disagree with prostitution. Even taking possible trafficking and abuse out of the picture, I find the idea that anyone can happily 'buy' the right to carry out an action on someone which has emotional and physical consequences on them. How many prositutes are rich (or started out rich)? Most prostitutes aren't exactly living the life of Riley. When you are poor, there are two options- surviving (and being a prostitute) and not. I don't think many would consider those reasonable choices iyswim.