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Original poster

Fams I need help

61 replies

Charliethefeminist · 22/08/2018 13:02

What a neutral word between sex worker and prostitute? Is there one?

OP posts:
Gncq · 22/08/2018 15:44

Woman who is paid for sex?

theOtherPamAyres · 22/08/2018 15:40

They are "prostituted women".

I refuse to call them sex workers. I refuse to see them as entrepreneurs or self-employed service providers. When I hear people using the term 'sex worker' then I know that they have been groomed to dismiss the plight of prostituted women.

To call them sex workers would be to pander to the interests of misogynists, porn-addled consumers, traffickers, abusers and all their handmaidens.

After many, many years of working with prostituted women of all descriptions and ages, I feel very very strongly about this.

Rufustheyawningreindeer · 22/08/2018 14:06

Agree with quark

I was being a bit too literal though Smile

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 22/08/2018 14:04

Thank you quarks, very much

OP posts:
RatRolyPoly · 22/08/2018 14:03

Thanks for that Quarks, I'm going to use prostituted woman from now on. I've always hated when simply using the word "prostitute" that when used over and over it's easy to forget that these are actual women being discussed.

AsAProfessionalFekko · 22/08/2018 13:59

When I was a child the euphemism was 'working woman' (and that it was something vaguely naughty).

It confused the hell out of me when I went to school and heard that some mums worked.

QuarksandLeptons · 22/08/2018 13:57

Prostituted woman is the term that Rachel Moran, a woman’s rights activist and sex trade survivor advises. It includes the fact that another person does something to the woman to put her into that state. It doesn’t give pimps and punters the invisibility from their damaging actions towards the woman.

Rosemary46 · 22/08/2018 13:51

Women who are prostitued

NothingOnTellyAgain · 22/08/2018 13:49
Smile
Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 22/08/2018 13:47

Thank you Nothing for the final choice and also to everyone else.

OP posts:
NothingOnTellyAgain · 22/08/2018 13:47

Women in the sex industry can mean anyone from a "madam" to a woman who cleans at a strip club to a woman camming and so on.

If you are talking about prostitution you need a word / words that cover that.

The sex industry has widened the umbrella to make the stats around harm more watered down.

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 22/08/2018 13:46

Women that men pay to have sex with. That is the best. I agree prostitute should be OK. I will use if I can.

OP posts:
NothingOnTellyAgain · 22/08/2018 13:45

Lots of men have really screwed up sexualities I am coming to think.#
Lots of men dont' see women as people so put them in boxes.

They are the ones who shout slut at us while we're walking home from school.

Anyway. Prostitute is fine. Sex worker is awful and inaccurate and minimising (this is deliberate by the sex industry).

Women who sell sex feels factual.
Women who are paid for sex is also factual.
Women who are paid for sex by men leaves no prisoners as to who is doing what to who here.

VickyEadie · 22/08/2018 13:44

Vicky thanks. I thought it was more neutral than sex worker, and could be either a victim or willing participant. You disagree? Do you instinctively feel it's too'normalising? '

Yes - it makes it sounds as OK as the 'car industry'.

NothingOnTellyAgain · 22/08/2018 13:43

I also dont see that the word prostitute is stigmatised - if anything it is men that do this

Prossie
Whore
Ho
Tart

These are things men call women. It is men who use prostitutes, and men who are so fucked up that they use that same term as an insult.

men men men gah cause of so much trouble.

NothingOnTellyAgain · 22/08/2018 13:42

Women that men pay for sex.

Doesn't erase what is actually going on.

Has nothing to say abtou whether the women are happy or not, there by choice or not. And actaully the wording sort of does that. "Women that men pay for sex" could be anyone for any reason and the men don't care.

How's that?

KittyPerry77 · 22/08/2018 13:41

But the stigma associated with the word "prostitute" is because of the fact that "prostitute" means someone who sells sex. Whatever word ppl use will have the same stigma.

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 22/08/2018 13:41

Vicky thanks. I thought it was more neutral than sex worker, and could be either a victim or willing participant. You disagree? Do you instinctively feel it's too'normalising? '

OP posts:
Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 22/08/2018 13:39

Thanks every one
Will definitely use 'men who pay for sex'
Women not so much as they are often 'paying off trafficking debt' and captive and raped

OP posts:
RatRolyPoly · 22/08/2018 13:39

Call girl?

VickyEadie · 22/08/2018 13:39

Woman in the sex industry

I hate that one - it legitimises it.

NothingOnTellyAgain · 22/08/2018 13:38

I would say women who sell sex. Probably.

NothingOnTellyAgain · 22/08/2018 13:38

This also avoids the mixing in of non contact "sex work" eg camming or even managing (no actual gettign hands dirty at all) with the women and girls who are beign paid to be fucked which is a very very different ball game.

Original poster
Charliethefeminist · 22/08/2018 13:37

Woman in the sex industry

OP posts:
NothingOnTellyAgain · 22/08/2018 13:37

Women who sell sex (if it is just women you are talking about).

Men who pay for sex.

?