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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

privilege and prostitution

282 replies

ezinma · 26/03/2014 15:15

Appearing in my social media today is one of those sharp and sassy thoughts for the day that I’m invited to approve by sharing. Where better to share it than here:

So, you are against prostitution. But you're an attractive person with a boyfriend. Who I assume you have sex with. That gives you privilege. Some people aren't so lucky. The only way they can get laid is by paying for it. Why do you think you have the right to experience one of life's fundamental experiences and others don't?

It’s from tumblr so we ought to make some allowances. Let’s, if we may, overlook the fact that I am a middle-aged frump with a civil partner; the debatable contention that sex, in and of itself, is one of life’s fundamental experiences; the erasure of women who aren’t “lucky” enough to have a boyfriend and whose right to A Fundamental Experience presumably requires them to seduce a partner using skills that cannot be withdrawn from a bank machine; and the regrettable (though now unavoidable) misuse of ‘privilege’ to refer to any old scenario where one group of people has a little bit more access to something than another group does. (Have I missed anything?)

What remains is the daring suggestion that a woman might be against prostitution because she is attractive. Since it's already well established that we fat old frumps are against prostitution — no glamorous john would waste his beer money on buying our flabby arses, and we are bitter about it! — then I’m left with only one conclusion: a woman’s attractiveness has no influence on her opinions about prostitution.

A lightbulb moment for me. Thanks, tumblr. Hmm

OP posts:
SabrinaMulhollandJjones · 27/03/2014 18:56

I have read what Carina Edlund said. I just don't agree with her, though, gilo. There is too much harm to women, all women, and even some vulnerable men, involved in the sex industry to justify legitimising it in law.

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 18:56

I think you know trafficking is a hugely exaggerated moral panic. I think the real reason you want criminalization is because of your moral beliefs. You don't even care about the harm criminalization would do to vulnerable prostitutes.

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 18:57

"I just don't agree with her, though, gilo."

Why? Do you know better than someone with first hand experience?

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 18:58

And how can you "not agree" with her? Most of what she is saying is facts not opinions. Unless you are saying she is incorrect?

SabrinaMulhollandJjones · 27/03/2014 18:59

Why does one prostitute - a privileged prostitute - who has a strong voice in the argument - get to trample over the unheard voices of trafficked women though? Over the more vulnerable women, the drug addicted ones, the ones who are survivors of abuse? The ones who are desperate? I don't understand why her voice should be the strongest, gilo?

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 19:02

The Swedish model isn't going to help any prostitute regardless if they are trafficked or "privileged".

I just can't see how having your home and children taken off you and being criminalized for working together is going to help any prostitute.

FloraFox · 27/03/2014 19:02

She is but one voice. Some women who are or have been in prostitution favour decriminalisation or legalisation. Some favour the Nordic model. The issue goes exactly nowhere by saying that one voice should be listened to over another when the voices come from women in prostitution. Only an idiot could think that all women in prostitution have the same views, unless perhaps it is someone who does not recognise their humanity and individuality and only sees them as interchangeable fuck toys.

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 19:03

"get to trample over the unheard voices of trafficked women though? "

How many trafficked women are we talking about? 2 out of every 2 million?

FloraFox · 27/03/2014 19:03

Do you think you are doing vulnerable women a good turn when you pay to fuck them? Are you a charity-punter?

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 19:05

From what Carina said do you think the Swedish model would help any prostitute if made law?

Or do you agree prostitution is a form of self-harm and no prostitute should be allowed to look after her own children?

SabrinaMulhollandJjones · 27/03/2014 19:05

I think it's far more than that, gilo - but 2 is too many.

You'll tolerate the trafficking and sale of women and children's bodies because you don't think there are that many of them?? Please tell me you're not serious?

FloraFox · 27/03/2014 19:05

How many women is it okay to traffick or coerce? How many women who are suffering coercion, abuse, mental health problems or addiction are acceptable to justify your right to pay women who are repulsed by you to allow you to have sex on them?

SabrinaMulhollandJjones · 27/03/2014 19:06

gilo -You'll tolerate the trafficking and sale of women increasing due to legalisation? Because that's what happens.

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 19:08

Going by all those failed raids, 1 in a million seems accurate.

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 19:08

"You'll tolerate the trafficking and sale of women increasing due to legalisation? "

Prostitution is already legal in the UK but trafficking isn't.

Blistory · 27/03/2014 19:09

I just can't see how having your home and children taken off you and being criminalized for working together is going to help any prostitute.

If you were so concerned about the welfare of these women, you wouldn't be focussing solely on one woman and her views.

If you were so concerned about the welfare of these women, you would be able to see that prostitution is nothing more than the exploitation of the vulnerable.

If you were so concerned about the welfare of these women, you would make an attempt to understand feminism and why the liberation of women is the core objective.

FloraFox · 27/03/2014 19:10

Did you read the LSE survey above?

What about coercion, abuse, mental health and addiction? How many sufferers are acceptable?

SabrinaMulhollandJjones · 27/03/2014 19:11

Hardly - although I can see you're invested in denying the lived experience of these women and children. Women and children who are raped over and over on a daily basis, beaten, have their families threatened. Did you read the guestblog I linked for you? No, I doubt you did. Too busy linking to the Scarlet Alliance - which nobody except pimps or punters have ever even heard of.

We see you, buddy.

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 19:11

If drugs are the problem shouldn't the focus be on drugs and not sex?

SabrinaMulhollandJjones · 27/03/2014 19:13

What a twatty thing to say.

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 19:13

Did you see the links I posted about all the raids which failed to find the thousands of alleged victims of trafficking we keep hearing about?

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 19:13

"What a twatty thing to say."

Why? Why shouldn't we focus on drug addiction if that (as implied by you) is the problem?

SabrinaMulhollandJjones · 27/03/2014 19:14

They don't want sex with you gilo. They don't want to have sex with men old enough to be their fathers or grandfathers and pay you 40%.

gilogowu · 27/03/2014 19:16

What do they want? Laws that make them hide and fear from the cops so they don't have their kids and home taken from them?

SabrinaMulhollandJjones · 27/03/2014 19:17

They don't want sex with you gilo. Isn't that enough of a reason for you?