I see sex work as somewhat analogous to coal mining. It’s not that it isn’t real work, or that those who work in that capacity don’t deserve rights, dignity, or a society that works for them. The problem, of course, is the ever-present exploitation of the workers coupled with the severe unpleasantness of the occupation which ensures that the people who do work these jobs are those with few other options. That isn’t to say that all sex workers and/or coal miners are miserable. Even so, the patterns around this kind of work are unmistakable.
Given these facts, I think most reasonable people understand that sex work should go extinct. That isn’t to say that you can’t make pornography or have sex with strangers. However, it’s impossible to gauge enthusiastic consent when money is changing hands, and enthusiastic consent is a vital component for an ethical sexual encounter.
My question for the community is how exactly this is meant to be accomplished. How can sex work be abolished without harming the very people it’s meant to protect? The number one problem western sex workers face, more so than creepy clients, is the cops, who profile them, steal their wages, and arrest them on a whim. Clearly, criminalizing sex work hasn’t done much for sex workers. What are some alternatives?
Consent cannot be purchased for money, which means that prostitution and “sex work” is by definition, rape.
In the “sex work contract”, the primary contradiction is not between two seemingly “consenting” parties, and “cops”, or society, as anarchists and liberals claim. The primary contradiction is between the “bought woman” and her rapist: the john trying to get as much control / pleasure from her body as he can, for as little money as possible, and the bought trying to preserve their bodily autonomy, and come out of the interaction unharmed.
The battleground is over the body of the “bought” person.
No one, especially men, are entitled to rape or sex. “Sex work” IE the rape economy, isn’t necessary, or productive labor. No one needs sex to survive. If the rape economy stopped worldwide, all that would do is alleviate the suffering of millions of women trapped in the sex trade.
This is the classic repackaging of women’s oppression as “liberating” and “freeing”, all to create a multi-billion dollar industry based around men’s pleasure at the expense of women’s sexual autonomy.
Tell that to the 99% of women trapped in the sex trade in the third world, unable to escape this horrid system, or to the escorts and camgirls of the first world, who have to devote their lives to pleasing men in order to make sure they can pay their rent and not starve.
The elimination of sexual distraction and distress is productive and we should make testosterone-blockers available over the counter free of charge to everyone so people don’t have to plan their lives around sating a biological drive that doesn’t serve their interests
Your entire argument is based on nothing more than your conservative definition of sex. You even claim 99% of the people are trapped and try to gaslight to get your point across.
Nothing you said proves anything. It’s just you substuting your beliefs as universal values.
This community really is prudish about sex.
I think you’re underestimating the number of people who prefer this form of work to others.