The Daily Mail’s article on ‘why do so many women think sex work is cool? is yet another in a very long line of similar articles all focusing on women. Instead of analysing women the question should be why do so many men think it is their right and entitlement to buy women’s and girls’ bodies in order to rape, sexually abuse, sexually torture and all too often murder. Female sexual slavery has not ended instead it is escalating at a terrifying rate. Prostitution is not just a ‘job’ and tv series such as this promote the myth. The ones who gain are men and the porn industry which of course includes prostitution. For the realities of prostituted women’s lives I recommend looking at the following web sites
I do not see 1000s of men queuing up to become prostituted males and neither do I hear of women vocally demanding more male prostitutes be made available in order that women can have their sexual urges satisifed. Prostitution is an abuse of all womens’ and girls’ human rights – never, never simply just a ‘job.’ Daily Mail – it is Daily Male
@ jennifer drew:
As a man (who has never used a prostitute’s services but has no moral objection to the practice), allow me to attempt to answer your question. I firmly believe that every adult owns their own body; it is not the property of their family, their government, or anyone else. Thus it is not so much a question of a man thinking he has the right to buy a woman’s body, as a woman having the right to do with her body whatever she wishes so long as her actions don’t hurt anybody else.
Of course, it is claimed that many prostitutes don’t ‘choose’ their occupation, but are forced into it by their circumstances. I would argue that few people ‘choose’ to work in McDonalds, in the sense that it is not their ideal job, but surely one wouldn’t describe these people as slaves?
More importantly, it seems clear to me that the only reason that it is economically viable for the most vulnerable women in society (the homeless, drug addicts, etc) to make a living as prostitues is that prostitution is illegal. The average man would much rather have sex with a happy, healthy, well-paid woman in a clean, safe environment than with a miserable, desperate junkie. Just as almost nobody drinks meths while safe, tasty alcoholic drinks are widely available, almost nobody would take advantage of desperate women were prostitution legal.
Finally, I don’t see what the fact that there are few male prostitutes has to do with the supposed immorality of prostitution. It merely reflects a difference in demand. Emotionless sex is something that interests the average man more than the average woman, much like football or Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. This doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with any of these things.
I agree Jennifer! We’ve all done our feminist homework – it’s not just a thing for women to claim their rights and ‘become like men’ . The completely unreflected attitude of entitlement regarding their own sexual satisfaction, other people’s bodies, by (sadly) most men I know (even though they’re really nice etc bla bla) astounds me.
I had another objection to that article though, I’ll just re-post my comment here:
I think the problem is not that prostitutes’ jobs is “to initiate arousal in men” – that can be read falsely, as lots of women like to do just that and don’t want to feel wicked for enjoying doing that kind of thing (see Lj’s objections).
The point is more that prostitutes’ – and porn stars’ and strippers’ etc. – jobs is to FAKE enjoying it. They are fulfilling their clients’ demands, that includes pretending they like it. Their whole livelihood is based on complete fake of desire and intimacy. That is the thing that no person should have to do, but it’s also something women have been conditioned to do for centuries (I do not believe it is a biological fact, Jfk. Explaining everything away by biology doesn’t regard the multiple psychological, historical and sociocultural complexities of this problem).
The Daily Mail’s article on ‘why do so many women think sex work is cool? is yet another in a very long line of similar articles all focusing on women. Instead of analysing women the question should be why do so many men think it is their right and entitlement to buy women’s and girls’ bodies in order to rape, sexually abuse, sexually torture and all too often murder. Female sexual slavery has not ended instead it is escalating at a terrifying rate. Prostitution is not just a ‘job’ and tv series such as this promote the myth. The ones who gain are men and the porn industry which of course includes prostitution. For the realities of prostituted women’s lives I recommend looking at the following web sites
http://rmott62.wordpress.com/
http://maggiehaysagainstporn.blogspot.com/
http://www.fcap.btik.com/
I do not see 1000s of men queuing up to become prostituted males and neither do I hear of women vocally demanding more male prostitutes be made available in order that women can have their sexual urges satisifed. Prostitution is an abuse of all womens’ and girls’ human rights – never, never simply just a ‘job.’ Daily Mail – it is Daily Male
@ jennifer drew:
As a man (who has never used a prostitute’s services but has no moral objection to the practice), allow me to attempt to answer your question. I firmly believe that every adult owns their own body; it is not the property of their family, their government, or anyone else. Thus it is not so much a question of a man thinking he has the right to buy a woman’s body, as a woman having the right to do with her body whatever she wishes so long as her actions don’t hurt anybody else.
Of course, it is claimed that many prostitutes don’t ‘choose’ their occupation, but are forced into it by their circumstances. I would argue that few people ‘choose’ to work in McDonalds, in the sense that it is not their ideal job, but surely one wouldn’t describe these people as slaves?
More importantly, it seems clear to me that the only reason that it is economically viable for the most vulnerable women in society (the homeless, drug addicts, etc) to make a living as prostitues is that prostitution is illegal. The average man would much rather have sex with a happy, healthy, well-paid woman in a clean, safe environment than with a miserable, desperate junkie. Just as almost nobody drinks meths while safe, tasty alcoholic drinks are widely available, almost nobody would take advantage of desperate women were prostitution legal.
Finally, I don’t see what the fact that there are few male prostitutes has to do with the supposed immorality of prostitution. It merely reflects a difference in demand. Emotionless sex is something that interests the average man more than the average woman, much like football or Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. This doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with any of these things.
I agree Jennifer! We’ve all done our feminist homework – it’s not just a thing for women to claim their rights and ‘become like men’ . The completely unreflected attitude of entitlement regarding their own sexual satisfaction, other people’s bodies, by (sadly) most men I know (even though they’re really nice etc bla bla) astounds me.
I had another objection to that article though, I’ll just re-post my comment here:
I think the problem is not that prostitutes’ jobs is “to initiate arousal in men” – that can be read falsely, as lots of women like to do just that and don’t want to feel wicked for enjoying doing that kind of thing (see Lj’s objections).
The point is more that prostitutes’ – and porn stars’ and strippers’ etc. – jobs is to FAKE enjoying it. They are fulfilling their clients’ demands, that includes pretending they like it. Their whole livelihood is based on complete fake of desire and intimacy. That is the thing that no person should have to do, but it’s also something women have been conditioned to do for centuries (I do not believe it is a biological fact, Jfk. Explaining everything away by biology doesn’t regard the multiple psychological, historical and sociocultural complexities of this problem).