Edit to add my opinion so I’m not just replying “I agree” to 90% of comments. I think it should be legal, properly regulated, taxed and viewed as a profession. I haven’t personally engaged in it but I have no moral objection to it. I do hate the common sentiment that it was the individual’s “only option” though.
Even in countries were it is legal and has some kind of regulation, it still has exploitative character. Not for all but for many. And I think forced labor, of different degrees, is more common then you think.
Even when regulated and legal, we need to think about the careers after sex work. Can those people freely transfer into a new position without discrimination?
And since there is discrimination, worker rights, and often women and gay rights, are neglected.
To establish a safe working space for sex workers it is not enough to regulate and make it legal. You need to actively support each group individually and make it clear, that as for every other form of employment you have rights and someone else is actively fighting for it. It is not enough to tell people they have rights and they have to fight all by themselves. Especially when we have established that human trafficking, exploitation, femizide, and so much more are common.
So I think the answer should not be: just make it legal and write regulation. It should be: what actually is a safe working space for all, no matter if selfemployed or working in a brothel.
It’s legal and regulated. Seems to work fine. I don’t know anyone who wants to outlaw it.
I’m in Australia where it is legal and regulated. Each state has slightly different laws, but generally I understand they are about the same. I haven’t studied the law around it, but things like pimping is illegal because it is exploitative, as is anything that resembles sex trafficking. Brothels are much safer than the streets and have to be registered with stringent health checks. They are not allowed to directly sell sex services, rather the sex workers work out of them and the brothel charges room rent, which amount to 50% of the fee. The girls are in charge of what happens in the room, which by law includes a health checks. There are also massage parlours and spas, which provide erotic massage with a happy ending. I occasionally attend a nearby spa place which is really nice, you have the traditional one by one introduction to the girls, then the manager comes over to ask who you are interested in, you pay them, and the girl comes over when ready and takes you downstairs to the private spa rooms. Besides the spa, there is a massage table for the happy ending if you choose. They can offer “extras” which you pay them directly for, it never involves the house. There are also escorts, the same as anywhere in the world, they come to you, good for the travelling businessman in a hotel.
In my opinion, there are two key could issues with it: societal attitudes and desperation.
Society clearly discriminates sex workers, especially women, as sex work is associated with promiscuity and little limits. Ex-sexual workers are more likely to be harassed and face unwanted sexualized interactions. They have issues finding a long-term partner and may have to hide their past from everyone.
Another issue is that many people choose sexual careers not because they want it, but because it’s one of the few ways to make money quickly. This experience can be heavily traumatic, not only because of the aforementioned societal attitudes, but because of violation of intimacy and losing agency over own body.
So, legalization of prostitution is, at best, harm reduction at this stage.
Important nuance: there absolutely are people who enjoy working in the sex industry. Ideally, healthy incentives and shift in social attitudes would allow them to work in this sphere and others not to. But as things stand, we’re very much not there yet.
It would be a fine profession if it weren’t for capitalism
If you buy a hooker you are a pathetic fucking loser and worthless piece of shit. I wouldn’t piss on you if you were on fire.
That’s a pretty strong stance damn
Never had anything to do with it personally, but just like with drugs it should be legal and regulated because it’s impossible to prohibit it.
yes, sex work is not going away, it’s too damn popular
sex workers need to be protected and legalised and helped if in situations like addiction
Hard agree.
Regulate it, tax it, protect the workers and users. Prevent the spread of diseases and use the money to ensure their futures.
Minimize harm, maximize happiness.
Failure to do so is a failure of society.
After all, we already have so many people making money on onlyfans and through doing pornography, which is legalized prostitution anyway, so the people that do that in a non-video scenario should have at least the same protections.
It was such a generic comment … lol. I agree with you,
As a former prostitute its work and legitamite work but it needs more protection
Username checks out bless
It should be legal, safe, and taxed
Same as belief. Churches have to pay the same as everyone. They are a corporation.
Same as belief.
how do you know someone is an edgelord atheist?
Don’t worry, they’ll tell you. They’ll crowbar it in wherever
how do you know someone is an edgelord atheist?
why, the same with defensive religious people. They’ll see a criticism on churches and they will take it as a personal attack
Please let me know how relevant belief is to regulating and taxing prostitution. Like, he had that shit waiting to go and found any place to cram it.
he said that churches are taxed and regulated and whatnot, as prostitution should be too.
Maybe saying “same as belief” wasn’t good, but the rest of the comment makes it clear they’re talking about churches. Not to mention the demonisation of prostitution that comes from those churches, so i find it relevant.
Or maybe there’s other parallels you can draw between belief and prostitution, like being roped into one against your will, or maybe it being “the only option”, or being the only thing some desperate people look to for help, etc.
Well, belief used in the sense of how most “churches” use belief, as a way to indoctrinate, kind of like the modern church.
You can draw many dots and see it can be relevant to the discussion as a comparison, but it’s easier to offload the mental work to others, no?
he said that churches are taxed and regulated and whatnot, as prostitution should be too.
but that’s the thing, they are not, so he just picked his spot to throw shade.
Yep
no tax on just the tip
Knowing how small businesses are taxed more, just the tip would be 2x tax
if you pull out the big beautiful bill, you get the tip tax free
Sex work is just work, as long as it is all between consenting adults.
For sure. Anything can be abused
Absolutely should be legal and taxed, with rules and regulations in place to protect clients and workers.
I pretty much do have moral objections to it, its fundamentally gross to me, but its not going to stop and id rather these prostitutes work in a safe place and pay their taxes like the rest of us than get their passports taken by a guy named The Scorpion with a spider Web tattooed on his neck.
Based ❤️ Great take IMO
Should’ve called himself the Spidion
Looking at the pros and the cons, it must be the opposite of CONstitution.
…I’ll see myself out.
Honey, go back in the other room and play Twister with the other kids.
So long as everyone is able to legally and safely consent I don’t see an issue.
If the individual selling their services is doing so freely and isn’t being exploited in any sort of way then I don’t have a problem with it.
We never used it but I did look into it when we lived in Nevada for a friend who had been celibate for over a decade at that point. Nice dude, but extremely quiet and just has zero confidence/game.
I loved that the ladies were independent contractors who set their OWN rates, and they advertised what THEY were comfortable doing/ their explicit “no-go” list. There was also a strict consent banner on the site I used that said any of the ladies could kick anyone out at any time and there were panic buttons in the rooms.
Never actually did end up contacting them because we ended up being too poor at the time. Wasn’t mad though, those ladies were setting prices that they deemed fair for their bodies and I have mad respect for that. Whether people agree with prostitution as a concept or not, its not going away and its referred to as the “world’s oldest occupation” for a reason. The best thing to do is protect the people who are choosing to engage in it/ensure they’re getting paid extremely well for their time.
I don’t have a problem with prostitution, I have a problem when socioeconomic conditions lead people to feeling like they have to sell their bodies to survive. If prostitution is completely voluntary, then it’s fine.
