Is Sex Work Immoral?

[Cogent]

I think there was a thread a while back praising someone who had become a bisexual escort? Most everyone seemed to approve, if I recall correctly, as it had to do with personal sovereignty.

So my question to you is: Is sexwork blame-worthy or praise-worthy? And why?

Do you find a difference in merit between types of sexwork, for example:
Stripping
Massage parlor worker
Escort (whore)
Dominatrix
Shemale escort
Phone sex worker
Conceptual/performance artist (e.g. Annie Spinkle)

(New, thanks YoYo) Pornstar video, porno model, live sex show workers, internet porn channel "model"

Backroom porn people: photographers, web people, producers, owners, porn theatre owners, sex shop owners and workers

Did I miss anyone?

[yoyo4u]

I used to tell my kids while they were growing up "you must do something you enjoy doing, because than it becomes a profession for you..otherwise it'll be only a job" and almost instantly I thought to myself "OMG, I hope they won't chose working in the sex business and select it as a profession, just because they enjoy it" :eek:

They didn't!

But this is how I really feel. If someone has the skill, the aptitude and attitude to do something professionally, they should do it. In fact I believe everybody should do the things they enjoy doing, yes, for money.

I am glad that there are people who are capable of doing things (the list is long) professionally I don't even want to think about doing.

In person I never had the chance to enjoy any of the services you've listed :), but I think you've left out the big layer of "sex-workers", those working in the porn industry, whom are the most accessible and because of that should receive most of the blame, or praise.

I say let's praise them, because they offer a "safe" (especially since the Internet, thanks to Al Gore!) channel to drain all the overflow.

love,
yoyo

[Cogent]

Right you are, I'll add those categories

[mindfinding]

Sex therapists - Good!

Sex Shop - Can be good!

Girl/guy on a street corner - who am I to judge?

People down to nothing and take a porn job to pay rent only to regret it - That sucks.

[darkeyes]

The only sex work that is immoral is the pimpin bastards that screw down and enslave those who have for whatever reason either fallen into it or taken it up and fallen under their control..

Everyone tries to make a living out of their natural attributes. Too few succeed..but whatever, what else is making money out of sex but the employment of your natural attributes? I hate abusive exploitation of human beings, but we all exploit each other in some way or other and not all is bad.. afraid I can get worked up about people using their wiles and bodies to make a living.. seems perfectly respectable and reasonable to me.

[deletetacount123]

While Im against some of the things listed..... I think everyone does what feels right to "them"
Sure we may not agree but then, its really none of our businesses unless we know that person personally.

I do think however when you work as a sex worker... it will be VERY VERY hard for you to be able to settle down into a serious relationship cause what if that person feels uneasy about your past?? Yes you could take tests to prove your clean (and to make him/her feel better) but still......

A lot of those people end up sad and dpressed and turn to drugs :( Money usuaully goes towards drugs.

Tasha

[FalconAngel]

Well, who has ever heard of the Vestal Virgins? They were NOT virginal (in the modern interpretation of the word virgin -- which is very different from the ancient usage) in the least.
They were, in fact sex workers in the employ of the Temple of Aphrodite. Yes, they were screwing for religion. The money that they made went to the temple for upkeep, food and other necessities. The local women would take their turns serving in Aphrodite's temple throughout the year.

SO, needless to say, I really have no issue with sex work as a profession as long as it's legal and proper medical care is available to keep everyone involved is safe.

As far as prostitution, they should just legalize it. Then they can regulate it and monitor the risks and all.

[TaylorMade]

Up until it's legalized, I have a problem with what's not legal.

When it's legalized, no problem. I wish they would legalize prosititution, et al, but people from across the social spectrum disagree with me, so it won't be happening for a while.

With what is legal: As long as they follow fair buisness practices, it's cool.

*Taylor*

[TorontoGuy2007]

everybody is going to have a different set or morals and values. i guess in the end, it really doesn't matter. as long as it is legal, then people are allowed to participate in these professions. just as long as they are happy and don't complain, then it's really not for me to judge them. personally, i would never get into that business.. and to be honest, i can't say i have any strong desire to seek out friends in the business either..

[flexuality]

We have a documentary called "Sex, Drugs and Democrocy - A Documentary About the Netherlands" that is a real eye-opener as far as sex work is concerned.

In Holland, prostitution is legal and regulated. They have regulations for the area it can be done in, the building sizes, clean environments, health regulations (and they provide health clinics that the workers must be checked out at regularily), services to help people get out of that trade if that's what they want to do, age regulations (no minors) etc. There are no prostitutes on the streets, they have no abusive pimps (even that aspect is regulated), virtually no drug problems with the workers....it's an entirely different thing than it is in North America.

Basically, it's a job, like any other job. They work their shift and go home. They have recourse if they need it and it totally eliminates the huge problem we see in North America and other places of people (women in particular) being forced into it or at the mercy of some pimp.

As far as any sex work goes, I don't see any of it as "immoral"....what I DO see as immoral is the people who cheat on their spouses to use the services, or people being faced with being abused if they don't do that work.

[Oh Yeah]

No. And even if it is, it’ not the governments job to intervene. Criminalizing prostitution hurts both the workers and their customers. Even regulating it has negative effects. The sex trade should be like any other service sold in a free market.

[innaminka]

Its called "The Oldest Profession."
Probably is.
Which means the need for such has been around a long time.

And Its only in the Christian era that sex-workers have been denigrated as being less than worthy. In all the classical civilisations, the prostitute was a regarded with some dignity.

Who am I to denigrate someone who earns money honestly - payment received for services rendered.
If only our Judeo/Christian hypocrisy would let people be.

[NorthBiEast]

It wouldn't be such a huge profession if there wasn't such a huge market.

If I'm not immoral for looking at porn, I can't think the girls acting in it are. And if I remember correctly, good sex workers are well compensated for thier efforts and make a hell of a lot more money than I do. Ok, I'm guessing that awful sex workers make more money that I do too :(

Who am I to judge, when the public has spoken?