I’m a queer trans woman, and consequently I exist in spaces where positivity about “sex work” is compulsory. It is very tiresome. God help you if you decide to point out that being a sex slave for rent as a day job seems dehumanizing or horrific, because that’s not very progressive of you!
Kind of shocking and ridiculous that these so called feminists fret endlessly over misogynistic messaging in media, the objectification and commodification of women’s bodies, and sexual exploitation in workplaces, but turn into free market libertarians over the distillation of this violence into an industry apart.
All jobs involve selling your body!
No they don’t! I work in a factory. It’s not always pleasant, but when we say “corporate is really bending us over on this overtime,” this is at least a metaphor. My legs hurt from working twenty days in a row, but no one raped me. Are we living on the same planet? Yes, I am using my body to work. This is actually an extremely superficial similarity. I cannot believe this needs to be litigated.
Sex work is part of Queer history!
I find this offensive. Picking cotton is part of Black history, too. Wholesome!
Criminalizing sex work only hurts sex workers!
This is true, but legalizing it won’t help anyone but the existing capitalist class within the industry. The only way to help sex workers is to give them ways to escape. You won’t see me calling the cops on them.
Sex workers should unionize!
A statement dreamt by the utterly deranged. How are they gonna strike? How are they gonna prevent scabbing? Is the economy gonna collapse if your demands aren’t met? Please show your work.
Genuinely, this might be a psyop.
I agree on most things, but I do think legalization is important. You might not call the cops on them, but its criminalization is a hanging sword of damocles that the state can use to increase surveillance/policing, keep people impoverished via criminal records, etc.
And while it probably couldn't be a "union" per se, and definitely shouldn't result in it being a permanent ficture of society, some form of support group that protects prostitutes from further abuse should be made. I always think back to when I read about a prostitute not being taken seriously by the cops after she was nearly killed by a serial killer.