SHOULD PROSTITUTION BE LEGAL?

[James1588]

Originally Posted by Solitaire

This was also posted to our regional board... I'm simply copying my reply here:

"Prostitution" is a crime of semantics only.

"Prostitution" as a defined term, exchange of sex for money or some other benefit, has always been legal - the legal form being by contract and referred to as Marriage.

Any married person who has been thru marriage counseling can tell you that the first thing that is discussed is His Needs and Her Needs.

His Needs are usually expressed semantically as Devotion/Admiration - but when you get down to the crux of it, it is not about how clean the house is, how ordered the finances are, how well-behaved the kids are, or how good the food tastes - a man will feel most admired/devoted to when he is getting lots of sex.

Her Needs are usually expressed semantically as Safety/Support. She wants to not have to worry about a roof over her and her children's heads, food in everyone's mouths, and freedom to pursue hobbies and interests... which is generally provided for by $$$.

Marriage is a money/sex exchange... it always has been, always will be. Marriage is legal prostitution.

So, many will argue, NO, it more than that!

And I would agree, and say that it is the SAME for ALL male/female interactions, because every time I meet with one of my gentleman callers, it is ALWAYS more than that, but because I am single and polyamorous, society only wants to focus on the sex and money...

So, either we only focus on the "sex/money only" on ALL fronts and call ALL spades a spade; or we recognize that each and every interaction between men and women is negotiated as a mutual benefit exchange, unique to each coupling, regardless of those benefits, and allow private personal matters to remain private, regardless of what semantics we use.

Exactly, exactly, exactly right. + (some large number)

[James1588]

Originally Posted by CharismaCaptures

Yes they should make it legal ,tax it ,tested ,license it ,Oh and I forgot Its mostly about OUR safety .Us ladies if someone ripped us off ,kidnap ,rape etc,,,we got attack on an out call ,any thing can happen to us because its not legal

...

I have to disagree with you about this much. Tax, test, license? You must be joking.

What's needed is decriminalization, not "legalization." You know, some ladies here don't see AA men. Most don't want to see young guys. A few don't want to see old guys. Hardly any want to see guys who are unfamiliar with soap and water. If escorting were "legalized," all of those choices on ladies' part would be instantly illegal. Is that kind of crap what you want?

"Tax it?" Who pays? You, or me? And why, for pity's sake? What did some vote-buying asshole do to earn any of your money, or mine?

"License?" That should be interesting. Government standards for BJs? C, or BB? What standards will be applied to determine whether your sensual massage, is, in fact, tantric? It's terrifying to even think about. How long will it take Our Supervisors to create a National Bureau of Tantricity, complete with (of course!) a large management budget?

You can be robbed, raped, kidnapped, or murdered on an outcall because it's illegal? Not being "legal" has nothing to do with that. Pizza delivery is completely legal ... and is, quite possibly, the most dangerous job in America. (About neck-and-neck with yours, I'd guess.) The problem you have now is that, if you are attacked, or even just ripped off, by a rogue client, you might be hesitant to sic the cops on the perpetrator because of the criminal context in which you were wronged. Decriminalization cures that just as well as "legalization" does, and without making Uncle Sam your pimp.

Please think this through.

[Fancylady]

Yes.I wish all states would legalize prostitution.

[dRE0D]

"Prostitution" sounds bad; I guess it's the stigma attached to it.

But safe, well-regulated paid sex between consenting adults should be legal, imo. Hopefully, it could out some of the toxic side of illegal sex work.

[Iaintliein]

Well dah. . .

[tandyscone]

Originally Posted by James1588

You know, some ladies here don't see AA men. Most don't want to see young guys. A few don't want to see old guys. Hardly any want to see guys who are unfamiliar with soap and water. If escorting were "legalized," all of those choices on ladies' part would be instantly illegal.

The age discrimination employment act forbids discrimination against people over 40 in employment decisions. It does not forbid discrimination against people under 40 nor does it apply to anything but employment. I suppose that the age discrimination employment act might be applied against a hobbyist who refused to see older providers, but I doubt that the act would apply to that type of agreement as it is not strictly employment. I am unaware of any legislation that forbids discrimination against people based on personal hygiene. Perhaps you were referring to laws that I am unaware of?

[James1588]

Originally Posted by tandyscone

The age discrimination employment act forbids discrimination against people over 40 in employment decisions. It does not forbid discrimination against people under 40 nor does it apply to anything but employment. I suppose that the age discrimination employment act might be applied against a hobbyist who refused to see older providers, but I doubt that the act would apply to that type of agreement as it is not strictly employment. I am unaware of any legislation that forbids discrimination against people based on personal hygiene. Perhaps you were referring to laws that I am unaware of?

For a businessperson to refuse the business of a customer on the grounds of race, sex, religion, age, or "it's a gay wedding and I'm not on board with that" is dis-crim-in-a-shun. If sex work is "legalized" in the modern regulatory environment, that's just not going to be permitted.

This whole discussion isn't going to matter at all, of course, because Our Supervisors are not about to legalize sex work, much less decriminalize it, more's the pity. It's taking them forever to get their thumbs out of their butts on marijuana. But if by some wild chance it did happen, I do believe that sex workers would be vastly less free in a "legalization" environment. The only saving grace under "legalization" is that a woman who didn't want to do sex work with Uncle Sam as her manager could presumably stay "illegal," just like today. And those would be the ladies I'd do business with.