Do you support legalizing prostitution?

[Bonn1997]

Do you support legalizing prostitution?

[kedrys]

1. As George Carlin once said,

"Selling is legal, fucking is legal. Why isn't selling fucking legal??" :rofl:

[Initech]

12. What I was going to say!

[lightningandsnow]

2. Decriminalize!

There's a difference. Legalization views sex work as a vice to be strictly controlled and heavily taxed. Decriminalization treats it like any other kind of work. I support the latter. :)

[Bonn1997]

3. You don't think there should be strict controls?

Like frequent STD testing for the prostitutes? And the tax dollars could be used on important social and educational programs.

[petronius]

4. Funny, I interpret those words exactly the opposite

:shrug:

I think it should be viewed as any other type of work, with the appropriate regulations to address workplace health and safety...

[RoyGBiv]

39. That's not what those words mean ...

Some act that is decriminalized merely has the "criminal" sanctions removed from engaging in it. You could still, for example, impose a fine. Decriminalization is almost exclusively associated with acts that are considered vices and tend to be heavily regulated with still sometimes stiff penalties imposed.

Legalization confers an act with legal sanction and would, as you say, treat sex work like any other kind of work, subject to regulations appropriate for the kind of work it is and, importantly, protected by labor laws.

[lightningandsnow]

49. I was going by what was said on this website:

http://www.spoc.ca/decrimlegal.html

When I think of "legalization", I think of, for example, the situation in Nevada, where sex workers have restrictions on them that no other law-abiding adult has. I also think it's important for sex workers to be able to work independently - for example, in their own house - instead of being restricted to legalized brothels.

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. Who wouldn't want to work HR in that field? Hell yes, legalize it.

On a serious note, though, yes, legalize it.

It's still to have it be illegal.

[redqueen]

6. Of course.

It's insane to think that keeping it illegal helps anyone in any way.

[flvegan]

7. Legalize? Shit, get them a union on top of it.

[BlueJazz]

28. Heh..Heh..Heh..He said "On top of it"

[Shell Beau]

8. I still don't understand how porn in legal and prostitution isn't.

So, you can make a movie and get paid to bang, but you can't just get paid to bang? That is strange to me.

[Wapsie B]

9. Laws appeasing the puritans don't make a lot of sense.

Legalize it and regulate it.

[eyepaddle]

15. Now that is a sentence Ijust never, ever, ever thought I'd see

posted by Shell Beau! :blush:

But, yeah, I am in total agreemnent with you.

[Shell Beau]

22. Sweet little innocent Shell Beau!!

:rofl:


;)

[unpossibles]

25. I've often wondered about that too

And yes, I think it should be legal in order to make it safer and to remove the stigma.

And no, I don't use their services myself.

[pitohui]

10. you do realize it's legal in plenty of places?

most sex workers prefer to work where it's illegal for the very good reason that where it's legal most of the profit goes to the people who aren't doing the real work of spreading their legs

why do you think hookers prefer to work in vegas (where it's illegal) rather than out in some miserable brothel in the nevada desert (where it's legal)

legalize, health test, and tax the crap out of the sex worker may sound fine in theory, but it doesn't have much practical effect, since the sex workers who are sick and addicted, plus the ones who just want/need to keep more of their own money, are going to continue to work "off the books" -- you don't exactly see them flocking to some brothel to earn a fraction of what they claim to earn (or think they are earning, some of these folks are poor record keepers) in the places where it remains illegal

if sex workers want it legalized, rather than decriminalized, at some point, it's their battle to fight, and the women i've encountered (i really don't know anything about male sex workers) basically don't seem to give a crap, they are if anything worried about being taxed and controlled under the guise of legalization

before you "help" someone, make sure they want the "help" you're offering

a lot of this yack about legalization probably isn't about the sex worker, it's about the johns not liking it that they too can very, very, very rarely be arrested and have their names published, and why should they ever be inconvenienced when they're cheating on their wives, blah blah blah

it's hard to get excited about this issue one way or another frankly

sex workers need to take the lead on this issue, but only a minority of them seem to care and they definitely don't all agree, so...it ain't my fight, you know?

i'll support legalization when i'm given a good reason to support it, health test and tax the crap out of the sex worker isn't necessarily the argument that's going to get me off the couch -- if you're worried about the worker's health, stop giving her a hassle when she gets out the rubbers, as far as taxes, who is going to fight for their "right" to be taxed? good luck on that one

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

19. You honestly think prostitutes prefer prostitution to be illegal?

Man, this ranks up there with Jesus chicken and the corsets/liposuction is healthier than diet/exercise argument.

:eyes:

[redqueen]

50. I could see it in the case of addicts...

those who didn't want to be tested regularly, may already have health issues, and are mostly in the business because they struggle with addictions and whatever other problems.

But that is so, so, so, so, SO, so very far from a good reason to keep it illegal.

[JVS]

54. Jesus chicken?

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

60. I used to have it saved on my old computer

I'll try to find it. It was a goodie.

[Lyric]

56. Wrong. Ordinary sex workers can't GET work in brothels because

a lot of them are rather ordinary-looking women, and the brothels tend to hire gorgeous women only. I'd bet the farm that if brothels were legal IN Vegas, eventually there would be ones for average-looking women that cost less, and sex workers would flock to them. Between the looks discrimination and the hellacious commute out into the desert, it's really no wonder that sex workers choose a nearby streetcorner rather than a brothel.

It's about availability and accessibility more than anything else.

[RadiationTherapy]

11. I used to until I learned that the demand exceeds supply

often resulting in unsavory elements and a lessening of humanity for all involved.

[Initech]

13. Allow me to play devils advocate here:

You know one downside to legalizing prostitution? Whenever one of those dipshit congressmen gets caught with one (like Vitter the Shitter for instance) there won't be any grounds for removal / dismissal.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

20. we shouldnt penalize sex workers because elect unethical politicians

[Initech]

23. No I'm saying we should penalize the unethical politicians not the sex workers.

[JVS]

55. Wow, imagine a world in which Vitter didn't get removed!

Oh wait. That's this world!

[Lyric]

57. Sure there would. What's legal isn't always considered moral for politicians.

It's legal to be an Atheist, too. Good luck finding a national politician who'd admit to being one--and if one was "outed" in a provable way as an Atheist, they'd lose their next election in a heartbeat.

Sad and sick, and also true.

[tigereye]

14. yes, but only if the workers themselves run things - with no evil pimps

[blondeatlast]

16. Yes. nt

[Throd]

17. Yes and No. Street prostitution should still be illegal.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

18. yes, decriminalize it

[crimsonblue]

21. It already is....

What is the Adult Movie industry but a legalized form of prostitution. Same thing goes for user upload sites......

[Deep13]

27. I guess watching is okay, but not doing. nt

[Drunken Irishman]

24. Yes. Some people need to pay to have sex.

Like, say...



So why should we discriminate against them?

[Deep13]

26. Legal with ordinary business regulations.

Health & safety inspection, I-9, SS withholding or 1099 forms etc.

edited for spelling

[Midlodemocrat]

29. No, I don't think so. I think it takes advantage of women.

and men as well.

Sorry. I know that is not a progressive stance, but I think it exploits people.

[RagAss]

30. Yeh right...like that's gonna happen in this Christian concentration camp of a country !

[LaraMN]

31. Yes. I still don't have a full-time job.

x(

[JohnnyLib2]

32. Ahem--Nevada native here.

Googling "Nevada brothels" is revealing. You can also track the laws, regulations, health inspections and probably the taxes paid.

[ACTION BASTARD]

33. Legalize it and add a penis tax.

8.25% sounds fair per wee-wee.

[Inchworm]

34. Length matter?!?

I shall inherit the world!

:yoiks:

[ACTION BASTARD]

40. Careful now...too much and you risk an additional luxury tax.

[Xipe Totec]

35. 1" = 1% ? n/t

[Zavulon]

36. Absolutely.

What two consenting adults do is no business of the government's, even if a few bills change hands.

I'd really like to see cops who are on hooker patrol wear "Vice and Virtue" patches on their uniforms just to remind people how backwards the idea of criminalizing prostitution is.

[elshiva]

37. Yes, like Nevada.

[Generic Brad]

38. I prefer prostituting legalization

[MrSlayer]

41. Sure, why not?

It is the world's oldest profession after all.

[LostInAnomie]

42. There really isn't an argument against it that stands up to reason...

... or that couldn't be solved with regulation.

[Lucian]

43. Absolutely.

What goes on between two consenting adults is no business of the state (and me), even if it is for cash.

[Quantess]

44. Is "kind of, yeah" a yes?

How about a halfhearted yes?

[SoDesuKa]

45. Make it Legal and There Will be Lots MORE of It

Whatever you make legal, there's going to be more of it. Prostitution is already very exploitative. Making it legal will make it even more exploitative. The exploitation inherent in prostitution will inevitably impact the poor far more than the middle class.

The "consenting adults" argument, excuse me, is bullshit. Prostitution isn't as optional to the prostitute as it is to the client. In a more perfect world - one with far less exploitation than the one we actually live in - the consenting adults argument might hold water. But in this world, legalized prostitution represents only more victimization.

There really isn't any need for legalization. If you want to pay for sex, you can pay for sex. It's just not that difficult to find someone willing to take your money. But legalized prostitution coarsens society and makes class differences - which are already painful to the victims - all the more galling.

Legalizing prostitution is a fine topic for undergraduates to theorize about. Why stop there? Legalize heroin, too. Or guns. We're all responsible adults, aren't we? Let a hundred flowers bloom.

[Quantess]

46. .

[XemaSab]

47. You want to talk about class differences?

Say you're a cute young thang (of either gender) with no college education and no money to pay for one.

You're currently working 40 hours a week for $8 an hour, then some dude offers you a hundred bucks for an hour in the sack.

A hundred bucks an hour is VERY good money, and you can make as much in three hours as you were making in 40 hours. For 10 hours a week, you can earn over 50K a year, tax free.

A lot of people have used sex work to finance a ticket right to the middle class.

[eyepaddle]

51. Well, the lst time I looked guns WERE legal, and

the war on drugs has been a smashing success--I mean nobody, but NOBODY does heroin, so that is clearly a good model to follow.

In any activity there will be some involved who are harmed--the best policy is the one that minimizes that harm. There are many countries with legalized prostitution, New Zealand, The Netherlands, even the US of A! Should we monitor them for a "coarseneing" of society?

[SoDesuKa]

62. Illegal Guns

Guns are illegal here in New York, where I live. I'm comfortable with that. Heroin is illegal, too, and I'm comfortable with that as well. Prostitution is illegal in New York too, and I'd prefer that things stay that way. Less exploitation, it seems to me.

[sniffa]

53. I agree that we should legalize everything

:thumbsup:

[Lyric]

59. I'm fine with legalizing heroin.

And just about everything else that our nanny society deems to be "bad" for us, and sends us to prison for.

On edit: Actually, the gun argument is different. Guns hurt people other than the gun owner. I am fine with guns remaining legal, so long as we start doing a better job of keeping them out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them.

[RandomThoughts]

48. There is a bit more to it.

Some people say women choose to be prostitutes.

If it was to be made legal, every person, before becoming a prostitute, should first be offered a traditional job making the same money.

I would guess, if given that choice, far less people would choose to be prostitutes.

Economic factors can be used to inhibit real choice. And people that do those things do it mostly because of either other issues, or for economic issues. Not because it was what they wanted to grow up and be.

[Evoman]

52. No, but I support the prostitution of the legal system.

i.e. the status quo

[Lyric]

58. Yes, it should be legal.

People have the right to do with their own bodies as they wish, even if the rest of us find it distasteful, exploitive, etc. So long as they're only harming themselves and are of age, we have no business interfering.

[applegrove]

61. It should be legal so that it is safer.