Why is it that sex workers are always among the most despised groups

[raccoon]

of any society? Any society I've ever heard of, anyway.

[ismnotwasm]

1. The most likely answer

Stripped away of bullshit (Bullshit is to follow)Is that most of them are women.


I'd like to think it's a form of psychological displacement on the behalf of those who need "dirty" sex, but we're too entrenched in patriarchy. Dirty sex is what it's all about, feeling nasty-- basically, sexual power games woman always lose. (Yes even the Dominatrix, once outside of her rarefied environment, she is used as disposable fodder for male desire, sold across the world without her permission, lessening her, and stripping away the delusion of power)

The psychological mindset of those who purchase the services of sex workers seem to be along the lines of "I love sex dammit, I'm not guilty about it, and I don't hate woman, just dirty little sluts" Or "I'm a loving Father/God and I want to support and cherish these girls, I'm more comfortable around them because I have more power over them" Or what is probably most common "I need to get off, I'm going to go get a blow job" (This last with no acknowledgment of the humanness of who, exactly is going to provide said blow job, or what life experiences brought her to the point of selling them)

Sex worker often despise themselves, with no more reason than their occupation. Or perhaps it's simply getting trapped in the pitfalls of the sex industry, which has ties to other crimes, or drug use or addiction and the threat of violence. Even for those who despise themselves, though, it all goes back to "dirty" sex (Pink Floyd nails it, so to speak, it the song "Young Lust" from The Wall to my mind)

I wish we had better laws protecting sex workers. I wish women had an even playing field, equal socio-economic standing across the world. I think much of volunteer sex work would fade, and even a portion of the coerced.

(Perhaps someday, we'll have true sexual specialists, male and female, with the sexual gifts of experience and education for a grateful population--I'm deep into SF/Fantasy here)

I suspect, with patriarchy being what it is, even if those things came to pass, the sex industry would prey even harder on the most vulnerable, the pubescent, and children. As an industry, it seems to need vulnerability to thrive, or maybe it just wants to eat their souls.

Anyway back to the despised part. Much of our so called sexual mores come from patriarchal religion. I was reading that in the bible, the prohibitions against homosexuality have been misinterpreted, and the laws actually were referring to going to temple prostitutes, those religions using temple prostitutes NOT the beloved people of the Abrahamic God. Who was a jealous old fuck, he got that part dead to rights.

The biblical treatment of women is disgusting, and the only part worth listening too, and then only if you stretch it, is some of the sayings of Jesus. (No, I'm not religious at all, quite the opposite, but I do understand the radical stance Jesus took on a number of issues) The Koran isn't any better, but it does have some interesting instructions for males. I know even less about the Torah, but I assume since it uses the old testament as it's base, it's about the same. I do know that in the Torah, God is genderless.

If only history had taken a cue from it's revered savior, and treated women as human beings. That didn't happen. Lacking humanness, lacking power, legally beholden to frightened males always, considered inherently immoral, inherently stupid, women have borne the burden of sexuality and sexual mores since the beginning of history as we know it. Held in contempt, lacking economic power, they turn to sex work to satisfy the demands of patriarchy.

Now of course, certain sex workers ignore history and think it's a true choice. It's not. That has nothing to do with having a judgmental attitude against them. I'm sure the young woman up here selling espresso's in skimpy bikinis don't considered themselves prostitutes, and probably would be appalled that I do. They would simply misinterpret my personal view of sex work, and my determination to fight the attitudes holding street prostitutes in some sort of moral contempt while thinking every porn actor is a "porn star" Bullshit. Selling sex is selling sex and one worker doesn't have moral authority over the other. None are to be "despised" because of occupation.

I reserve my contempt and loathing for the patriarchy.

[bliss_eternal]

2. Slightly o/t....

But I bring it up after reading an older post on Twisty's site about some women still doing the "neo-burlesque" thing. Her comments, and those of her readers were interesting to me as I'd followed the scene from afar w/a kind of fascination.

It was interesting to me that these young women were recreating strip culture from another era, as if it was somehow "better than" current strip culture. Seemingly because early strippers didn't "take it all off" (but of course they didn't--times were different. Taking it all off then, would get a place raided). Strippers then weren't competing with easily accessible pornography, but I digress.

So many of the neo-burlesquers genuinely admire (and attempted to recreate) the original burlesque performers (i.e. Sally Rand, Gypsy Rose Lee, Blaze Starr, Lili St. Cyr, Tempest Storm, etc.). Maybe I've assessed this all wrong, but it seems that the neo-burlesquers have painted these women in the rather glamourous light that nostalgia affords them. In the process they fail to recognize that "burlesque" was not something that was necessarily "celebrated" when it was current.

Sure some of the women in burlesque obtained celebrity status (to one degree or another). But not all the women were "proud" of how they achieved that stardom (nor were they held in high esteem by society). Seems pretty much like strippers now, sadly.

For example, I've read that Lili St. Cyr suffered from depression and a few suicide attempts. She was a classically trained dancer, that ended up in burlesque. A little different than the light some have painted her in today. (As if she was all empowered and walked that path by choice, because she was reveling in her sexual freedom, etc.)

Sorry this doesn't really answer the op's question--just another aspect of the situation that I've thought about and find interesting to consider.

[ismnotwasm]

3. Not off topic at all

And a perfect example of sex work. Glamorizing sex work is dangerous, it's kind of like trying to be a movie star, for every "star" there are uncounted thousands of tragedies.

I first heard of Lily St. Cyr from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, with that line in the song "Don't dream it" Yes, I was one of THOSE, but only for 2 or 3 years, in the early days.

Those days were part of my time of exploring what was sexually real, and could be a chapter of my own biography "How I Became a Feminist" Because I wasn't exposed to glamour, or at least I didn't fall for what passes for it, I was exposed to reality. It ain't pretty. I do a check in with women I know who strip or do other sex work to make sure I'm keeping it real. Hasn't changed much.

[bliss_eternal]

4. Rocky Horror is a whole other thread...

...such an interesting phenomena. :thumbsup: Caught a cool documentary that covered the midnight movie scene of the 70's, til the early 80's. The only film featured that I recalled showings for was Rocky Horror. I miss that, though--when movies were events. But again--I digress.

It's curious that the neo-burlesquers are allowing themselves to fall for the glamour (an easy and obvious aspect it seems of "fun feminism"). And they call what they do "art." I guess the question never occured to them--how many people really go to bars for art?

If nothing else, how can no one look at the aftermath of the glamour? Cases of nental illness, penniless women, or those that hide from the public eye, because they want to be remembered for the beauties they once were(perpetuating the idea that women that age should be hidden or cast away). Betty Page won't be photographed today for this reason (though a couple of current photos exist of her at Hefner's playground).

[mrreowwr_kittty]

5. Betty Page is also nearly penniless.

She and her family are trying to recoup some of the money generated by the thousands of images of her that are sold.