[CW: Discussion of Sex Work, SWERFism, Abuse, Misogyny]
I'm unsure if you folks will find this too heavy to handle, but I hope not. I have feminist views that may be interpreted as being highly exclusionary to sex workers, and I feel they are problematic, but I'm having a hard time changing them. I think my views are leaving me to tune out positive outlooks from sex workers because I cannot trust what they are saying.
I believe that sex work is inherently misogynistic and exploitative. I do support sex workers in their struggles, but I feel very uncomfortable when a sex worker denies that they are being exploited, objectified, dehumanized, etc. I feel like this is a denial tactic used to make them feel better in the scheme of capitalism because they are having a difficult time coping with the pain that capitalism has brought upon them, as it does with most people.
However, I will concede that I feel as if I'm arguing from incredulity here because I simply find it hard to genuinely believe differently than my position, but disbelief in the credibility of other viewpoints quite obviously is not a solid basis for a good argument.
I understand that sex work can be lucrative, but I think that doing it sells so much dignity that it's a really absurd tradeoff regardless of how much money you make from it. I also think, in the context of capitalism, things like escorting should be legal because I'm fearful that if an escort goes through abuse during her services, she will not be able to report it without getting in legal trouble herself. However, my ideal viewpoint is that communism would make sex work redundant and that's because my issue with it is the "work" part and not the "sex" part.
I think that sex positivity, free love, and sexual liberation are good, but consent is a huge part of it. I don't see sex work as anything "consensual." I see it as women being victims of capitalism and misogyny getting coerced into thinking that the best way to make sure that they have their needs met is by being seen as a sex object for men.
(I’m mainly thinking about posting one’s self online, since that’s the only sex work I’ve interacted with. But these can probably apply to prostitution too, maybe to a lesser extent.)
One thing to consider that that some people like doing it. I know I’d love to post stuff if I was a cute femboy. They can both express themselves and receive admiration for it. And if they can also make money from it, cool. There’s a blurry line between sex work and sexual liberation when the sex worker enjoys what they do. But by strict definitions, it’s both.
For many maybe, but for others that’s not a problem. The idea of sexual privacy and/or selectiveness being part of one’s “dignity” is entirely cultural. For anyone who doesn’t tie such things to their dignity, sex work could just be a job like any other.
While sex workers are probably a vast majority female, and they likely feel negative effects (abuse, exploitation, sex trafficking, etc, when they’re present) to a greater extent, all of your reasoning can easily apply to male sex workers too. There’s nothing inherently misogynistic about sex work, but misogynistic society can make everything misogynistic.
I've been trying to put my thoughts to words and I think you phrase it pretty well.
In a sense, it's not all that different from non-sex work doing something you enjoy and find passion in. At least under the lens of capitalism, what I see as the main problem is needing to use that to live, whether it's sex or not. Of course the stakes are different and more intimate, but exploitation is fundamental to either situation.
It's hard to expand to a more general view as certainly not every sex worker is doing it solely because they want to, and I think the individual's privilege plays a big role. So again, at the heart of it is the capitalist definition of "work", and not necessarily the sexual component, in my mind. I may be way off base, though.
I have no connection to sex work other than human empathy, so my thoughts are mostly academic. I am always reconsidering my views on everything, so anyone please poke holes in my reasoning!
Thanks for responding, and I greatly appreciate your insight.
To be honest, you writing this made me personally reflect on this matter myself. If I weren't so dysphoric about my body, I could probably feel comfortable with some erotic posting myself, and that's something I thought I'd never say but it's likely because unfortunately, I think so damn much in the context of myself being dysphoric.
You're right that dignity about sexual privacy is very cultural. As far as I know as someone living in the US, we're, in a sense, taught to be rather prudish. Some people don't view matters this way, and that's a highly important perspective.
Male sex workers are also affected too, and that is a great point. I think gay escorts and porn stars, for instance, could speak for this perspective themselves.
This is an incredible way to phrase your perspective. Ultimately, I think I shouldn't close myself off to what sex workers have to say. Their feelings are not my business ultimately, and me being aware of problems with exploitation in sex work does not have to be mutually exclusive with me supporting, respecting, and uplifting sex workers who view their job positively.
Thank you for that.