You know what's funny? Funny as in "HahahaNO." When conservative Christians get all up in arms about porn because it degrades women.
I mean, really?
Really?
I mean, it's not like there aren't valid critiques to be made about the porn industry. There are plenty! A lot of porn reifies sexist or racist tropes, and there isn't as much diversity among actors in terms of body type, age, etc. as I'd like. But when I point out things that would actually help, such as improving sex ed (so people learn earlier on that porn sex is not like everyday sex), destigmatizing sex work so that it's easier to expose and prosecute abuse of workers, and supporting feminist-friendly producers, it gets drowned out in cries of, "OMG! Porn causes divorce! It turns men into addicted, sex-crazed maniacs!"
And then I keep digging, trying to suss out critiques of the industry from critiques of porn as a media, and it turns out it really all boils down to, "The Bible says looking at naked people is bad!"
ಠ_ಠ
I mean, I can understand if someone said, "I feel like I'm betraying my partner when I watch other people have sex, so I don't watch porn." I'd also understand if someone said, "I really feel uncomfortable with my partner looking at porn." That's totally legitimate - sex and body image and everything is complex and highly personal.
But appropriating feminist language to hide your attempts at imposing religious doctrine on everyone - especially when, besides for the porn issue, you don't give a flying fuck about feminism and actively attempt to subjugate women with all that, "Women must be subordinate to their husbands, men are meant to protect women, oh and PS if you get raped you have no say over what happens to your body and you probably deserved it anyway YOU SLUT WHY DID YOU WEAR THAT SHIRT IF YOU DIDN'T WANT IT," FUCKING BULLSHIT -
It pisses me off a little bit.
Showing posts with label sex work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sex work. Show all posts
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Seeing red
A woman recently got arrested in my state for operating a dungeon. Well, the reason is "suspicion of prostitution," though my guess is that she wasn't having "actual sex" (as defined by anti-prostitution laws) with her clients; she stated as much on her website. Not that that stopped cops from busting her, of course.
Pretty much everything about the newspaper article pissed me right the fuck off. The breathless, "isn't this naughty?" tone, the suspiciously detailed description of what the cops confiscated from her property, and - most of all - a quote from a woman who lived nearby: "I worry about what kind of people she was bringing into the neighborhood."
FUCK YOU, LADY.
She was "bringing in" people JUST LIKE YOU - parents, suburbanites, people who have normal jobs and normal homes and normal families. Yet somehow having sex in a different way makes them "dangerous." Fuck. There are few times when I want to just clock someone; this is one of those times.
Normally when I read something in the paper that pisses me off, I bust out my English Major skillz and channel my rage into an eloquent letter to the editor. It normally works - I've even been published in the paper a couple times. But I can't do that this time; I'd be effectively outing myself to the entire metro area. And, as this recent incident has proven, there are definite negative repercussions to being outed as a kinkster.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.
And don't even get me started on how stupid anti-sex work laws are in the first place!
I hate society.
Pretty much everything about the newspaper article pissed me right the fuck off. The breathless, "isn't this naughty?" tone, the suspiciously detailed description of what the cops confiscated from her property, and - most of all - a quote from a woman who lived nearby: "I worry about what kind of people she was bringing into the neighborhood."
FUCK YOU, LADY.
She was "bringing in" people JUST LIKE YOU - parents, suburbanites, people who have normal jobs and normal homes and normal families. Yet somehow having sex in a different way makes them "dangerous." Fuck. There are few times when I want to just clock someone; this is one of those times.
Normally when I read something in the paper that pisses me off, I bust out my English Major skillz and channel my rage into an eloquent letter to the editor. It normally works - I've even been published in the paper a couple times. But I can't do that this time; I'd be effectively outing myself to the entire metro area. And, as this recent incident has proven, there are definite negative repercussions to being outed as a kinkster.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.
And don't even get me started on how stupid anti-sex work laws are in the first place!
I hate society.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Hm
So. We've got this comic, which I'm guessing (from the language used) was made by an anti-BDSM radfem. Hm. Two reactions:
1) That third panel makes me cringe. If there's one thing that I've learned from intersectionalist analysis, it's that comparing one form of oppression to another (as in, "X oppression is just like Y!") is almost always problematic. And this particular example strikes me as less satirical and more... straight-up racist. I dunno - there's something about the use of a blackface character (in front of a black background, no less) with a "U.S.S. Kinky" hat talking in a stereotypical "darkie" accent that... it seems as though the creator of this comic doesn't really care about fighting racism and instead is just using provocative imagery to vilify BDSM. Because comparing kink to blackface? Really? Really?!
2) In the very next panel, the first sailor points out he can't help that he's turned on by women in bondage, while the second sailor (i.e. the mouthpiece for the creator) pontificates at length about how "this stuff" (I'm assuming he/the author means bondage porn) promotes violence against women at the expense of love and intimacy ("though there's nothing wrong with erotica," of course*). Meanwhile, Wonder Woman, who's hog-tied, says, "Hey guys! I think my feet are falling asleep!" But, of course, she's ignored.
I think this particular panel neatly encapsulates a lot of debate over BDSM (and porn, and basically any type of sex work, too). On the one hand, you've got the average consumer, who says, "I like what I like! Besides, I love women!" On the other hand, you've got the mostly radfem types who pontificate at length about how BDSM/porn/sex work/all of the above degrades all women, full stop. And the women actually involved in BDSM/porn/sex work/all of the above, who have the most to contribute to the conversation, are ignored by both sides.
But I don't think that's the point the author wanted to make.
*sigh*
*How does that old saying, go again? Something along the lines of, "What I like is erotica and is beautiful; what you like is pornography and is disgusting."
1) That third panel makes me cringe. If there's one thing that I've learned from intersectionalist analysis, it's that comparing one form of oppression to another (as in, "X oppression is just like Y!") is almost always problematic. And this particular example strikes me as less satirical and more... straight-up racist. I dunno - there's something about the use of a blackface character (in front of a black background, no less) with a "U.S.S. Kinky" hat talking in a stereotypical "darkie" accent that... it seems as though the creator of this comic doesn't really care about fighting racism and instead is just using provocative imagery to vilify BDSM. Because comparing kink to blackface? Really? Really?!
2) In the very next panel, the first sailor points out he can't help that he's turned on by women in bondage, while the second sailor (i.e. the mouthpiece for the creator) pontificates at length about how "this stuff" (I'm assuming he/the author means bondage porn) promotes violence against women at the expense of love and intimacy ("though there's nothing wrong with erotica," of course*). Meanwhile, Wonder Woman, who's hog-tied, says, "Hey guys! I think my feet are falling asleep!" But, of course, she's ignored.
I think this particular panel neatly encapsulates a lot of debate over BDSM (and porn, and basically any type of sex work, too). On the one hand, you've got the average consumer, who says, "I like what I like! Besides, I love women!" On the other hand, you've got the mostly radfem types who pontificate at length about how BDSM/porn/sex work/all of the above degrades all women, full stop. And the women actually involved in BDSM/porn/sex work/all of the above, who have the most to contribute to the conversation, are ignored by both sides.
But I don't think that's the point the author wanted to make.
*sigh*
*How does that old saying, go again? Something along the lines of, "What I like is erotica and is beautiful; what you like is pornography and is disgusting."
Saturday, November 29, 2008
What the FUCK.
Jesus fucking Christ.
I'm watching the Carson Daly Show (first time watching it), and he just played this "game" called "Dude or Not a Dude?"
Basically, this "game" consists of taking mug shots of sex workers and guessing whether they're a ciswoman or a "transvestite" (which in the context he apparently actually meant a transwoman).
That's fucking disgusting on more levels than I can even comprehend.
Firstly, he's ridiculing these people based on their appearance. They're mocked if they don't look "feminine" enough - after all, the last thing any woman would want is to look like a "dude." But I guess it's okay to degrade ugly women, especially if they're sex workers. After all, sex workers aren't real people, amirite?
Fuck.
Secondly, he's got some fucking gall to think he can determine whether someone is male or female. The only person who can determine that is themselves. By calling a transwoman a "dude" just because she doesn't "pass" to his satisfaction, he's denying her identity, her agency - even her very personhood for the sake of a few cheap laughs. Aren't trannies funny? They like to pretend they're real women! Ha ha ha!
Thirdly... jsdfakjl;aldkjdfk. I'm just livid right now. Fucking asshole.
(x-posting to my other blag)
I'm watching the Carson Daly Show (first time watching it), and he just played this "game" called "Dude or Not a Dude?"
Basically, this "game" consists of taking mug shots of sex workers and guessing whether they're a ciswoman or a "transvestite" (which in the context he apparently actually meant a transwoman).
That's fucking disgusting on more levels than I can even comprehend.
Firstly, he's ridiculing these people based on their appearance. They're mocked if they don't look "feminine" enough - after all, the last thing any woman would want is to look like a "dude." But I guess it's okay to degrade ugly women, especially if they're sex workers. After all, sex workers aren't real people, amirite?
Fuck.
Secondly, he's got some fucking gall to think he can determine whether someone is male or female. The only person who can determine that is themselves. By calling a transwoman a "dude" just because she doesn't "pass" to his satisfaction, he's denying her identity, her agency - even her very personhood for the sake of a few cheap laughs. Aren't trannies funny? They like to pretend they're real women! Ha ha ha!
Thirdly... jsdfakjl;aldkjdfk. I'm just livid right now. Fucking asshole.
(x-posting to my other blag)
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sex work
Master is an avid photographer, and his most recent project involves him contacting people who advertise sexual encounters on Craigslist and photographing them. His most recent subject was a sex worker (I think she calls herself an escort) from the nearest city who goes by the name of Ms. Goodhead. I wish I could have met her - it sounds like she and I have a lot in common. She's also a college student - and an English major! - and we're both into kink, which I'm guessing had something to do with her choice of job.
I would have liked to have asked her about what it's like to work in the sex industry, not because I'm terribly interested in becoming a sex worker (I don't have the self-confidence for that!) but because, despite my support of sex workers' rights, I don't personally know any besides my friend who worked as a prodomme over the summer, and I'm not sure if that even counts because she didn't actually have sex with her clients. And I know that you don't need personal experience with/exposure to an issue to support it, but I also know it damn well helps.
On a related note, I find it interesting that all of my friends whom I've discussed the issue with agree that some sort of legalization/decriminalization of prostitution would be a good idea because it would give sex workers more legal protection. We've only talked about it in passing, so I haven't determined if we disagree on the specifics on how to go about such a thing, but the fact that we all just happen to be of roughly the same mind is intriguing. I'd like to think it's a sign of a shift in societal attitudes, but I'm also aware that we're not exactly representative of the American majority.
I would have liked to have asked her about what it's like to work in the sex industry, not because I'm terribly interested in becoming a sex worker (I don't have the self-confidence for that!) but because, despite my support of sex workers' rights, I don't personally know any besides my friend who worked as a prodomme over the summer, and I'm not sure if that even counts because she didn't actually have sex with her clients. And I know that you don't need personal experience with/exposure to an issue to support it, but I also know it damn well helps.
On a related note, I find it interesting that all of my friends whom I've discussed the issue with agree that some sort of legalization/decriminalization of prostitution would be a good idea because it would give sex workers more legal protection. We've only talked about it in passing, so I haven't determined if we disagree on the specifics on how to go about such a thing, but the fact that we all just happen to be of roughly the same mind is intriguing. I'd like to think it's a sign of a shift in societal attitudes, but I'm also aware that we're not exactly representative of the American majority.
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