A lot of people have asked me what I thought about Belle de Jour’s outing of herself recently.1 Now, unless you’ve been living in a cave, you are probably aware that Dr. Brooke Magnanti revealed last week that she was the person behind the pseudonymous prostitute that captured everyone’s attention with her blog, Diary of a London Call Girl. The blog went on to spawn a book and a TV series on HBO, The Secret Diary of a Call Girl.
I read Belle’s…uh, Brooke’s book a couple of years ago, before I started doing what I do now. While I was impressed with what she wrote, I wasn’t overly impressed with the way she wrote it. I just didn’t care for her writing style, purely a personal preference sort of thing. It was patently obvious that the writer was very intelligent, though. And now that the PhD-possessing Brooke has come out into the open, it’s easy to see that she is indeed quite intelligent, articulate, and composed.
I’ve actually had several people tell me that my blog reminds them of Belle’s writing. That is a huge compliment, and one I don’t take lightly. Even though I may not have cared much for the way she wrote, I am fully cognizant of how well-respected hers is and that kind of comparison is incredibly flattering.
I’ve held off saying anything since Brooke came out purely because I wanted to analyze the fallout that took place. I knew some people would congratulate her, and I knew the usual cast of characters would poo poo on it all. Literally every current and former sex worker with a public persona has had or will have something to say about it at some point. After all, it was Belle’s success that inspired many of us to write about our experiences in the first place. In many cases, it’s the only way for us to get our story out. If you believe what you see in the mainstream media, we’re all drug-addicted crack whores who hate the men we see, supposedly. The reality is, however, that a great many of us enjoy what we do, and some of us like to write about it as well. I’d be so bold as to say the overwhelming majority of women who voluntarily perform indoor sex work enjoy it.
There’ve been quite a few articles and blogs that have praised her for coming out as you might imagine. For example, here and here. Even Newsweek was quite positive about it all. There are a great many other writers out there who get it as well. I have been surprised by how many people are not only supportive of her, but are quite effusive in their praise for her for coming out and putting a huge dent in the negative archetype of the common prostitute.
Of course, on those blogs and news sites that allow comments, there’s been a gaggle of idiots claiming she’s bullshitting everyone (along with the usual sexist and misogynistic detritus). There are even some opinion editors and other so-called “journalists” who absolutely refuse to believe that she actually enjoyed the work, despite her forthright statement that she did:
She found an escort agency and started her secret life. “I did have another job at one point, as a computer programmer, but I kept up with my other work because it was so much more enjoyable.” (Referring to prostitution) [Source]
I’m always amazed that a person, anyone, can project their feelings onto someone else or an entire group of people and opine on an activity or profession with which they have absolutely zero experience. That’s just outright arrogance, though we should be used to it by now. The sex worker community has been subject to that since, well, since the beginning of prostitution, I guess. When was that again?
There’ve been a few comments about Brooke “glamorizing” prostitution by making statements that she enjoyed the work in her blog, the book, and recent media coverage. I guess you could argue she’s doing that, at least to the extent that, when a doctor says she enjoys her work, she’s “glamorizing” it. When a police officer says that, does anyone immediately think to themselves, “OMG, I want to become a cop right now”? Doubt it. If the first positive word about hooking spawned legions of whores, Xaviera’s original book would’ve turned half the female population into pros one would think.
I am still trying to decide if positive press is even a bad thing. While I know there’s a stigma attached to making money through professional fucking, and it’s illegal in a lot of places, I don’t know that I see it as inherently negative to promote sex work as a job or career choice. I will agree that only certain people are cut out for it, but that’s true for any job, really. Many people become investment bankers only to find out they’re not suited for it. They typically go on to do other things.
The same is true for sex workers. Considering that the average person (in the U.S.) will hold ten different jobs throughout their lives, it should surprise no one that many women don’t stick around for longer than they have to. That’s the nature of the beast, and doesn’t mean anything more than someone deciding it was time to move on from being a writer.
Some of these writers assert that “no one grows up wanting to become a prostitute.” Um, no, that’s not exactly true, either. Tracy Quan knew at age 10 she wanted to be a prostitute. Valarie Scott knew at age 4, and Amanda Brooks, who’s been a professional escort for a decade now had her first thoughts of entering her chosen line of work when she was 9. So, yeah, actually, some people do grow up wanting to go into sex work.
Some of the comments ask if I’d want my daughter to follow in Brooke’s footsteps. Quite honestly, the only job I’d seriously discourage her from pursuing is that of politician. Professional politicians are such dishonest, slimy low-lifes (and would hypocritically fuck a hooker as they were voting to make the very act illegal) that I’d do everything I could to keep her from entering the political realm. Aside from that, I’d neither encourage nor discourage her from doing anything else, including sex work. I’d allow her to make her own decisions and respect them, regardless of what they were. If she elected to go into sex work, I’d do everything I could to make sure she understood what she was getting into and how to do it safely, of course. But, ultimately, the decision would be hers to make. Since I don’t consider sex work inherently negative, it’s just as viable a job as anything else she could be doing in my eyes.
A few months ago I posed the question, “is it ethical to promote sex work‘ to young women (or would it be if it were legal)? As Brooke and I (and a great many others) discovered, it is a way to make good money. The hourly rate in this job is higher than just about anything else one can do (regardless of gender). And if you think you’d enjoy the work, then I’m not sure I see a problem promoting it to you if you’re interested or inclined to investigate it. Talking about the reality of the work is neither promoting it nor discouraging it, in my opinion. By the way, Brooke promoted the concept of legalizing prostitution even as a 21-year old student – a full seven years before she started hooking.
Probably the biggest reason I am happy she’s come out is that she spits in the face of people like Tanya Gold and Tracy Corrigan, both of whom insist that women who work in prostitution never love their work. This despite reams and reams of material that literally disprove these shill’s assertions.
It’s not just Brooke, but a great many other prostitutes who have publicly stated that they enjoy what they do (or did), including Amanda, Tracy, Veronica, Jane, Rebecca, Xaviera, Dolores, Jeannette, Valerie, Norma Jean, Amy, Patricia, the women who’ve written for the My First Professional Sex web site; the list goes on and on. Interestingly, the majority of those women have degrees, some advanced, as well. Jeannette, for example, had a PhD when she started working as a call girl. I know several other women working on their undergraduate and Masters degrees as I write this, as well as two working on their PhDs. In six months, I’ll have my Masters and will probably continue working until I finish my doctoral degree as well. Yet, according to Tracy and Tanya, I am unqualified to decide for myself what I do or do not enjoy.
One can’t help but notice that every single person who’s made the ridiculous assertion that Brooke didn’t enjoy her time on her back or knees professionally has never been a sex worker. They throw all of these statistics around about the number of women who’s supposedly leave prostitution if they could. 2 Those figures almost invariably derived from surveys of street workers, by the way, extrapolated to apply to all forms of prostitution, even though street prostitution comprises just 10% of all prostitution. [PDF]3 Yeah, I suspect a great many street workers would leave if they could. I would. Someone made the point that probably 99% of chambermaids would leave their current employment as well if given the chance to occupy a higher paying profession. Should we outlaw their work as well? Do we criticize them for entering that line of work because the overall dissatisfaction with it is so high? No. We only do that for sex work for some reason.
And of course, who better than to opine on the satisfaction levels of sex work than someone who’s never done it, right? Can you imagine these hacks making the assertion that all chefs hate their jobs even though they say they really do enjoy them? Of course not – they’d be laughed out of the room. Why should we take them seriously when they talk about whether or not I enjoy what I do? How could they have the first inkling? I’d bet good money they just hate sex to begin with and couldn’t possibly see doing it professionally. So, once again, they’re projecting.
Even some men have the unmitigated gall to decide for her whether or not she enjoyed the work (and the occasional armchair psychologist to help things along as well. Daddy issues? Please!). I have to wonder if they realize how ridiculous they come across by writing that kind of drivel. You can’t even understand how a woman views sex in general, let alone professional sex. So, dude, please, shut the fuck up.
I am incredibly proud of Brooke and the fact that she came out, regardless of what actually precipitated it. She could’ve hidden and eschewed the media. She chose to confront it, however, and in doing so, has validated her own experience, as well as that of the tens of thousands, nay, hundreds of thousands, of prostitutes around the world who’ve been kept in the closet because of the societal stigma and illegality that prevents them from proclaiming their truth. To me, that is far more important than putting a face to the name of Belle de Jour.
Best of luck to you, Dr. Magnanti, wherever your life takes you from this point. And thank you for everything you’ve done for sex workers, from your blog to your unabashed unashamedness about your own work as a prostitute.
- I believe I was actually one of the first to Tweet the fact that Belle had revealed herself, just minutes after the story was posted on the Sunday Times’ web site, btw [↩]
- The study cited by Tanya in her piece was chaired by Melissa FarleyW, which should give you an idea about its credibility. She’s been widely discredited for rigging studies to support her anti-prostitution ideology, and isn’t taken seriously in the larger sociological community. [↩]
- In the United States. See Page 1 for the relevant statistics [↩]
- Prostitution as Profession Classic Darwinian theory posits that the female of most mammalian...
- Photo of the Day You know, there is something incredibly powerful about being fucked...
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{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
Hmm great stuff there.
I was impressed by how the people Brooke worked for handled it. They just took it in stride and let her be.
Yeah, I know. I’m glad for her. A lot of places would’ve gone ape shit.
As a society we need to get over the question of whether people enjoy sex work and on to the actual health, safety, and welfare outcomes of legal sex work versus prohibition. A lot of people, possibly most people, with more common jobs don’t enjoy their work. So what? We are hopelessly insular in the U.S. but in the U.K. they are so close to the Netherlands and several other European countries with various degrees of decriminalization and the corresponding vastly improved health, safety, and welfare outcomes for women — and vastly improved health outcomes for men. But somehow an objective scientific look at outcomes with and without prohibition always ends up taking a back seat to ridiculous questions of whether sex workers are being exploited. The undocumented immigrant families who pick your grocery store produce are being exploited. Sex work is a whole different ballgame and far less cut and dried. If sex workers are being exploited it is in large part by the justice system enforcing the prohibition.
Some day the argument will be more about quality of life measures we all agree are objectively important: lifespan, infant mortality, access to preventative care, access to education, poverty rate, etc., and less about subjective third-hand judgments of who is and is not enjoying what they do to earn their living.
A lot of people, possibly most people, with more common jobs don’t enjoy their work.
True, and you never hear any of the anti-prostitution crowd bring that up.
If sex workers are being exploited it is in large part by the justice system enforcing the prohibition.
Absolutely, and it has been demonstrated on multiple occasions to no avail.
The level of your writing is simply amazing first off, its clear right from the start that you reworked these words a few times and that they are very thought out.
I agree with most everything you have written and feel that it was a good thing that she did come out more so to put her current title to sex work than a name, I dont expect people to change their perceptions over night but hopefully this is a start in getting people to realize that sex work can be enjoyed and is conducted by highly intelligent women also.
Keep up the great work Alexa
I dont expect people to change their perceptions over night but hopefully this is a start in getting people to realize that sex work can be enjoyed and is conducted by highly intelligent women also.
You’re right, it won’t happen overnight, but her coming out with as much attention as she’s gotten, especially in Europe, will force the anti-prostitution crowd to deal with it in a much more serious manner, hopefully.
And thanks.
Here’s some interesting background about a blogger, “Darren”, who figured out Belle’s identity years ago and used something called a “googlewhack” to see if anyone else was getting close to identifying her:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/nov/18/belle-de-jour-identity-secret
Via the googlewhack, he saw that someone at the Daily Mail was doing searches on ‘Belle de Jour’ and ‘Magnanti’ and tipped off Belle about the fact that this tabloid was about to expose her. More details at:
http://www.timemachinego.com/linkmachinego/2009/11/16/me-and-belle-de-jour-could-it-be-brooke/
I actually started to post a little side note about that, but felt the piece was long enough as it is.
Thanks for pointing it out, though.
You say, “I’d be so bold as to say the overwhelming majority of women who voluntarily perform indoor sex work enjoy it”, but the majority of so-called feminist journalists would state the opposite, that the majority of sex-workers are coerced, pimped and trapped in the “squalid” profession of “selling” their bodies. (Interesting one that, the escorts I’ve engaged always seem to leave taking their bodies with them at the end of our trysts – maybe I should ask for my money back.)
Actually I believe the reality is in the middle, at both extremes and all points in between. The problem is that because prostitution has been driven underground by archaic laws, no-one knows how the spectrum is weighted (although I’d hazard a guess that your take on the majority of “indoor” sex workers is probably right)
The polarisation does nothing to help sex workers toiling at the lower ends of the spectrum. Instead it would be better if the media acknowledged, as we all know, that many, many escorts are well-adjusted, non-controlled “happy hookers”. Shadowy figures you may be, but your working conditions are not necessarily seedy.
It would be better for government and the media to concentrate instead on improving the lot of the “unhappy hookers”. Much could be done to improve their safety and working conditions. In the UK prostitution is legal, so we have no excuse. Health and safety at work is a big thing here, so surely the government should make sure that these considerations apply to all.
You also say “I’m always amazed that a person, anyone, can project their feelings onto someone else or an entire group of people and opine on an activity or profession with which they have absolutely zero experience” and I couldn’t agree more. I am getting really peeved with stupid journalists talking out of their backsides on the subject, and for a Brit to get peeved, well that’s pretty strong stuff.
The problem is that because prostitution has been driven underground by archaic laws, no-one knows how the spectrum is weighted
That’s true, and since the only time you get a real sense of what’s going on is when someone’s arrested or they go out and do studies on the prostitutes they can find. That limits them to the street workers, of course – finding and getting private escorts to trust you enough to participate is hard work, which is something the Melissa Farleys of the world are not interested in – they want something that can support their pre-ordained conclusions.
The difference between people like her, Tracy, and Tanya and those of us who live in the real world is that we fully acknowledge that there are a great many out there who’re forced or coerced into the work, who hate it and would do anything to get out. We recognize and acknowledge the full range of experiences. For them, the experience is always negative except when you have someone who specifically comes out like that and says it. And, as you can see with Tracy and Tanya, even then, it “doesn’t count” because we don’t know that we’re not really enjoying it. It’s quite irritating.
I am getting really peeved with stupid journalists talking out of their backsides on the subject,
Yep, and as with the easy path for the researchers, many journalists are no longer interested in presenting a legitimate, honest representation. There’s an old saying regarding the media: “Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story,” and you see this time and time again when it comes to stories about sex work (and not just prostitution, but work in porn, strip clubs, etc.)
I like this on television news from David Brinkley–”Moses came down from the mountain with 10 commandments from god, here is Sam Donaldson with the 3 most important” :)
As a social worker I can see both sides of the spectrum.
I’ve worked in a women’s refuge and have seen hundreds (maybe thousands) of women come through the doors after escaping a life of violence, drugs and prostitution. These are women for whom it is not a choice to become involved in the work. They have been trapped there by the men they were either in relationships with or to whom they owed money (or both). One woman would escape each time the father of her child went into prison for assault (of her) but then would end up back with him and on the streets as soon as he was released. There were an increasing number of teenage parents starting a life of hooking because they couldn’t afford to pay rent/bills or cover a drug/alcohol addiction. These women are hidden away and have no voice. It is a sad, desperate life. When we read articles such as Belle/Brooke’s it can detract from the real suffering that *does* goes on and that I have experienced first-hand for myself when arranging for the protection of another woman who has escaped her violent pimp.
One point from Tanya Gold’s article though – she quotes a study from 1985 which states that “89% would like to get out”. I know that I wouldn’t get away with quoting a study which is over 20 years old to evidence a point so I don’t see why she should either. We need new research and fresh facts.
However, I also read the blogs of women such as yourself who *do* enjoy the work they do and that’s great. You earn more per hour than I do as a social worker per week and I can’t help but be a little jealous of that. I read sex workers blogs (and twitters) from across the World and they all echo the same thing. When I told a friend about the notion that there are women out there who enjoy doing this work she said “how do you know they are telling the truth?” and I don’t. I can only assume that sex workers who write about these things have no reason to lie. Certainly, it would be very difficult I imagine to write some of the things they do without either massive dissociation issues or total delusion if they were not actually enjoying the work. Or maybe they don’t work as hookers at all and make the whole thing up for titillation. Who knows !!
I am hoping to pursue this as an avenue of academic research. I have many books on my shelf detailing the horrors of prostitution (many of which I have seen for myself in the shelters) but only one written by a woman who enjoyed her work. Obviously this one book is Brooke’s and it has been read cover to cover a few times now. I want to interview women who enjoy their profession (after all job satisfaction is what we all crave) and put them into print too. I’ve told you before that MFPS would make an amazing book but yes, issues of copyright and permission would be an issue. Such a shame, I’m completely addicted to reading the new stories. :)
Anyway, what point was I trying to make? Firstly I think it’s that we need to protect those who are forced into this line of work through trafficking, drugs or violence. But secondly we should be encouraging those who enjoy it to continue doing so – be it through changes in legislation or just simply an acceptance that some women make this conscious choice without coercion.
These are women for whom it is not a choice to become involved in the work.
…
When we read articles such as Belle/Brooke’s it can detract from the real suffering that *does* goes on and that I have experienced first-hand for myself when arranging for the protection of another woman who has escaped her violent pimp.
Absolutely. But you are honest enough to recognize that there is a diametric opposite to that and are willing to acknowledge that there are a great many who enter the work voluntarily and enjoy it. That’s what separates you from the likes of those I mention in the piece.
When I told a friend about the notion that there are women out there who enjoy doing this work she said “how do you know they are telling the truth?” and I don’t. I can only assume that sex workers who write about these things have no reason to lie.
My question would be the same – what possible motive would they all have to lie about it? Telling everyone that things are all hunky dorry doesn’t sell (as the media has demonstrated on many occasions), so using it as a selling point for something obviously isn’t it. Did we all band together and decide to lie about it to comfort ourselves into actually believing we’re enjoying it? lol You can’t get that many people to agree on the definition of “enjoy” is, so I doubt that’s it. Quite honestly, I have trouble believing that some people can’t understand why it might be enjoyable – anyone who can do one night stands without any problems could just as easily charge for it, so it seems rather obvious to me that it might be possible to enjoy it.
Firstly I think it’s that we need to protect those who are forced into this line of work through trafficking, drugs or violence. But secondly we should be encouraging those who enjoy it to continue doing so – be it through changes in legislation or just simply an acceptance that some women make this conscious choice without coercion.
I agree with you 110%.
You may already know about these academic authors and resources in your research ambition, but just in case you didn’t:
1. Elizabeth Bernstein
Temporarily Yours: Intimacy, Authenticity, and the Commerce of Sex
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/presssite/metadata.epl?mode=synopsis&bookkey=5298935
2. Teela Sanders
http://www.biomedexperts.com/Profile.bme/1236493/Teela_Sanders
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sex-Work-Business-Teela-Sanders/dp/1843920824
3. Border Thinking on Migration, Trafficking and Commercial Sex from Laura Agustín
http://www.nodo50.org/Laura_Agustin/
There are sex work research mailing lists that you could get onto.
http://sexinthepublicsquare.org/ has regular academic input, you could write any regular contributors asking how to get on it and where to find other resources.
Honestly I made my comments above before I saw that Belle De Jour had given an interview to The New Scientist (not normal reading for me). It seems I have copied her almost word for word – I didn’t. She says:
“In the UK, prostitution itself is legal – pimping, soliciting and brothels are not. This results in a huge safety gap between call girls and streetwalkers.
Doesn’t it make sense for women at all price points in the sex business to have the same protection I did, and in doing so, possibly gain the leverage over traffickers and clients they need to protect their personal and sexual health?”
I truly hope she’ll become an advocate for the improvement of working conditions and acceptance for all sex workers. She has a powerful voice right now, and it’d sure be nice to see her use it for that purpose (though I’d understand if she elected not to, given her current position in life).
I agree with you about her style, which is why I find you ten times the writer she is. You have incredible range.
What else can be said that hasn’t already been said about prostitution, especially as eloquently as you express your views?
Keep at it!
Thank you for the kind words, Steve.
I agree with everything you say. I especially liked this bit
“…the only job I’d seriously discourage her from pursuing is that of politician”
Which is exactly my answer to the question as well.
The wider point to make is that it is depressing that this is considered news. That someone is open and honest about their sexuality and sexual history, and that they enjoyed having sex for money should be considered unremarkable. I understand why most sex workers want to be anonymous, but I regret that I live in a society where this is the case. It will be a glorious day when someone can answer the question “what do you do?” by matter of factly saying that they are an escort or a stripper or whatever, and not be judged anymore than if they said they were a teacher or an accountant.
Is there a parallel with attitudes to homosexuality? 50 years ago most homosexuals were – for understandable reasons – not open about their sexuality. Now it is common for someone to matter of factly talk about their same sex partner and not be judged any more than if they talked about an opposite sex partner. This is progress, and part of the reason it happened is that homosexuals started to come out and talk honestly about their sexuality. It is far harder to be prejudiced about some thing or some group when you know ordinary people in your social circle who are members of that group. Are we at the start of a similar process with sex workers? I hope so, and maybe in 50 years we’ll look back and consider Dr Magnanti a pioneer.
It will be a glorious day when someone can answer the question “what do you do?” by matter of factly saying that they are an escort or a stripper or whatever, and not be judged anymore than if they said they were a teacher or an accountant.
Sadly, I don’t think either of us will live to see that day.
Are we at the start of a similar process with sex workers? I hope so, and maybe in 50 years we’ll look back and consider Dr Magnanti a pioneer.
That’s hard to say. I do see some parallels, yes, but they are different animals. Prostitution has gone through varying cycles of acceptability throughout history, but with very few exceptions has never been seen as a legitimate line of work (or lifestyle). You’d like to believe that we as a society would progress to the point where it would be as you describe.
Your blog and the discussion in comments are so good, I will be tempted to post the link every time I see the same, tired talk on the topic.
I too came across a lot more women who enjoy this job – in the sense, that the total balance of its sides and implications is positive, not that they love absolutely every single aspect of it – than those, who don’t. But I would agree with a commenter above that it’s very hard to design and compile studies that could give us a full and accurate aggregate picture of the industry. I believe that our samples are also biased, since we tend to attract like-minded people.
Another thing I find amazing is how all those people who perpetuate prejudice and pity the nature of our work fail to understand their own contribution to the stigma and its effects. They create the climate that forces us into double-life and fears of being judged at every single turn at best, and creates criminalization and increases real physical dangers at worst. But they, of course, are all so fucking innocent and compassionate and even feel for us, you know!
Another thing I find amazing is how all those people who perpetuate prejudice and pity the nature of our work fail to understand their own contribution to the stigma and its effects. They create the climate that forces us into double-life and fears of being judged at every single turn at best, and creates criminalization and increases real physical dangers at worst.
Absolutely. And this despite the fact that those points have been demonstrated time after time, even.
But they, of course, are all so fucking innocent and compassionate and even feel for us, you know!
Yes, we must be saved from ourselves. It’s amazing that we just don’t know any better and have to have them try to “save” us. Arrogant fucks.
Thanks for writing this out. I enjoyed reading it very much. I would like to make two comments. First, regarding not wanting your daughter to go into politics. I would assume that you would raise your daughter with some sense of moral integrity (and therefore she would be great for any profession whether it is teacher or sex worker). That being said why wouldn’t she make a good politician. That is exactly what we need in politics is more people with moral integrity – those people who would be screwing a prostitute and at the same time writing legislation to make it legal instead of the opposite that you mention. Just a thought.
The other comment I had is really more of a question. You mention how you can make so much more per hour doing what you do. Do you think that if prostitution was legalized that the amount you make per hour would decrease? Is part of the reason clients are willing to pay so much the taboo and illegalness of it in the first place? I am just wondering from a supply and demand standpoint how that would all work out.
That being said why wouldn’t she make a good politician. That is exactly what we need in politics is more people with moral integrity –
Because the way our political system is structured it encourages corruption. And even if she were able to fight it off, she wouldn’t last long against the other corrupt politicians. Until we achieve some sort of restructuring of the way our political system works, things are only going to get worse.
those people who would be screwing a prostitute and at the same time writing legislation to make it legal instead of the opposite that you mention. Just a thought.
I don’t know if you’ve read Marty Klein’s book “America’s War on Sex,” but if not, you should. He explains why it is political suicide to advocate anything positive about sexuality in the political realm, especially legalizing prostitution. It’s compelling reading.
Thanks for the recommendation, I will definitely get that book. I have often thought of running for office myself and have wondered if I would be able to resist the corruption. I would definitely be a very sex-positive politician and therefore would probably not ever get elected and if so only last one term. But the idea still fascinates me.
We only do that for sex work for some reason.
That’s what drives me batty about this debate, no one can approach the issue rationally. For all the talk of “glamorizing” prostitution; one of my problem is that anti-prostitution (basically anti-sex) people indirectly “glamorize” “normal” work.
The example I use to illustrate this is this, I know someone who has carpel tunnel due to a former assembly line job. They did have aspirations of being a chef one day that they can’t finish making thanksgiving dinner without having to wrap their hands that put an end to those plans. That one example of a “normal” job for you; permanent physical damage (how is that for selling your body) and shattered dreams. Yet somehow, people keep trying to tell me that somehow, you would be better off with one of these normal jobs then you would doing what you are doing now. You may be “selling your body” to make a living, but there are plenty of people who have to sell their body and soul in perfectly legal jobs just to make a living, yet no ones prepping an extraction team for them.
Lest anyone think I cherry picking, an example only about 50% of people are stratified with their work; 60% of primary care physicians would chose a different field if they could (they aren’t too keen on their kids flowing in their footsteps either). Bottom line is most of these people speak not just of sex work but also of work period from a limited perspective. “normal” work= good, sex work= bad, complexity and nuanced understanding of either= nowhere to be found.
You may be “selling your body” to make a living, but there are plenty of people who have to sell their body and soul in perfectly legal jobs just to make a living, yet no ones prepping an extraction team for them.
Exactly. That is how you can easily see their bias against sex work specifically, and not any legitimate concern for the people doing the work.
Just as an extra point, barely relevant to the original article…
I attended Erotica 2009 in London yesterday (WHAT A SHOW!!) and in searching on twitter for people also in attendance I found a bunch of feminists plotting to picket the show!
For what possible reason? They are anti-sex? :) There were no naked women/sex acts and most of the stands consisted of corsets, vibrators and costumes. None of them appeared to have looked at the website or educated themselves about what lay behind the doors. They described the people who attended as “sad” and “unerotic” declaring the ones standing on the train platform nearby to be “ugly”.
Um, right.
They believed Erotica to be some kind of orgy-fest full of trafficked prostitutes and drug-addled porn stars. Which it most definitely was not.
This kind of blind-sighted ignorance really annoys me and I totally avoided their little group outside when I left. I was SO tempted to up and have a discussion about their beliefs but my boyfriend held me off. It is people like this who are blocking the way to true understanding about the nature of sex work.
The other group of feminists were picketing the Spearmint Rhino lap dancing club run by Peter Stringfellow. I have no idea why. Don’t they realise how difficult it is to get a job in there?! Trust me, none of those girls were /forced/ into working there.
Sigh.
They protest because it involves sex, and feminists don’t believe women and sex are supposed to go together except specifically how they decide it should go together. Duh.
Oh, and
Border Thinking on Migration, Trafficking and Commercial Sex from Laura Agustín
http://www.nodo50.org/Laura_Agustin/
Could not edit my comment to add it since it was marked as spam due to the presence of links, I assume…
Yeah, if you post more than one link, it flags it automatically as spam. I am usually able to go in and approve it, though.
I am actually aware of all of those sites, and have the bloggy one in my RSS feed reader, so thanks for that. And I am quite familiar with Elizabeth and the work she’s doing at SITPS.
I suspect it would be hard to find research you wouldn’t be aware of in this area. ;)
But I posted those mainly for SS or anybody else who expresses interest in research but also sounds like they are just starting out in looking at the indoor business. I am beginning to realize that after 3 years of following blogs and discussions I came across a huge number of references that are not immediately apparent and may take some time to come across. Whenever I try to simply google such information, it doesn’t show up in the first dozen of returns.
As an ex-scientist, and therefore one who knows the payscales in research (you’re paying me what? and I have a PhD plus experience? Um, why didn’t I just become a plumber?)…I found it highly amusing that she was/is a scientific researcher, especially a biologist (which is what I was). Lord knows the pay must be better for her ‘night job.’ It’s a subject for another blog, but seriously, when people complain there aren’t enough “American” scientists/engineers, they need to look at the pay. Smart Americans who can get a degree from a good school could also be lawyers, doctors, businessmen and make literally 3, 4, 5 times as much money.
I agree, scientists are underpaid. One reason why a great many of the advances in science and technology come from overseas these days.
unfortunately, it’s sort of the same in lots of countries. Research pays in the private sector (where it’s capitalistically driven, thus not necessarily bad or evil, but most probably boring to death and not so much for the sake of science), but not so much in the public/education sectors (where you can do what you want, but you won’t have financial support, and don’t expect too much moral support from your so-called peers either, because it can become a bit cat-fight-y in the academia…)
I haven’t been to that many countries where I saw public sector researchers make a good living. You can live on it, of course, like in the US, but it’s a choice you have to be fine with.
Well done, Alexa.
I was definitely somewhat bemused at the media frenzy that followed Dr. Magnanti’s revelation. It’s as if the idea of an intelligent, successful, emotionally stable, (and God-forbid) attractive woman having been a sex worker causes so much cognitive dissonance in the minds of these media morons that they’re just writhing with it… “What do you mean she says she enjoyed her work? That’s impossible–she must have daddy issues, or she’s lying. Get on it, people!”
Of course, there was a fair share of positive publicity. And in the end, I think that the way Dr. Magnanti herself has dealt with the firestorm–with confidence and poise–says more than any of the ill-founded negativity ever could.
It’s eloquent, intelligent voices like hers and yours that really challenge the negative stereotypes surrounding the sex industry. And I wouldn’t be discouraged with all the negativity and conflict from opposing viewpoints either–it wouldn’t exist if your words weren’t hitting home. Keep it up.
It’s as if the idea of an intelligent, successful, emotionally stable, (and God-forbid) attractive woman having been a sex worker causes so much cognitive dissonance in the minds of these media morons that they’re just writhing with it
Yeah, some people just can’t wrap their heads around all of that.
Thanks.
Well I see censorship is alive and well in the UK. I tried to post a comment on Liz Hunt’s telegraph article starting with “You ma’am, are an idiot.” and ending with “…you don’t know sh*t.” It was never posted. Then after a firestorm of negative comments against this “journalist,” the adding of comments was (apparently) shut down on the 23rd of Nov. It must be nice to be able to control the media like that. Very William Randolph Hearst I must say. I would actually love to tell Liz that she doesn’t like writing and disallow her to do it. “No Liz, you couldn’t possibly like writing, it’s simply Daddy issues. No Liz, accept it. Get away from the computer.”
For what it’s worth, the only caveat I would have with my daughter becoming an escort is that I would hope that it was on the road to something else. Escorting isn’t a life-long career to me, though I respect those who have chosen to advocate and continue working throughout their lives. Then again, bartending isn’t a life-long career to me, nor cleaning or sports. It’s my privileged upbringing talking, professional or bust.
If the time came, and she were in my shoes, studying a punishing and at times expensive postgraduate degree, and she wanted to earn money in way that was enjoyable and efficient – she can have the benefit of my experience and my blessing. I am overjoyed by Brooke Magnanti because she is exactly the kind of girl I see around me. Smart, educated and going places. While professional sex is a worthwhile career choice (and I have met many admirable women who see themselves doing this their whole lives), many women choose this job as a path to something else, happy and secure. I’ve met future doctors, lawyers ( I have a 172 LSAT though I didn’t pursue that path), scientists, teachers, small business owners. I’ve met wives who worked with their husbands’ blessing because they wanted another house.
It’s just a job. A really, really well paid job, that is in equal turns, bizarre, incredibly enjoyable and thoroughly mundane. Not everyone should do it, but people who faint at the sight of blood probably shouldn’t be doctors and people who are bad at maths, shouldn’t be accountants. It’s just a job, and all of us who do it, are just people.
http://theyshootstars.com/index.html
What do you think of it ?
Its been around a year since this story broke. Does anyone know how Belle de Jour has been doing? What, if any, has the fallout been since then?
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