A shift in the way we viewed sex emerged in the 1960s with the availability of the birth control pill and abortion. Sexual pleasure and sexual freedom were seen politically as a crucial part of life. Hugh Hefner funded many court cases and gave grant money to NOW (the National Organization for Women). He was credited as being “the hero of the sexual revolution” (Levy, 56).
In 1956 Hefner created Playboy. Playboy was and is a magazine that showed women in pornography as being “ornamental entertainment” (Levy, 58). This built the double standard that still exists today. It also caused a divide between feminists around the issue of pornography: the antiporn feminists versus the sex-positive feminists. The antiporn feminist group Women Against Pornography argued that pornography (and rape/prostitution) degraded and demoralized women. On the other hand, the sex-positive feminists argued “if feminism was about freedom for women, then women should be free to look at or appear in pornography” (Levy, 62). They believed that women have the right to explore and choose their sexual freedom and understand their own bodies.
Today there are still arguments for and against pornography and prostitution. Canada has a prostitution law, which was struck down by Ontario Superior Court Justice Susan Himel on Tuesday. The law declared that while you could be a prostitute, the act of performing prostitution was a crime and illegal. Three sex workers claimed that the provisions, the prohibition of keeping a brothel, to the law endangered themselves. They now had to carry out their business on the streets “under threats of arrest and violence” (Grinberg, 9/29/10). The three sex workers challenged using the fact that while they can’t be arrested for their profession they can be arrested if they actively practice their profession.
Sex-positive feminists oppose legal/social efforts to control sexual activities. They believe that sexual freedom is a vital element of women’s freedom and rights. I would think that they also would say that sex workers can have positive experiences and that prostitution should not be criminalized. The three workers, Valerie Scott, Terri-Jean Bedford, and Amy Lebovitch, could have positive experiences if the law didn’t criminalize them. By claiming their profession to be illegal, they are creating dangerous situations for prostitutes. Prostitution already “carries a risk of violence and significant social stigma” (Grinberg, 9/29/10). By making them work on the streets instead of inside, the risk of danger and violence increases. Police officers “generally characterized sex workers as victims, commonly poverty-stricken and drug-addicted” and that “the level of violence on the street is worse than it is indoors, and that safety precautions can be taken in indoor locations to reduce violence.” (Grinberg, 9/29/10). Working indoors ensures the safety of the workers as well as the prostitutes and creates stable prices and privacy in contact information.
Feminists fought for women’s suffrage in the 1960s / 1970s order to get women in the workforce. They believed that since women made up about half of the population, they too should be able to be rewarded for doing work. Prostitutes in this way can be seen as feminists as well. While they have used their bodies and sexuality, they have found a way to jumpstart themselves into a profitable career. Feminism can be characterized as women having the choice to do what they want, whether that is a stay-at-home mom or a career-driven woman. The prostitutes in Canada have chosen to become a pro in this particular profession. Whether they have the privilege to stay at home or not, they consider having this job a lifestyle that they enjoy. By resisting social stereotypes of women and being self-determined, they are embarking on a road of feminism. They have demanded to have rights while being a woman. This article proves to us that feminism is still alive and making a difference in the workplaces of women.
works cited
- Grinberg, Emanuella. "Canadian judge strikes down prostitution law." CNN Justice. 29 Sept. 2010. http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/29/Canada-Prostitution/index.html?npt=NP1
- Levy, Ariel. "The Future that Never Happened." Female Chauvinist Pigs
This is somewhat of confusing law. How is it ok to be a prostitute but not perform the act of prostitution? I do not see where the divide happens. Nontheless, I have to disagree with movements that wish to legalize prostitution. Although I feel that being sexually positive is indeed positive, I do not think that selling one's body for money is empowering. I think it reinforces the stereotype that women must use their bodies as sexual objects in order to survive. Perhaps I am wrong, but I do not believe that most women would voluntarily choose to be a prostitute. Many are driven to the occupation for lack of other opportunities. The job is dangerous and involves a wide variety of problems; no one really dreams of being a prostitue when they are little. Overall, I think defending prostitution taints the sexually positive movement as a whole and is an argument by feminists that is poorly justified.
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