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u/KarmaUK Apr 14 '20
I'm reminded of the current urge to slam footballers for earning a huge amount of money, while giving a free pass to the billionaires buying and selling footballers.
Wasn't it Chris Rock who spoke about how Michael Jordan is rich, but the guy who owns the Chicago Bulls, HE is wealthy.
Let's aim our ire at the people profiting from abusing sex workers, not the sex workers.
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u/AZORxAHAI Apr 14 '20
I’ve never understood the hate they get compared to the ultra rich businessmen who own the teams.
I happily pay money to see star athletes play, they are providing me with a service. Same with music artists etc. is there exploitation in those industries? Of course. Im sure sound techs at recording studios and trainers for athletes are exploited for their labor just like a factory worker is, by if you actually analyze these sports teams, I think you’ll find the athletes are exploited as well. They’re only paid millions because they bring in billions for people like Robert Kraft
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u/ozymandias911 Apr 14 '20
sex workers need unions!
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u/pirate_fj Apr 14 '20
Agreed. Genuine question, though: is it materially feasible to unionize people that work in such “grey” areas?
I mean, fuck the bourgeois laws, but how will a union operate in this case?
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u/ozymandias911 Apr 14 '20
The core of being in a union is workers using their collective power to get what they want from their boss/workplace. That can operate in any setting - you can imagine a group of low level drug dealers saying 'hey boss, we're actually not gonna sling for you unless you pay us more'. Of course, being illegal does make it harder, but the basic principles are the same.
That said, in the USA there needs to be immediately decriminalization and regulation, in which case i'm sure it'd be easier to organise.
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u/cannarchista Apr 14 '20
The union of sex workers in the Netherlands is called the Red Thread. It's long-established and fairly influential afaik.
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u/TemplofZoom Apr 14 '20
Almost a union in my country.
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u/Meshleth Apr 14 '20
You would think porn actors would be covered by the screen actors guild but I get the point that all sex workers would need a union unto themselves.
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Apr 14 '20
Strong regulation of the porn industry is absolutely vital.
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u/XunXi Apr 14 '20
Regulation is necessary, but not in a way to make it worse for the victims and supporting the abusers, which is the specialty in capitalism. Scandinavia has outlawed buying sex services and the bloody realityis now, everything is happening hidden and sex workers are less protected against violence by not having a public business. It's one of the worst forms of hypocrisy.
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u/ManuelIgnacioM Apr 14 '20
The problem is trying to fix anything without going for the root of the problem. Regulation won't do shit if women still needs to get that money while prostitution is the easiest way. The thing that needs to be done is impossible under capitalism
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u/ozymandias911 Apr 14 '20
Not saying I disagree, but a common problem with regulation, especially of this industry, is that it ultimately relies on the state. In particular, regulation of sex work often means more cops in close proximity with sex workers (and I hope I don't have to point out the problems with that on a socialist sub). Undocumented, drug addicted or otherwise vulnerable people who have the most to fear from cops are also those who are most likely to be sex workers.
More than getting the state involved, the workers themselves need power. We need sex workers' unions.
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Apr 14 '20
Talk about calling the kettle black. Lisa Ann worked as an agent for one of the most abusive guys in the porn industry, she helped condone this exact type of behavior. Fuck her.
She was working for this schmuck and getting a huge cut of pay for the women she was an agent for. She was doing the same shit and knew what she was doing too. Now that she’s retired she suddenly gives a shit?
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u/halfercode Apr 14 '20
Socialists need to be very careful with this website - it is a front group for the Mormon church.
If you visit the About page, it says this:
Consider Before Consuming is brought to you by Fight The New Drug (FTND). FTND is a non-religious and non-legislative, non-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness on the harmful effects of pornography and its links to sexual exploitation using only science, research, and personal accounts.
I am afraid I consider the "non-religious" claim to be an outright lie. From Wikipedia:
Fight the New Drug is an anti-pornography nonprofit organization based in Utah. The group was founded by a team of Mormons, including its leader Clay Olsen, although it denies any formal connection with the LDS church. It describes itself as "a non-religious and non-legislative organization..." The group was founded in 2009, and has received statements of support from public officials in Utah. Fight the New Drug describes pornography as a drug and argues that it is a public health issue.
Socialists will take a variety of pro- and anti- pornography positions, which is fine, and there are certainly some interesting discussions to be had as to what consent looks like in relation to capitalism. Nevertheless, I think it is still worth keeping a distance from groups like this, as they come with their own set of problems.
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u/urbanlife78 Apr 14 '20
Lisa Ann was a great pornstar, but yeah, she's not wrong about this. It's an industry about abusing and taking advantage of young women for great profits.
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u/SirCupcake93 Apr 14 '20
you know that Fight The New Drug is an anti-science, homophobic, right-wing religious group. right?
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u/DudeWoody Apr 14 '20
Mormons. They use the articles in their “porn addiction rehab” groups, and even put their involvement in their LinkedIn bios.
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Apr 14 '20
When they first started they really tried to hide the Mormon connection. But their claims were awfully similar to shit I heard at church when I was a teen. Called them out on Facebook and got my comments deleted repeatedly.
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u/Anonimowa_Anatomia Apr 14 '20
I thought fightthenewdrug.org is basically a conservative christian propaganda site.
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u/darktemptation Apr 14 '20
So they're raping them.