Quote:
Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf
The harm I argued about was more abstract, and closer to what the women's groups are concerned about. Basically, we're talking about an industry that turns women into objects and sexual commodities. (Have to say, though, if the women's groups are serious about gender equality, they should speak up for homosexual prostitutes too.) I argued that pornography harms human dignity and used the point to demonstrate... ah, never mind. It was a highly emotive debate that I would rather not rehash. |
Women are definitely made into sexual objects, no argument there. However simply banning things doesn't make them go away, and can even make matters worse. I personally don't have a problem with people selling themselves for sex, but I think the number of women and men who genuinely desire such a profession are comparatively small to the overall population. For women (and some men), it's simply the easiest path to lots of money in societies were other professions just aren't as easy to come by, or aren't as lucrative for the time spent. There is also the social pressure of money being the end game of sorts, and the road to buying into status. It's one of the reasons things like
enjo kosai even exist, because there is pressure in having money to buy expensive products to fit into certain social groups where status is dictated by what you own and not who you are.
In any case, more emphasis should be placed on improving economic and social prospects so that things like prostitution and trafficking aren't so tempting. Unfortunately these are systemic issues that require changes which aren't so easily done, but regardless of anyone's personal feelings on the matter, people in the current world are still going to pay for sex, and people are willing to provide it, and banning it won't amount to anything more than a feel good law that doesn't solve anything in the long term. It just strikes me as puritanical wishful thinking.