"I think the proper way to understand feminist critiques of sex work is as a critique of the sex industry (the pornography trade, prostitution rings, etc) and the values and actions promoted by it rather than a critique of the individual women who find themselves working within the sex industry." ~ Rachel
So if we bring the focus onto the industry, rather than the people therein, what do we have?
I'd be interested to hear everyone's critiques of the sex industry. I know typical feminist critiques. But, what about peoples' personal critiques?
Also, I would like to hear peoples' opinions on the positive aspects of the sex industry. If you do not see anything positive right now, how do you think sex as a industry could become positive?
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Looking Deeper into Sex Work
I'm currently writing a piece on sex workers and society's inability to acknowledge sex work as a legitimate occupation. The sex industry is kept underground, and the workers within it are thus stigmatized for the work that they do. But why do we keep it so hidden when pornography, prostitution, etc are clearly so proliferate in this country? It seems that we take our own sexual shame and project it onto the people who do the "dirty" work we so enjoy. By outcasting and stigmatizing sex workers, we can feel better about ourselves--it is not us who are the sexually deviant.
As a very feminist thinker, I've struggled with this idea a lot. My very first response to the sex industry was that it was a cop out for women to gain power by using sex. It seemed like nothing new. Women were just usurping men's position on the sexual hierarchy. In Ariel Levy's (A writer I highly admire) words, they were acting like "female chauvinist pigs." It didn't seem radical to just give into what men wanted to see: women as sexual beings, working for their sole pleasure. I wanted to disrupt that order--to turn it on its head. Women needed to do something new to create a more equitable social structure--one that eradicated hierarchies and dichotomies.
But so often, women with this feminist perspective attack other women within the sex industry. We spit moral accusations at these women. We condemn them for upholding patriarchy or for being blinded by patriarchy. But who are we to make such proclamations? How righteous can we be? It hardly promotes sisterhood to condemn women for the choices they make. We are all different--with different ideas about what feminism is. Who can decide who is more feminist or less? Are we upholding an older doctrine of feminism when we should be expanding our cause to include feminisms?
While I cannot speak from personal experience, it would be wrong to assume that all women in the sex industry are victims of patriarchy. We make them victims by labeling them, outcasting them, and turning our heads when we see that they need help. How can we disrespect one portion of the population for what they do when we are all to some extent engaged in what they do? It is not radical to condemn them. It would be radical to unionize sex workers, legitimize their work, and to evaluate our own sexual shame/deviancy and how we choose to project it onto the Other.
As a very feminist thinker, I've struggled with this idea a lot. My very first response to the sex industry was that it was a cop out for women to gain power by using sex. It seemed like nothing new. Women were just usurping men's position on the sexual hierarchy. In Ariel Levy's (A writer I highly admire) words, they were acting like "female chauvinist pigs." It didn't seem radical to just give into what men wanted to see: women as sexual beings, working for their sole pleasure. I wanted to disrupt that order--to turn it on its head. Women needed to do something new to create a more equitable social structure--one that eradicated hierarchies and dichotomies.
But so often, women with this feminist perspective attack other women within the sex industry. We spit moral accusations at these women. We condemn them for upholding patriarchy or for being blinded by patriarchy. But who are we to make such proclamations? How righteous can we be? It hardly promotes sisterhood to condemn women for the choices they make. We are all different--with different ideas about what feminism is. Who can decide who is more feminist or less? Are we upholding an older doctrine of feminism when we should be expanding our cause to include feminisms?
While I cannot speak from personal experience, it would be wrong to assume that all women in the sex industry are victims of patriarchy. We make them victims by labeling them, outcasting them, and turning our heads when we see that they need help. How can we disrespect one portion of the population for what they do when we are all to some extent engaged in what they do? It is not radical to condemn them. It would be radical to unionize sex workers, legitimize their work, and to evaluate our own sexual shame/deviancy and how we choose to project it onto the Other.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Welcome
Welcome to my space for personal expression--a space where I plan to explore and question my feminist ideologies and ideas about womanhood.
I'm currently a graduate student studying library and information science. I went to undergraduate school at Michigan State University, graduating with degrees in English and history. My interests of study have included and continue to include: women's history, the history of sexuality, women's literature, the study of pornography, and the development of women's libraries or women's studies collections in libraries.
I'm an avid reader of publications in women's studies and feminist blogs, which is evident from list of favorite books in my profile. I have subscriptions to both Bitch and Bust magazines. If I had more money, I'd have subscriptions to newer feminist zines, like Make/Shift, and older, like Ms. I'm also a frequenter of feministing.com.
I've always gravitated toward the written word--moreso than the spoken. I thoroughly enjoy writing both prose and poetry.
I'm interested in developing and finding a space for people to really discuss feminist issues and thoughts. I'm especially interested in delving into some of our conflicts and personal contradictions.
I welcome everyone to comment. Please feel free to post anonymously.
I'm currently a graduate student studying library and information science. I went to undergraduate school at Michigan State University, graduating with degrees in English and history. My interests of study have included and continue to include: women's history, the history of sexuality, women's literature, the study of pornography, and the development of women's libraries or women's studies collections in libraries.
I'm an avid reader of publications in women's studies and feminist blogs, which is evident from list of favorite books in my profile. I have subscriptions to both Bitch and Bust magazines. If I had more money, I'd have subscriptions to newer feminist zines, like Make/Shift, and older, like Ms. I'm also a frequenter of feministing.com.
I've always gravitated toward the written word--moreso than the spoken. I thoroughly enjoy writing both prose and poetry.
I'm interested in developing and finding a space for people to really discuss feminist issues and thoughts. I'm especially interested in delving into some of our conflicts and personal contradictions.
I welcome everyone to comment. Please feel free to post anonymously.
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