Marxism for Whores

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

http://salvage.zone/corvid_all.html


People all over the world, mostly women, often mothers, become sex workers, often to support their families. If a radical feminist says to me that my work is an abomination, I say to her that all work is an abomination, and invite her to step down off her pedestal. Here on the ground, women clean fish, and toilets, and the bottoms of the disabled and elderly. And some of us do sex work. I stand with her against the coercion, degradation, and fear that is undeniably present in some parts of sex work, but if she wishes to end it, let her stand with me against austerity, and the indignity of so much of the labour of women.

[lutraphile]

Salvage has been very good so far, hope they continue producing

[Rafiq]

It is true that opposing prostitution in principle without a wider condemnation of all forms of degradation and exploitation is nothing short of hypocritical.

But the notion that prostitution is identical to them is erroneous: prostitution encapsulates the logic of capitalist sexuality insofar as all varying degrees of it in other domains are reducible to it. Prostitution makes bare the general condition of women's sexuality, which is itself conceived a a commodity. It does not mean sex workers ought to be chastised. Indeed, sex work is possible without overt forms of abuse, and so on - sex workers can live grand and fulfilling lives. But this doesn't mean anything with regard to the underlying unique nature of prostitution as encapsulating the condition of women's sexual slavery. The logic of the John is a logic that is not confined to the urban neon-lit rooms of brothels, nor it is it only found in the secluded, dark corners of the capitalist underworld wherein those in power enjoy the pleasures of the flesh anonymously and without the restrictions of the official morality they so often like to tout on about...

The logic of the John is the de-facto logic of capitalist sexuality that is inherent in the very edifice of the male gender identity. This is why virtually all Communists were absolutely and unconditionally opposed to prostitution, even uniquely - from Bebel to Kollontai. A society wherein sex can be bought is a society wherein sexuality cannot be free. What, if not prostitution, better encapsulates the unfreedom of sexuality?

[mushroompizza]

Sex negative feminists are the social democrats of the gender world. They're just trying to fix a broken machine. The problem with prostitution is not that its "dirty" but that its capitalist and should be deregulated.

[BIXX]

Sex negative feminists are the social democrats of the gender world. They're just trying to fix a broken machine. The problem with prostitution is not that its "dirty" but that its capitalist and should be deregulated.

I've never met a self-idemtified sex-negative feminist who thinks prostitution is "dirty".

Where do you get the idea they're trying to fix a broken machine?

[mushroompizza]

My sister is a sex negative feminist, believes women need to be liberated by not wearing inappropriate clothing like short shorts or tank tops. :glare: They think prostitution is dirty and "demeaning to women".

They're trying to fix a broken machine because most think feminism can exist in a capitalist society. They just want reform like bans on strip clubs or porn, but most are fine with capitalism.

[BIXX]

So you're saying that because your sister thinks this that this is what sex-negative feminism is?

[Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages]

Why not post proof to back your point rather than just asserting that he's wrong? I actually agree with him to a point, I think the most common form of sex-negative rhetoric I encounter is based is moralizing rather than an anti-capitalist character. Opposition to sex-work in some far off future society seems perfectly reasonable to me, to oppose it within the context of capitalism is baseless hand-wringing. You're essentially just opposing workers rights due to personal moral outrage. If that's the camp you want to be in, that's cool but be honest about it.

I'm reminded of some friends of mine who years ago began picketing a strip club with the intention of getting the workers there to quit. When I asked if they would be able to provide those women with new employment after they quit I was met only with confused looks. So step 1 is getting women out of sex work, OK that's cool, but what is step 2?