Agnostic.com

51 7

Is it better to legalize prostitution or keep it illegal

I find prostitution to be distasteful, but I think it is better for the health of society to make it legal.

  • 138 votes
  • 3 votes
  • 3 votes
paul1967 8 May 2
Share

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

51 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

7

George Carlin said it best, "Why make selling something illegal that's perfectly legal to give away?"

LMAO Man do I miss him. He didn't have, common sense he had exceptional sense.

3

I think it should be legal.

3

Sex workers get equal rights

3

Legalize, destigmatize, legitimize, regulate, and tax. Incels will have no excuses.

I was thinking them when i said legalize

I get the hint of satire, and irony yet you're both forgetting another factor. Cost.

If you think that the majority of these "incels" have high paying careers apart from their self destructive lifestyles, whether chosen or inflicted due to mental health issues, can afford a brothel then it's sadly not in the realm of reality.

Not to forget that most of these incels are the most common "slut shamers" out there, so legal prostitutes would be seen to them as 'unworthy' and a waste of money.

While it may not cure these whiny, hot air bags, of their apparent, media hyped desire, to seek out our blood. It'd be a damn fun time for those that seek out sex for the pleasure of sex. I vote legalize.

@DavidAckerman Actually I was half joking with that. I think there would be some effect on incel culture--but some mutated form would likely remain. Like, they would make it about "girlfriendy-stuff" like affection, appreciation, love, dating, emotional support, etc. The same "Wah, girls aren't giving me" but only not about sex anymore.

@BeardedWonder You are obvs more studied up on this than I. Sounds totally legit.

@stinkeye_a
Oh stop it you, I'll blush. 😛 I wouldn't say studied, I'm an armchair psychologist at best; I just try to look at the larger picture.

3

I say legalize it. If not, create red light districts. I could never pay for sex or get involved with that sort of a lifestyle. I always felt like if I had to pay for sex, I would be stooping to a new low. I understand people will pay for sex, but it is their own choice.

I agree, and my girl Rosie Palm would give me hell for paying for it anyways. Too much info... yeah it was, but that's just because I don't have a working embarrassment filter.

@paul1967 There is nothing wrong with self-love. Sure it maybe a mental image, but we all make love to our selves, right? I have been told by other guys they don't do that sort of thing, and I say bull$h!t on that.

@countrylife LMFAO If they don't then shame on them.

4

We are so far behind other countries on this. Legalize it!

3

Geeze.... Lets just give it away, give it away...
Watch "Red Hot Chili Peppers - Give It Away [Official Music Video]" on YouTube

UH, just so you know, they were talking about their music.

"The lyrical meaning behind "Give It Away" is centered on the philosophy of selflessness and altruistic behavior. . . .When Kiedis was looking through her closet he came across a jacket he liked, and commented to Hagen that it was "really cool".[9] Upon expressing this, Hagen immediately told him to keep it. Her reasoning behind this selflessness was due to an attempt to constantly make her life more enjoyable, and explained to Kiedis that "if you have a closet full of clothes and you try to keep them all, your life will get very small. But if you have a full closet and someone sees something they like, if you give it to them, the world is a better place."[9]

The act was something that affected Kiedis significantly because he had never before experienced such an enlightening ideology on life. Growing up in Los Angeles, he had always thought differently from Hagen. Instead of giving material possessions away and being free thinking, the vocalist believed one must take what one wants, as no one else will provide.[9] Instead, he now adopted Hagen's philosophy: "It was such an epiphany that someone would want to give me her favorite thing. That stuck with me forever. Every time I'd be thinking 'I have to keep,' I'd remember 'No, you gotta give away instead.' When I started going regularly to [drug and alcohol] meetings, one of the principles I had learned was that the way to maintain your own sobriety is to give it to another suffering alcoholic. Every time you empty your vessel of that energy, fresh new energy comes flooding in."

The Band was talking about sharing their music, much to the record companies dismay

Listen to it again and think music instead of sex and you will see it all fits, its a double metaphor

@Davesnothere. Thanks Dave.... there went my joke...lol. BTW... I didn't know that.

@BucketlistBob I like you, Dave, you're weird but in a good way.

@Knd502 most double metaphors have an element of humor to them

@Knd502 because it sounded like he missed it and only got one side and I am fond of that poet

4

I'm just not sure how it would affect human trafficking. If I knew legalizing prostitution wouldn't make it more prevalent I'd vote in favor.

You have a point I hadn't considered. I don't know the answer to that, but my instinct says it might lessen it because the government regulates it and they get taxed like everyone else, but I could be wrong too. Anyways, good point, I'll need more time to consider it.

I think it would affect trafficing by cutting off the supply. If men (or women) were able to go to a place and do this legaly then there would be less of a market for sex trafficing. Also women who are assulted or abused by a client during the corse of things would be able to go to the athorities. As of now they can't do much about it because they would be admitting to a crime themselves.

Legalization would permit law enforcement to concentrate on trafficking rather than harassment of women working to make a living. Trafficking won't stop, but it can be better policed.

@paul1967 there is an interesting documentary on Netflix called Tricked (2013) that discusses the connection between prostitution and human trafficking. I'm not suggesting it's the end all on the topic but it brings a few views to light worth considering.

[m.imdb.com]

@MarlaPaine I will check it out. Thank you

3

Seems we now have pissed off white male virgins terrerost. This may help less the less radical pissed off virgins

5

Make it legal. Stop the hypocricy.

7

Better to make it legal. Health screenings, birth control and not getting beat up by a pimp. I have no interest in partaking but people gonna do what they’re gonna do... prostitution is at least consensual and for that reason should not be illegal.

Do you think if it this question were put on a national ballot it would pass? Most people here are progressive or liberal and therefore more inclined to say legalize it, but my guess is moderate voters, and even some conservative people would see the logic in legalizing it.

@paul1967 I don’t think it would pass. This country is way too christian. Logic only matters to a logical mind.

@ArdentAtheist LMAO. It's funny because it's true and it's sad for the same reason.

6

in germany, switzerland, austria, the netherlands, greece, hungary, turkey & latvia prostitution is legal & regulated, & why would it not? renting out our bodies for any other physical exploit is legal, is it not? how hypocritical can we be?

You're spot on as usual.

@paul1967 😀 thanks & blush

3

I would say yes, but the exploitation of women does not end with legalization.
It just changes form.

I agree, however, whether it's legal or not, it's happening.

@paul1967 That is true, but legalizing it is not a solution.

@Davesnothere Is the better solution to keep it illegal allowing criminals to profit, diseases to be spread, and having drugs pushed on the women to maintain control over them until we can find a better solution? I'm not trying to be snarky, and maybe you're correct, but it just seems obvious to me that regulation by the government appears to be a better option since no better solution has been offered up over the last two thousand years. plus years

@paul1967 Except that legalization in Europe did not stop any of that, it just drove it underground. Sex slavery is still rampant.

I do not think the solution is in law, nor do I think it is attanable anymore than utopia or an end to war.
I think the only real solution is for humans to elevate their own sense of worth, to value other humans as much as themselves universally.

I am not holding my breath on that.

4

Legalize

9

it seems like if they have legalized it on Capitol Hill they should legalize it elsewhere.

3

As someone who believes in individual liberty, I say it should be legal, and let adults make decisions for themselves.

4

Honestly, why hasn't this happened already? Too many people making lots of money this way, on both sides of the fence, and we all know who is getting screwed. Would legalizing help? It would help some folks.

6
  1. I thought it was already legal? Congress is already prostituting themselves.

  2. like the no vote choice.

  3. Legalize it for safety. Everyone's safety: sex workers, johns, police, brothers, etc.

5

The Greeks and Romans had it right: service in the name of Aphrodite served the state.

RichE Level 5 May 2, 2018
2

I believe the reason it works out well being legalized in other countries is that there is less misogyny, though I don't know for sure. The entire concept is very misogynistic. Also, I don't think if it was legalized women would be as protected as they ought to be. ON THE OTHER HAND, it is always going to happen, and at least legalizing it would give SOME benefit to people. But once it's legal, the scummy pimps will just turn to underage girls. And boys. Because there will always be a market for pervs to find access to acts that we simply cannot be human and legalize.

That's another point I haven't considered. Child sex trafficking. I've been alive for 50 years, and things still shock me to my core and that one is at the top of my list. If my brain were wired to lust after kids and I couldn't control that impulse, I would blow my brains out.

@paul1967 Me, too. Because I actually believe that there are people with various unspeakable desires, and I feel very sorry for them. But there are just lines. And I would do the same thing, kill myself, if I had one of those kinds of urges. I think. Of course I wouldn't know unless I was there. But I believe a lot of people probably do. Also, it pisses me off, but if somebody does have those urges and tries to get help, they are criminalized immediately. Well, my entire knowledge base of it is Law & Order SVU, but from what I understand, that show is, at last on forming awareness of the big issues, pretty true to reality.

This is a valid point. The only thing I would contest is that the focus would be more narrow supposing that we still had the same population in vice squads. The population of pedophiles must be significantly smaller than that of non-pedophiles.

@Jenmcjen I don't know either, but if that's true, that's a travesty of justice. I've been to therapy enough times in my life to know that my therapist isn't allowed to report anything I say to them unless I tell him/her my intent to commit an illegal act and even that is a grey area.

@Gwendolyn2018 They are but would the loss of adult prostitution push them to increase the number of child sex workers. I was thinking about this question after @Jenmcjen brought this issue to light for me and I think that as long as the demand doesn't increase which it shouldn't the supply wouldn't grow. However, I'm no expert on this topic so I have no idea other than just what is logically true.

11

It's just commerce. If someone wants anonymous sex without any entanglements, and another person has that to offer, why not allow two consenting adults to make the transactional exchange? If there's no law preventing them from having sex without a contract, then why should we interfere if they decide to monetize it? While I find the idea distasteful for myself, I've never cared to tell another adult what to do.

6

There is an old saying (I am paraphrasing here): "If people want something, and you make it illegal, you will only make criminals rich." All you have to do is look at Prohibition and our country's Drug War to see that this is true.

I said "if people want something..." Are you implying that you want murder?

@Fanburger You're comparing prostitution to murder? I may be able to see your point if the person agreed to be murdered.

That's true to a point and trust me I get you know this, but there are limits to that philosophy. An example would be underage prostitution. My primary concern is that we legalize prostitution and the criminals who profited from adult prostitution will turn to sex trafficking children.

@Fanburger Legalized murder? Reminds me of the movie, The Purge.

@Fanburger extrapolation is not actual thought!

8

Legalise it, regulate it, tax the shit out of it like everything else.

2

I don't understand why a man would go to a prostitute, but I think he should have a right to do so.

I agree 100% on both points.

1

oops hit wrong button, thought it said, keep it legal, as it is legal here to some extent.

Write Comment
You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:72105
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.