Comments on: Prostituting for Charity http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html Calling Patriarchy As We See It Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:51:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Travis http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html/comment-page-1#comment-57 Travis Thu, 14 Aug 2008 05:59:05 +0000 http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html#comment-57 I tried to include links in my last comment, but it didn't work. Let's try again, this time without the '' brackets. men & feminism: http://www.nomas.org/node/122 activist nudeness en masse http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org/ http://www.baringwitness.org/ I tried to include links in my last comment, but it didn’t work. Let’s try again, this time without the ” brackets.

men & feminism:
http://www.nomas.org/node/122

activist nudeness en masse
http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org/
http://www.baringwitness.org/

]]> By: Travis http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html/comment-page-1#comment-56 Travis Thu, 14 Aug 2008 05:55:24 +0000 http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html#comment-56 This is a tough question, and I can't answer it from a woman's -- or even a feminist -- perspective. But I wonder ( I haven't worked this out at all yet) if it could be seen as parallel to self-immolation. The shock factor of witnessing a person burn oneself to death is hoped to bring an issue into the minds of the public. For being a society that commodifies bodies, particularly womens' bodies, we're still pretty prudish and scared of the human (again, particularly female) body. For those who see it as immoral, or at the very least, improper, to reveal your naked self, such a display will get the message (animal rights, anti-war; anti-Bush in the case of the Dixie Chick's magazine cover) into the hearts and minds of the populace. Even bad press, such as bashing Pamela Anderson or the Dixie Chicks, can be good press for the movement the naked woman is highlighting. Of course it is not all good when women go nude for a cause. This conversation wouldn't be happening if it was. Have there been any cases of naked men in similar situations? What about nudeness en masse And celebrity certainly impacts this conversation as well. This is a tough question, and I can’t answer it from a woman’s — or even a feminist — perspective. But I wonder ( I haven’t worked this out at all yet) if it could be seen as parallel to self-immolation. The shock factor of witnessing a person burn oneself to death is hoped to bring an issue into the minds of the public. For being a society that commodifies bodies, particularly womens’ bodies, we’re still pretty prudish and scared of the human (again, particularly female) body. For those who see it as immoral, or at the very least, improper, to reveal your naked self, such a display will get the message (animal rights, anti-war; anti-Bush in the case of the Dixie Chick’s magazine cover) into the hearts and minds of the populace. Even bad press, such as bashing Pamela Anderson or the Dixie Chicks, can be good press for the movement the naked woman is highlighting. Of course it is not all good when women go nude for a cause. This conversation wouldn’t be happening if it was. Have there been any cases of naked men in similar situations? What about nudeness en masse And celebrity certainly impacts this conversation as well.

]]> By: Olympic Spirit « Womaen’s Caucus of the Church of the Brethren http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html/comment-page-1#comment-55 Olympic Spirit « Womaen’s Caucus of the Church of the Brethren Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:23:43 +0000 http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html#comment-55 [...] such as animals? Have we not all read Carol Adam’s classic, The Sexual Politics of Meat? Elsewhere, Anna Lisa has commented on the disappointment many of us feel that some women have no problem [...] [...] such as animals? Have we not all read Carol Adam’s classic, The Sexual Politics of Meat? Elsewhere, Anna Lisa has commented on the disappointment many of us feel that some women have no problem [...]

]]> By: Olympic Spirit « brethren priestess online http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html/comment-page-1#comment-54 Olympic Spirit « brethren priestess online Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:57:42 +0000 http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html#comment-54 [...] such as animals? Have we not all read Carol Adam’s classic, The Sexual Politics of Meat? Elsewhere, Anna Lisa has commented on the disappointment many of us feel that some women have no problem [...] [...] such as animals? Have we not all read Carol Adam’s classic, The Sexual Politics of Meat? Elsewhere, Anna Lisa has commented on the disappointment many of us feel that some women have no problem [...]

]]> By: Audrey http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html/comment-page-1#comment-48 Audrey Sun, 27 Jul 2008 03:58:56 +0000 http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html#comment-48 I think you're really getting into something here, in that the defense of porn and prostitution is so often "it's her choice." Choice is a core feminist value, what we fight for, but I think the current waves of feminism are realizing that 'choice' is much more heavily rooted in contextualization than we'd like to think. Does any one woman choose, all on her own, whether to have an abortion or bring a pregnancy to term? Does any one woman truly choose, all on her own , to prostitute herself? No and no, and the evidence is, as you point out, in the actual practice of these 'choices:' there is not a 'fair' distribution of persons in the sex industry, and that is largely because it is consumers who choose who works there (thanks, capitalism!) more than those whose sex is industrialized/consumed. I think you’re really getting into something here, in that the defense of porn and prostitution is so often “it’s her choice.” Choice is a core feminist value, what we fight for, but I think the current waves of feminism are realizing that ‘choice’ is much more heavily rooted in contextualization than we’d like to think.

Does any one woman choose, all on her own, whether to have an abortion or bring a pregnancy to term? Does any one woman truly choose, all on her own , to prostitute herself? No and no, and the evidence is, as you point out, in the actual practice of these ‘choices:’ there is not a ‘fair’ distribution of persons in the sex industry, and that is largely because it is consumers who choose who works there (thanks, capitalism!) more than those whose sex is industrialized/consumed.

]]> By: Stephanie http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html/comment-page-1#comment-9 Stephanie Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:31:11 +0000 http://www.thefeministreview.com/2008/04/prostituting-for-charity.html#comment-9 This is a really good, thought-provoking post. I've never been convinced by the "sex work can be empowering" argument, partly because it just doesn't hold up to much scrutiny and partly because the people I hear or read making it are often men or sex workers. One might think that if sex workers themselves are making the argument, then it must be true (because who would know better?) but the prevalence of childhood abuse (of various kinds), substance abuse (of various kinds) and plain old fashioned psychological defensiveness make me think that perhaps they're not the best judges. I, too, have been made uncomfortable by ads and campaigns by PETA and others that use the femaie body to make a political point. If it's not exploitive, then where are the male bodies? And where is the line between that ad and every other ad that looks the same but is for commercial gain? Is that the difference, the "righteousness" of the cause? And, if so, is that justified? Does one's concern for animal welfare require that one put one's feminism aside, and not judge PETA by the same standards we judge Chevy, or Absolut, or Ax? I don't want to have to choose which one is more important to me, animal welfare or feminism. Ideally, they should be part of a bigger umbrella of compassion towards all our fellow creatures. This is a really good, thought-provoking post. I’ve never been convinced by the “sex work can be empowering” argument, partly because it just doesn’t hold up to much scrutiny and partly because the people I hear or read making it are often men or sex workers. One might think that if sex workers themselves are making the argument, then it must be true (because who would know better?) but the prevalence of childhood abuse (of various kinds), substance abuse (of various kinds) and plain old fashioned psychological defensiveness make me think that perhaps they’re not the best judges.

I, too, have been made uncomfortable by ads and campaigns by PETA and others that use the femaie body to make a political point. If it’s not exploitive, then where are the male bodies? And where is the line between that ad and every other ad that looks the same but is for commercial gain? Is that the difference, the “righteousness” of the cause? And, if so, is that justified?

Does one’s concern for animal welfare require that one put one’s feminism aside, and not judge PETA by the same standards we judge Chevy, or Absolut, or Ax? I don’t want to have to choose which one is more important to me, animal welfare or feminism. Ideally, they should be part of a bigger umbrella of compassion towards all our fellow creatures.

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