[lbo-talk] sex at the margins

[John Thornton]

Knowing a few sex workers I'm not so sure there is this big distinction 
you believe exists.
I know SOME strippers would be insulted if you asked them if they were 
escorts but I also believe the line between them can just as easily be 
rather blurry.
The strippers I've known who would be offended if asked if they would 
perform sex acts were only offended that this particular person asked them.
Some strippers I've known didn't have a problem with performing sex acts 
with the right clients.
What they objected to was the attitude you are putting forth. That this 
is the lowest class of job available to someone, that they must be 
desperate for money and will therefore fuck anything waving a few bills 
in their direction. In other words they aren't offended by prostitution 
but by condescending BS attitudes.
The escort I knew who was attending law school in Chicago was probably 
atypical but the ones I spent some time with in Montreal were probably 
very typical.
They said they liked the work and didn't consider it humiliating at all. 
Some were proud of the skills they had learned.
The ones I've met where I live are just the same.
I have only recently come to know most of these sex workers through a 
friend who is a frequent client.
My preconceptions of sex workers has been reinforced in some areas but 
blown away in others.

John Thornton

Chris Doss wrote:
> It wasn't me who equated prostitutes and carpenters. I was making a reductio ad absurdum.
>
> Look, strippers are pretty low in the societal pecking order. Prostitutes, however, are viewed by most people, in all sociological categories, as the lowest of the low, the most degrading profession there is, the thing you absolutely do not want your daughter to do. This is why "whore" is an insult, whereas "carpenter" is not. It's lower than bank robber; probably somewhere around crack dealer; and far preferable to panhandler. OF COURSE MOST STRIPPERS ARE GOING TO INSIST THAT THEY ARE NOT PROSTITUTES, ALMOST THE MOST HUMILIATING PROFESSION, IN SOCIETY'S VIEW, THERE IS. HAVE YOU PEOPLE LOST YOUR MINDS?
>
> --- On Thu, 3/12/09, Percival Myers <permaceaem at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> From: Percival Myers <permaceaem at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] sex at the margins
>> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
>> Date: Thursday, March 12, 2009, 2:02 PM
>> On Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 3:20 AM, Chris Doss wrote:
>>     
>>> Therefore, teachers and carpenters are sex workers.
>>>       
>> Huh? Wow.
>>
>>     
>>> Aren't most strippers going to deny that they have
>>>       
>> anything in common with prostitutes?
>>
>> Sure, after they disqualify getting naked for the customer,
>> treating
>> the customer like a mark who must render payment, lap
>> dances *ahem*
>>
>> Chris, you ask some interesting questions sometimes but
>> good lord,
>> have you gone daft?
>>
>>
>>     
>>> --- On Wed, 3/11/09, Miles Jackson
>>>       
>> <cqmv at pdx.edu> wrote:
>>     
>>>> They're both wage workers, just like teachers
>>>>         
>> and
>>     
>>>> carpenters?
>>>>
>>>> Miles
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