Is it just me, or do people need to start seeing the + of escorting?

[Mocha]

I'm using + simply as an abbreviation for "positive", but I'm not referencing being POZ in its technical meaning.

 

It's starting to piss me off. This year alone, Everytime you look around there's something in the media that says paying for sex is bad, bad, bad. First we had the subway guy linked to paying for underage affairs, then the rentboy raid, and now the situation in Nevada with the ex ball player...even in a legal brothel.

 

I was watching the show "the talk" today, and one of the cast said, "he shouldn't be prosecuted, they need to also look at the brothel because there's drug use going on there".

 

I'm just like, you know what..this has to stop. Stuff like this just continues to be a hinderance to making anything legalized. Then in my own area, there's been 2 stories back to back about people being prosecuted for involving minors in sex trafficking/paying for sex.

 

I know the media is going to only focus on bullshit anyway, but what's the alternative? I know reaching a mass audience via local 7 news and HLN and having them say, "hey, lots of people live a happy, independent, legal lifestyle from prostitution...and there's no kids/drugs involved" is probably not going to make press...but still, all this bullshit circulating is not doing the biz any justice.

[bostonman]

We still, unfortunately, live in a very puritanical, prudish society. Sex is bad, bad, bad. Paying for it is worse. Nothing's going to change until society at large stops being so hypocritically shocked by the fact that, yes, people do actually want to have sex, and very often without any goal for procreation.

[rvwnsd]

I agree with you. People do drugs in the alley behind my condo complex. Do we ban alleys or condo complex parking lots? Of course we don't. That would be absurd. However, we are unable or unwilling to make a similar separation between the ballplayer taking drugs and the venue in which he took them when that venue is a brothel. If he took the drugs in the bathroom at Nordstrom would we try to close down Nordstrom?

[+ glennnn]

Try to be patient. Bull shit takes a long time to dry up and blow away. Remember, gay sex was a felony in some states just a few years ago; now gay marriage is legal in every state. A few years ago, straight unmarried couples had to pretend to be celibate; they couldn't even get a room at a "respectable" hotel. Now they share a bed when they go home to see mom and dad. It all takes time.

 

This does not mean we shouldn't raise the issue of legalized sex work loudly and clearly and constantly. It is a civil rights issue and as African Americans, the LGBT community, women and other groups have shown, make your demands strongly enough and they will eventually be met.

 

It is also another example of the violation of the separation of church,and state provided by the U S Constitution. It is a religious issue, and as an athiest, I refuse to allow religious compunction to order my life.

 

Write! Speak! March! Vote!

 

Legalize Sex Services Now!

[marylander1940]

I'm using + simply as an abbreviation for "positive", but I'm not referencing being POZ in its technical meaning.

 

It's starting to piss me off. This year alone, Everytime you look around there's something in the media that says paying for sex is bad, bad, bad. First we had the subway guy linked to paying for underage affairs, then the rentboy raid, and now the situation in Nevada with the ex ball player...even in a legal brothel.

 

I was watching the show "the talk" today, and one of the cast said, "he shouldn't be prosecuted, they need to also look at the brothel because there's drug use going on there".

 

I'm just like, you know what..this has to stop. Stuff like this just continues to be a hinderance to making anything legalized. Then in my own area, there's been 2 stories back to back about people being prosecuted for involving minors in sex trafficking/paying for sex.

 

I know the media is going to only focus on bullshit anyway, but what's the alternative? I know reaching a mass audience via local 7 news and HLN and having them say, "hey, lots of people live a happy, independent, legal lifestyle from prostitution...and there's no kids/drugs involved" is probably not going to make press...but still, all this bullshit circulating is not doing the biz any justice.

 

I agree with you, maybe he did drugs (cocaine allegedly) before going to the brothel but it was his own choice to do it. I'm sill of all the whore-shaming of girls and men who truly self-employed and who give a very important service to the community while keeping other women away from conmen who would say and promise whatever it takes to get laid, and even use alcohol and roofies to achieve scoring.

[marylander1940]

I'm using + simply as an abbreviation for "positive", but I'm not referencing being POZ in its technical meaning.

 

It's starting to piss me off. This year alone, Everytime you look around there's something in the media that says paying for sex is bad, bad, bad. First we had the subway guy linked to paying for underage affairs, then the rentboy raid, and now the situation in Nevada with the ex ball player...even in a legal brothel.

 

I was watching the show "the talk" today, and one of the cast said, "he shouldn't be prosecuted, they need to also look at the brothel because there's drug use going on there".

 

I'm just like, you know what..this has to stop. Stuff like this just continues to be a hinderance to making anything legalized. Then in my own area, there's been 2 stories back to back about people being prosecuted for involving minors in sex trafficking/paying for sex.

 

I know the media is going to only focus on bullshit anyway, but what's the alternative? I know reaching a mass audience via local 7 news and HLN and having them say, "hey, lots of people live a happy, independent, legal lifestyle from prostitution...and there's no kids/drugs involved" is probably not going to make press...but still, all this bullshit circulating is not doing the biz any justice.

 

I agree with you, maybe he did drugs (cocaine allegedly) before going to the brothel but it was his own choice to do it. I'm sill of all the whore-shaming of girls and men who truly self-employed and who give a very important service to the community while keeping other women away from conmen who would say and promise whatever it takes to get laid, and even use alcohol and roofies to have sex.

[Mocha]

We still, unfortunately, live in a very puritanical, prudish society. Sex is bad, bad, bad. Paying for it is worse. Nothing's going to change until society at large stops being so hypocritically shocked by the fact that, yes, people do actually want to have sex, and very often without any goal for procreation.

 

Right. It's not to say I condone underage this or that, or that PnP is fine...but I'm starting to wonder if people can understand they don't go hand in hand. Granted, the stories Making headlines are scandalous and careless...but kind of bringing in Mikey's thread of is the biz at an all time low; these kind of stories continue to hamstring the business.

 

The good thing is, I think the majority of reasonable people understand that these things are all relative, and not things as a whole. However, when stuff like this does happen, it reinforces pronconeived notions in people, and then we have to start all over again from scratch.

 

Even though rentboy wasn't the only site clients contacted from, it still zapped an entire audience.

[Guest countryboywny]

Okay so go do something about it. Give a seminar, write a book..or you can rant on a site about how people should accept escorts on a site that's about embracing escorting. Make music because people drown out noise.

 

And may I add, clearly many people do see the plus side of escorting, we're all here talking, hiring (hopefully) and posting good things about topics related to escorting. Does every single person need to? No. Should they? Not if it goes against their beliefs. No single one of us can change the world BUT when we be the change we want to see that's one more person representing escorting in a nice way. The people that are causing escorting to be seen negatively, well that's a shame. The people that perceive escorting negatively aren't people we should be targeting as clients, so in the end, what's the fuss?

 

Excellent post, KJ.. again.

 

You are so right that "not one of us can change the world but when we be the change..". Being with escorts has been a very positive thing in my life, and I have met some of the most interesting, wonderful men as a result. I have always railed against negativity on this board.

[curiousnomore]

Mocha was right to bring up this topic. Killian was right in his reply. We can't change public opinion amongst ourselves. We have to advocate for our freedom. To be an Escort, or a Client. We choose to meet.

 

Here's a question for everyone:

If we sign Consent Forms and film our time together, it's porn. If we don't sign Consent Forms and no camera is present, it's illegal.

 

Can anyone rationally explain the difference?

[AdamSmith]

Porn is an industry with a lobby?

[JC954]

Porn is an industry with a lobby?

 

Lobby = closeted republicans.......And I was never here......

[MsGuy]

Porn is an industry with a lobby?

 

Alternatively, one could say that porn is a form of speech and, as such, has certain constitutional protections (albeit a bit more limited than the Donald).

 

Of course a well funded lobby loaded up with high dollar legal talent and respectable allies in the press and media who get antsy when folks get to paring down the First Amendment never hurts.

[Mocha]

Okay so go do something about it. Give a seminar, write a book..or you can rant on a site about how people should accept escorts on a site that's about embracing escorting. Make music because people drown out noise.

 

people that perceive escorting negatively aren't people we should be targeting as clients, so in the end, what's the fuss?

 

Well Goddamn, why you gotta be so fucking pretentious about it. Shit. I'm just asking a question. Take a chill and water pill, because you're Pmsing right about now. The whole point I'm making is that the industry is getting a bad rep right now (even though underage girls and Nevada brothels aren't really OUR business.)

 

People may be embracing escorting here...but its not the word out right now. I do my part to do "something" about it by doing me. Clear as that.

 

We don't have to target people who perceive escorting negatively, you're right. But all I'm trying to say is, if we're going to press an issue into legalization..we DO need to target the image and ideas people see in everyday media. We can put legalization on the ballot, but when all people can see is children being sold for sex, and NBA players convulsing on the floor at legal brothels. It's just not going to be any rush to make things legalized, and more and more websites and escorts will continue to be seen negatively. And 200 years later, prostitution in America will still be illegal, just like slavery went on for 200 years and finally a light bulb went off hundreds of years later.

 

I don't know how to change it, but it's just a little food for thought. Don't kill me just because I'm giving the stepping stones to legalization.