MovieChat Forums > The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) Discussion > Legalizing prostitution ...?

Legalizing prostitution ...?

posted 16 years ago by scott-sw
25 replies | jump to latest

I don't know if the movie and play were statements to legalize prostitution or not, but this does bring up the question. Prostitution is legal in Nevada. That way it is regulated and the criminal element of pimps are taken out of the picture. Also, like in Nevada, girls would have to go through health screenings and the houses are inspected. If a woman is abused in this case, they could file a report without fear of being arrested for prostitution.
To me, though, the real problem is this: Should people be penalized for what two consenting adults agree to in the privacy of a home? There is no one being hurt.
It's called freedom. Yes, with freedom comes responsibility. But sometimes freedom has an ugly or unwholesome side--and that side exists. Ultimately, you cannot be free to do something unless you are free to not do something.
I agree minors could not participate in such activity. And there are moral implications. It may seem immoral to some people, and that is their peroggative.
But just because something is immoral does not neccessarily make it illegal.
So what does everyone think about it?

[–] philfeeley 7 years ago

Should people be penalized for what two consenting adults agree to in the privacy of a home? There is no one being hurt.

You and others on this thread are alarmingly naive. Read “Paid For: My Journey Through Prostitution" by Rachel Moran, a memoir about her life in prostitution. No one is there by choice, she says. Listen to her interview with Chris Hedges (http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/chris_hedges_and_rachel_moran_discuss_the_reality_of_prostitution_20161121), then really think about the above statement. Is no one being hurt? It's nonsense to even think that.

[–] mpurvismattp 7 years ago

The average street Walker and a prostitute working at a place like the bunny ranch are two completely different things. One is working the corner and often putting themselves in comprising and dangerous situations. The other is being tested for diseases, regulated, using condoms and in a much safer environment with security watching out for their safety. There will always be prostitution, so why would you not want people selling their bodies to be at lower risk of danger?

[–] philfeeley 7 years ago

Did you even listen to the interview or read anything by Rachel Moran? I didn't say anything about "not wanting people selling their bodies to be at lower risk". Of course everyone should want that, but it says nothing about the whole question of women being sold as commodities. It says nothing about maintaining a society of male dominance and violence. All the security in the world (Vegas or wherever) doesn't deal with the fact that these women (and others) are being exploited in the most extreme and demeaning ways possible.

[–] 7 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mpurvismattp 7 years ago

Oh I see...your a 3rd wave feminist. Well I'll to make my point and see what happens. Why do i need to read anything by Rachel Moran exactly? I already realize that many women are pushed into prostitution, that's obvious. But that doesn't mean EVERY woman is, now does it? Many women do it by choice to get easy money, and so do men. Some people make THEIR OWN choices, prostitutes are no different. And what about the lonely men who are exploited? They are more often the ones targeted by pimps and prostitutes as easy marks. If you want to stop legalized prostitution ( as you claimed) then you are indeed saying you want street walkers to be at greater risk. Prostitution will always be prevelant in our society. So you can either except it, legalize and regulate it to make it safer. Or you can put people at greater risk of murder, robbery and abuse by leaving it the way it is. You seem to want to do the latter, which is absurd. You can't have it both ways.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 5 years ago

Actually, prostitution in private is fully legal. One person can privately pay another for sex. They can ask or offer.

What's illegal is, technically, "solicitation" for sex in public.

In that way, it's treated kinda like drinking.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Prostitution is legal down here under strict laws and regulations. It still doesn't stop street walkers (which are illegal here) or women working in brothels or as escorts to provide unsafe oral or imtercourse which is also illegal under prostitution laws.

So legalising it doesn't always work the way it is hoped it will. But at least there is some control in place.

[–] marktayloruk (2378) a year ago

Legalise prostitution by repealing laws against it.