[Bulldog]

It makes it prostitution.

Well, I'd suggest our lawmakers have made an arbitrary judgment that prostitution is illegal/bad and you are attempting to use that as a contingent argument against porn. Flip it around and ask; if porn is ok, why not prostitution? I personally don't have a strong opinion on it, and no desire to pay for it. LOL. But I have been enough of a student of history to know that its been around forever and never illegal until recently. Why do you think it should be illegal?


If that's true, then why sugar-coat it and try to make it no different than non-commercial sex?

Don't forget that if you and your love made a vid of your escapades together and then received compensation for it--that's commercialporn. You might need the money, you might be an exhibitionist. But in this example with the partner of your choice. Not for me to judge. But it doesn't speak to any denigration or exploitation. I just don't think I personally am cut out for showing up and being told this is the person I'm performing with today as one of the variations on commercial porn. Both scenarios are commercial porn.

I think this discussion is cool and it's awesome that Stephanie has joined us to give us a firsthand, open insight into something that affects us all. I think we need to be real with ourselves though.

Agreed!! Thanks Stephanie!!

[Bulldog]

Sorry all--esp Stillness. I goofed on response format. My response above is each second paragraph. It shows as Stillness's quote and is not.

In short my point(s) are.

1). Commercial porn is porn for which you receive compensation. Where's the exploitation when a couple makes a vid/pics and then mutually decides to sell it? Maybe they just like exhibitionism or like the money. The porn industry isn't just "big companies".

2). "The road to hell is paved with good intentions". And judgment based upon personal bias. Ask yourself why prostitution is illegal and there aren't many reasons beyond the fact that it has many issues BECAUSE it is illegal and unregulated. Who would be "forced" into prostitution if it were legal? My personal choice against it has nothing to do with the fact it is an obvious industry in the marketplace. It strikes me as a marked parallel to prohibition. Making alcohol illegal only meant no regulations on the work place, process and product. Making it illegal only hurt everyone involved--didn't change demand.

3). Little good has ever come from judging and executing laws against sexual activity between consenting adults. To me the porn question is one of those areas. And when I hear questions about for/against porn that seems a harbinger for exactly that. Morality laws are always suspect to my mind. There are still many counties in the nation with laws making sodomy illegal. Which means any anal or oral sex. Really??

Just my .02 cents.

[Patti-here]

Prohibition was meant to legislate peoples morality,, you can't legislate morality, that goes against nature...

[Bulldog]

Agreed!! Thank You Patti-here!!

[Patti-here]

Agreed!! Thank You Patti-here!!

Anytime

[Stillness]

No worries on the formatting.

I don't have any opinion on legality and didn't make any arguments regarding it. I think pornography and prostitution are harmful regardless of whether or not they're illegal - to the individuals involved and to all of us.

In regards to prostitution and a couple resorting to it, I think you captured some of the problem with it with your own feelings. When you sell yourself sexually, it does bad things to you psychologically.

[Patti-here]

They don't "Sell" themselves Still, they "Rent" themselves,,, there is a difference between selling and renting...

[Claret]

Jumping in here --- Prostitutes are selling sexual services. In very few instances are they sold for sex. That would imply a "slavery". In some instances especially in third-world countries, some young girls are being sold to persons to become forced prostitutes (slaves), and therefore are considered to be "sold" for sex and this can happen world-wide. It really isn't exclusive.

In North America, much of Europe, Australia, etc.. it is not illegal to have sex with another person, however it would be considered illegal to "solicit for the purposes of prostitution". So, then the mere fact that you have offered to provide sex for money is the crime.

[Claret]

Jumping in here --- Prostitutes are selling sexual services. In very few instances are they sold for sex. That would imply a "slavery". In some instances especially in third-world countries, some young girls are being sold to persons to become forced prostitutes (slaves), and therefore are considered to be "sold" for sex and this can happen world-wide. It really isn't exclusive.

In North America, much of Europe, Australia, etc.. it is not illegal to have sex with another person, however it would be considered illegal to "solicit for the purposes of prostitution". So, then the mere fact that you have offered to provide sex for money is the crime.

In addition: according to the Supreme Court of Canada (and here we are basically decriminalized the prostitution laws)
Prostitution in Canada is legal as there are no laws prohibiting the exchange of sex for money. On the 20th December 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada found the laws prohibiting brothels, public communication for the purpose of prostitution, and living on the profits of prostitution to be unconstitutional. The ruling gives the Canadian parliament 12 months to rewrite the prostitution laws; in the meantime, anti-prostitution laws will continue to be enforced.[1]

While the prohibition of the activities surrounding the sex trade makes it difficult to practice prostitution without breaking any law, the act of exchanging sex for money has never been illegal in Canada, a situation which has created and continues to create confusion and controversy.

The prostitution laws have been largely unchanged since the early 19th century despite frequent commissions, studies and constitutional challenges since the introduction of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982.

There is a general agreement that the status quo of prostitution in Canada is problematic, but there is no consensus on what should be done.[2] There is an ideological disagreement between those who want to see prostitution eliminated, generally because they view it either as an exploitative or unacceptable part of society, and those who view prostitution as a transaction between consenting adults and advocate decriminalisation. The term "sex work" is used interchangeably with "prostitution" in this article, in accordance with the World Health Organisation (WHO 2001; WHO 2005) and the United Nations (UN 2006; UNAIDS 2002).[3]

So I must retract part of what I wrote above.

[Patti-here]

Jumping in here --- Prostitutes are selling sexual services. In very few instances are they sold for sex. That would imply a "slavery". In some instances especially in third-world countries, some young girls are being sold to persons to become forced prostitutes (slaves), and therefore are considered to be "sold" for sex and this can happen world-wide. It really isn't exclusive.

In North America, much of Europe, Australia, etc.. it is not illegal to have sex with another person, however it would be considered illegal to "solicit for the purposes of prostitution". So, then the mere fact that you have offered to provide sex for money is the crime.

Exactly,, if you 'sell' yourself, you're becoming someone's property...