Sex Work Flow Chart

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I really do try and stay apolitical here.  It doesn't matter which side of the aisle your preferred legislators congregate, pretty much everybody has sexy times, and I don't want to make anyone feel unwelcome.

Fer serious, y'all!  Come on in!

There are couple of things I'm pretty unwavering in my support of, however.  I am deeply, deeply pro-choice (don't believe in abortions?  Don't have one!), and I'm highly supportive of legalized, well-regulated prostitution (don't want to support prostitution?  Don't hire a prostitute!).  If this bugs you enough not to read further...well, chances are you're not reading this, anyway, so I guess it's irrelevant.  Moving on!

I often struggle with explaining my support of legalized prostitution.  At it's basis, there is a belief that adult people have a right to do with their bodies what they choose.  If what they choose to do is rent their warm and cozy places to other adults...seems to me like they should be able to do that.  Isn't that what being a damn grown-up is about?  Doing what you want (provided you're not hurting anyone)?

Damn straight.  That, and also beer.

But there are complicating factors that keeps it from actually being simple.  Truth is, lots of exceedingly awful things can look identical to consensual, legal prostitution.  Things like sex slavery and human trafficking.  Here's something to remember though:  they are not the same thing.  Consensual prostitution is just that - consensual.  Everyone is fully aware of what is going on and has signed on willingly, and when it's legal, there are third parties watching out for everyone's general welfare.  Slavery and trafficking are, very literally, the exact opposite of all that.  By definition.  

NOT THE SAME.

But seriously, my brain has started to go off on the zillion little tangents it goes on when I start thinking about this (hence, the aforementioned struggle)...some people doing sex work consensually could be doing so for destructive reasons...but then, they're grownups too...the freedom to make one's own decisions includes the freedom to make bad decisions...adding governmental control to sexuality has, historically, not turned out so well...

You can't tell me you can't see how this could actually happen

A friend of mine posted the following diagram this morning on Facebook (danke, Sil!).  It says, in diagram form, pretty much exactly how I feel about the matter.  It compiles it all into a lovely, concise, format that doesn't go off half-cocked on tangents that are, while important, only a fraction of what it's trying to get across.  It's very articulate that way.

embiggen!

Yep, that about about covers it.  Except for the use of the word "civilized".  I hate that word.  Replace that with "compassionate" and/or "open-minded" and I'd risk plagiarizing.  Except not really, because plagiarism sucks.  This was entirely the work of annemodus!  

All this being said, this is not an endorsement of you going out and becoming or seeking out a prostitute.  I just think that if you want to do that, you should be able to safely and without risk of prosecution.  Because yay for surviving childhood and getting to do what you want!