"A Toronto judge has struck down Canada’s prostitution laws, saying provisions meant to protect women and residential neighbourhoods are endangering sex workers’ lives.
If Justice Susan Himel’s decision stands, prostitutes will be able to communicate freely with customers on the street, conduct business in their homes or brothels and hire bodyguards and accountants without exposing them to the risk of criminal sanctions.
“How am I going to celebrate? I’m going to spank some ass,” Bedford, cracking a riding whip, told reporters.
Scott said the decision means sex workers no longer have to “worry about being raped, robbed or murdered.”
Federal lawyers maintained that prostitution is inherently risky whether it is practised indoors or outdoors and that decriminalizing it would be out of sync with the moral values of most Canadians.
Scott said sex workers want to work with municipalities and be responsible business owners and neighbours.
Citizens shouldn’t worry about a brothel opening up next door, she added.
“There is no reason to be afraid. Lightening bolts won’t hit the sidewalk,” said Scott. “There won’t be frogs all over.'"
Good news abounds this morning. While this bill has been given a 30 day suspension while rich, white, upper class, male congressmen hem and haw over protecting the safety of ALL their citizens, the fact that it even got signed into existence gives me great hope.
Sex workers have been around forever - even the bible, that ineffable tome which so many rich, white, upper class, male congressmen seem to be enamored with, features prostitutes and 'sinful women' who help the Lord along his ineffable plan (Joshua 6:17–25, Luke 7:36–50). I just proved that the bible can be used to prove anything, but that's really not what I'm trying to prove at the moment. Sex workers have been around a long time, and it's unlikely they will ever not be around. After all, sex is an integral part of almost all life forms (barring of course asexual reproducers and hermaphroditic reproducers, but most of those live in the sea) and humans have made it into rather an art. Thus, denouncing sex workers as immoral or unworthy of legal protection is not a practical political stance; really, it's just an externalization of white, upper class, male congressman guilt.
Prostitutes exist. They will and they have. They are citizens (we're not going to get into human trafficking and immigration business right now, I have to go to class too soon for that) and deserve all the protections therein. Why is prostitution such a dangerous job? Because they are not getting the full protection they deserve and, frankly, that they need. Why is so much violence perpetrated against sex workers? Because of that lack of protection. Why is no one protecting these women AND men? Rich, white, upper class, male congressmen (and, to be fair, rich, white, upper class, females) with their collective heads in collectively unsavory locations.
Have I ranted enough for this morning? Maybe. I'll be keeping tabs on this. More to come, surely.
(also, come talk to me if you think I'm totally insane, I don't bite particularly hard and I'd love to discuss it)
(p.s. yay for canada)
I definitely have to say that this is a very positive thing. The problem with legislators declaring things they don't agree with as "immoral" is that it makes it virtually impossible to regulate the area. We've seen this problem with everything from the Prohibition to today's current stand-off with drugs and prostitution. By legalizing these fields, we could create a safer, more regulated environment for all sex workers, and create a safer, more regulated, TAXED system for drugs. It makes sense.
ReplyDeleteOn antoher vein, though, how much regulation is in the new legislation in Canada?
ReplyDeleteMaeve has definitely made a point in the importance of prostitution in our society, whether we like it or not, it will remain here for a very long time. Prostitution is a very sensitive topic and this profession often comes with a lot of discrimination from society. As a result, sex workers often do not receive the security in their occupation. Like Maeve stated, sex workers are citizens and I'm glad that Canada is aware and ensuring all Canadian citizens own the right of equal moral values.
ReplyDeleteAs I read this blog, I found myself nodding along. Maybe its because Maeve and I very much agree on this issue, or maybe because Canada rules. I think its both.
(I feel like eating maple syrup now.)
Personally, I'm not sure how I feel about the issue. As a feminist and an individualist my opinion is that women, and anyone else, should be able to pursue what they want to and be protected by law. And I generally advocate strongly for sexual freedom, since I find that preconceived notions about when and between whom sex is appropriate are fictionalized. But I also believe that there's an emotional, almost spiritual aspect to sex. I guess it's just that legally speaking, I think sex work shouldn't be outlawed, especially given the dangerous position that may put sex workers in. But morally speaking, it's nothing I want to be a part of and I struggle with whether or not it's something that can really be a happy life for someone involved in it. Then again, that's kind of how I feel about tea partyers and other political extremists... I support their right to do what they want and express themselves how they want within the boundaries of law, but I think they're wrong.
ReplyDeleteThis is interesting! I thought prostitution was seen as morally wrong across most western nations, if not the globe (I haven't done that much research on it, though... just an assumption!) but I have recently started wondering why prostitution is illegal in the US. It's not harmful to anyone (the people involve choose to take the risk of STDs and such), it's the woman's choice, it's a benefit to both parties involved.
ReplyDeleteIt's not actually illegal in the US, it's illegal on a state by state basis and each state is actually allowed a certain number of registered prostitutes who cannot have committed any felonies and require regular STD checks. It's just individual states that have laws against it. Nevada, for instance, has (if not several) at least one legal brothel.
ReplyDeleteOn the topic of the emotional aspect of sex, yes. I agree 100% that there is a strong spiritual aspect of sex, when that's the intent. Sex can mean a great many things to a great many people. However, the intent has to be there. From the dawn of humans, before we evolved these strange metaphysical tumors known as emotions, humans have wanted to have sex. not love, just sex. procreation. While sex has grown to mean something, and i think for all the world it would be wonderful if it always meant something, but at the same time there will always be sex for sex. I think prohibiting unemotional sex on the grounds that it undermines emotional sex is a lot like thinking gay marriage is undermining marriage as a whole.
Also, what isn't acknowledged cant be regulated, and what isn't regulated comes with a huge set of risks for the people involved. Keeping prostitutes outside of the protection of the law not only endangers them physically and emotionally, but also perpetuates the societal stigma against these women.