the worst part about trying to explore feminist spaces on this site isnβt just inadvertently interacting with terfsβ¦. itβs how insidious the anti sex work rhetoric isβ¦. and itβs largely coming from people who have no idea wtf theyβre talking about.
yaβll out here with ages 15-21 in ur bios claiming to be radfem with all these ideas about how the world works and specifically how the sale of sex actually works (surprise itβs much more nuanced than what you think).
like you guys do realise that sex is largely transactional in most circumstances right? you do realise that people who engage in the act of buying sex are not JUST cis straight white (abusive) men right?!?! lol no of course not, because that doesnβt suit your anti sw agenda. you demonise clients to victimise sex workers; operating from an ideal victim and monstrous/evil perpetrator ideology which is ultimately informed by purity culture (which is also how a lot of men view sex work themselves btw, you think like men: in shades of madonnas and whores). the answer to the issue of hypersexualisation of women and girls in society is not to demonise sexuality but a lot of u arenβt ready for that conversation yet.
itβs ironic that radfems and other swerfs in feminist spaces want so desperately to exclude sex work from feminist spaces or hell the conversation altogether, as if that isnβt inherently misogynistic and harmful to women. youβre literally telling women they donβt have a place to be seen and heard, you are quite literally contributing to the disempowerment of women.
here are some things people need to understand and think critically about when engaging with sex work rhetoric in feminist spaces and beyond:
sex work is not a monolith, stop treating it as such
sex work should not be conflated with sex trade or trafficking - they are NOT THE SAME THING
sex work is not selling consent, like get a grip⦠it is selling a service!! therefore arguments regarding assault and abuse are completely misdirected and is actually just weaponising gender based violence against sex workers and victim blaming.
why people sell this service varies greatly (obviously) but it is primarily: queers, disabled people, mothers/parents. generally speaking people who do not have access to the same kind of financial AND social capital required in our society to engage in traditional forms of work. capitalism, racism, fatphobia, ableism all limit MANY peopleβs access to financial capital and sex work is a way for these populations to seek financial freedom. radfems love to demonise sex workers and use the excuse of choice and autonomy to do so and then will also pedal that sex work cannot be anything other than coercion. pick a lane.
your hatred of people who buy sex (or clients) is harmful too (even if u claim to not be a swerf). if you claim to support sex work then you need to support people who buy sex. that is literally the whole point of the service swβs offer so ur literally just saying your existence is fine but not the reason you exist... as if the two are not mutually exclusive.
sex workers providing a service includes but is not limited to sex. it is also access to intimacy, physical closeness, conversation, understanding, empathy, human fucking contact (which is simply not accessible to everyone in our society ie. disabled people)
sex workers help people process trauma when therapists are not accessible. sex workers help people discover themselves sexually. they empower people. sex workers ARE PEOPLE.
