Sen. Hillary Clinton is said to be in favor of legalizing prostitution as a continuation and extension of her belief that women should have the legal right to control their own bodies.

Here's an interesting perspective written from a White man, Christian point of view: http://www.breakpoint.org/Breakpoint/ChannelRoot/FeaturesGroup/BreakPointCommentaries/A+Job+No+Woman+Would+Choose.htm

Black Women, Racism, Sexism and Prostitution: Even here, different treatment
http://www.bayswan.org/Racism.html

Prostitution and the Sex Trade: Is it really another version of rape?
http://www.rapeis.org/discussion/dsexwork.html

Is this an issue that Blacks should be concerned about?

Is prostitution harmful to our community?

Was "Superfly" an exploitation film that should have been (or be) protested against?

Recently HBO ran a "documentary" on pimps and prostitutes: "American Pimp." It was reported as a business venture. Is prostitution a profession that should be treated like any other?

Women already have control of their own body. This is another bad product of the so called "2000 woman" or "Independent woman". Women want too much, know your role and play your part. If Hillary actuallys pushes for prostitution to be legal I bet she will win the presidency as a result of it. A lot of guys would love this.

Of course African Americans should worry about this, everyone should. There will be an explosion of teenage pregnancies. A lot of girls from low income families will probably be 'tricking' to get money to live the life they see on Mtv cribs. The divorce rate will probably go down to from like 50% to like 2% because men will not want to get married. Men will not have to worry about getting divorce and the ex taken half. No more having to take a woman out and other courting things, just pay a hooker for some quick tail. It is absurd to put a price on a woman's intimacy.

One problem was the glorification of movies like "Super Fly".

Yes, it is extremely harmful to our community.

Nfant_De_Milieu is correct in stating that some men will prefer the quick thing to the work of a relationship, especially if it is drama-filled.

What is the general feminist view on this issue?

Some women are already practicing legalized prostitution. If they have a child by a man and no longer married or in a relationship with him, they continually try to take from him for the rest of his life even when he is adequately taking care of his children.

If a man tries to better himself and earn more money for his children's future, the woman takes him back to court for more and more child support. They feel he has to pay forever for the sex he got...

Nfant... imho, you paint a perception that men are very shallow beings in your statement:
The divorce rate will probably go down to from like 50% to like 2% because men will not want to get married. Men will not have to worry about getting divorce and the ex taken half. No more having to take a woman out and other courting things, just pay a hooker for some quick tail

I hope you're not saying that the only reason men get married is for sex. People having affairs are not necessarily having them with prostitutes, so paying a hooker for some quick tail (legally or in it's current state) will probably have no effect on the divorce rate and the reason people are getting divorce. If prostitution was legal today, would you seek the favors of a prostitute? If not, why?

yes this hurts the community in whole if street hooker
is to be and men will run to pay for a cheap thrill
it will rob our men from homes & love one
and we would be in trouble coz the spread of sex which many
will do unprotected means a breakout of something most care
not to have .....women been in control of their bodies long ago
this also send a message to our young furture one that it's a
job to get fast cash and that's to give some u know !
this strips many of early lost virginity
prostitution should be outlawed !

Queenie ... this is a great topic Sister, thanks for presenting it.

While it hurts my heart, pains my soul, that so many of our Sisters have reached a point that they are willing to sell their bodies, it is a fact and happening every day. Our Sisters are "working" in dangerous conditions, putting themselves at very high risk for all kinds of devastating consequences. Some don't even realize any financial gain because there are pimps that take the money.

I too saw the documentary on HBO and couldn't help but notice how much more safe and clean it was for those who chose this career by working in Nevada where prostitution is legal. Even though there was still the pimp, the ladies did receive financial gain, medical care, etc., for their hours worked.

Is it an issue that Blacks should be concerned with? Of course. Any time Sisters have reached this mental, spiritual, physical, emotional low, that for a few dollars anyone can enter their bodies, we should be very concerned. Some Sisters are doing this to meet the basic needs of their families, to support ongoing drug habits, wallowing in the very bottom of life's existence, reacting to deeper issues not being addressed ... prostitution is only a symptom ... and we should want to know the root cause of women going this way, so we can remedy it. While there may be some Sisters that do it because they love the job, i can't imagine it's the majority.

Should it be legal? I've heard it is the oldest profession, therefore, making it legal would provide some long overdue standardizations already provided to other professions. Making it legal would bring it out of the dark alleys where many of our Sisters perform this task.

It's been suggested in some of these posts that making it legal would only encourage young women to do this. Look all around us, young women are already encouraged to engage in sexual activity via movies, television, songs, books, commercials, clothes, the Internet, everywhere you look. Everything reeks of the sale of sex. If you want to be guaranteed the "cha-ching," you better add some sex to whatever you are selling. It's legal for everyone to sell a woman's sex, except the woman. If we cared about the chastity of our young women, we'd not allow corporate america to bombard her all day with how well her sex sells and how lucrative it is for her to look, act, and play the part. We allow females to be taken all the way to "the line," until she's teetering over it, then admonish her if she crosses it??! We can't have it both ways.

I admire Senator Clinton for taking a stand on this issue. It's much like the abortion issue. While one hopes they never need it, it's a good thing it's there. With abortion standards in place, a female is no longer subjected to the back alley deaths of times gone by. With prostitution, the back alley deaths are still occurring and all too often, it is our poor, young, uneducated, Black Sisters that are dying.

:heart:

Destee

The legalization of prostitution would be actually a good thing and not a bad one. Pimps could no longer be abusive, women who prostitute will not be getting pregnacy by accident, and they wouldn't be subjected to STDs. Things will not be like people think, because once it is legal, it will have to be come well-organized because it will become a multi-million dollar industry just like porn. As a fact the same women you see in porn will become your high-class prostitutes. Prostitution will still be looked down upon by many people, just like sex, and it will be tried to be keep on the low, but I don't think it will have any effect overall on society. Sluts will be sluts. I don't think this is a serious issue to worry about, accept for prostitutes, pimps, and business men.

Well with it being regulated to some degree and the supply of customers for the illicit prostitution will go down and the prostitutes will be MORE protected and even a little more respected that law enforcement and the judiciary will take all complaints from prostitutes in a more serious fashion. For all religious and moralists-did you know that a prostitute and madam is in the lineage of the house of David or Jesus's human lineage-Rahab? And it was not sex with Delilah that sapped Samson's strength-it was intimacy. Look in the Bible-Samson was a judge and in an incident -Samson got up OFF a prostitute and SLEW many Philistines? Hey, prostitutes should not be looked down upon nore than a doctor or a psychologist.

yaphet, Destee...your perspectives are among the 'minority' when it comes to how prostitution is looked at. Here's another interesting commentary I thought you'd like to consider...

"Legalization of Prostitution" . . . (the oldest profession legitimized)

http://www.liberator.net/articles/prostitution.html

Is this really a moral issue and if so, why? If not, should it be?

Yeah, if it was a moral issue-then why are prostitutes even discussed in the Bible at all? You would think that it was regulated and tolerated. Remember Rahab? Her price for not exposing the Hebrew spies were safety for her, her family and her house. And the spies readily agreed. Now Rahab may not have partaken in her biz afterward but her business was SPARED. Also in the Samson example, Samson WAS a judge in BATTLE with the Philistines and a judge was an honored profession in that time. If a judge was consorting with a prostitute and God did not approve-would not Samson lost his strength and experience defeat whether his hair was cut or not ? Just say this that prostitution and homosexuality DID exist and Jesus probably ran into more than a few. But Jesus' eyes was not on the trees of a few sinners but on the whole forest of sinners and multitudes of sins.

FAMILY:

While putting some things together to share I noticed this thread and thought..Oh my goodness let me respond.

The below related show was very important to me because I practice law here in Nevada, and believe me prostitution is not legal anywhere but in a brothel which are few and far between now that the most famous has closed its doors.. Ladies who walk the streets and hotels are arrested just like any other prostitute and i have defended a few.


**working in Nevada where prostitution is legal.**

The responses were very intelligent yet noone spoke of AIDS, HIV, STD's PID or anything which can more readily destroy a people other than who gets divorced or who cheats and gets a cheap thrill.

Fear, is the main culprit when it comes to keeping this age old profession illegal. One of the main problems is with women who see it not only as a threat to thier family, but in reality its the *MAN* whom many women feel insecure about and fear losing..

Like someone has eluded..We as mothers( I always include myself when speaking of our people) must begin to *TEACH* and not *PREACH* to our children and esp to our females. The videos with the *Beyonce's* and Lil Kims, laying on beds in suggestive manners which depicts a sexual pose must be taken out of the house or at least only allowed when a child understands what she is watching. The clothing which leaves little to the imagination must be rejected, the music with the b****'s and Ho's must be thrown in the trash and parents(both) must begin to have deep, loving and intimate talks with thier daughters.

Fathers must begin to cease to be afraid that what they say to thier daughter may be construed as sexual harrassment and know that the subject of sexual harrassment should also be a topic. Teaching self respect, and pride is also necessary esp if she lives in a house with brothers..MOMS you KNOW the deal!!
Mothers, aunts, sisters et-al must beginn, to ask questions, cease to bring strange men into homes where teen daughters live and discontinue allowing daughters on the same plane with adults.

These conversations must be in the presence of the father of these ladies because it is he who must be able to share with his daughter the means and ways in which she can become a victim or else exploted in some way. Our ladies must be taught self respect, respect for her body, and dignity in decorum because regardless of what her peers think young men prefer ladies in public!
Second, the computer must be monitored, the friends must be monitored, and we as parents must begin to return to the old way.

Now, I guess that many many think that I am old fashioned and know nothing of what** I SAY HOWEVER, TRUST ME I HAVE PAID A HEAVY PRICE FOR MY CHOICES. With this thought in mind allow me to leave you with this from Sacred woman a book by my mentor.




THEY SAY OUR WAY IS DEAD.
THEY SAY OUR WAY IS NO MORE
THAT THE NILE VALLEY LEGACY
ALL ENDED YEARS AGO
BUT WE ARE HERE
AND WE REMEMBER


I will not abuse my sexuality
I will not copulate with a womans husband or a husbands wife
I will practice Truth, harmony, balance, law, righteousness sobriety, propriety and cosmic order.

Natukae na ndugu

Albe..., what you are saying is true. You do get the STD's from prostitution, but it ALSO can come from a fling by either a man or woman also. To say that prostitution is the most likely gateway for STD's is not true. Be surprised about the number that do come from consensual encounters-no prostitution involved. Also yes communication IS key but how one do so based on how one is socialized? Sex is not a easily broached subject between friends and family members, no matter how close. So how do one break the ice?

How do we break the ice about conversations about sex among family and friends?

IMHO, first, we must evaluate how we think about sex. because what we think as individuals (or think we think as individuals) will influence whether we are comfortable discussing sex or what we say when we do.

How have people, particularly African Americans adopted our current views of sex and what information did we get that influenced our opinions? Exactly why is prostitution illegal according to our laws?

What is a 'healthy' attitude about sex? If what we think about sex has been strongly and primarily influenced by a religious doctrine then that's how a person will think about it and treat it.

I agree with yaphet. People are just as likely to contract STD's in 'legal' relationships as they are in 'illegal' relationships. Alke, being an attorney you probably see more cases of 'diseased' prostitutes, but I don't think that the number of cases you personally witness represent the population as a whole--although I could be wrong.

But let's remove the smoke and mirrors from around the issue of prostitution. Are STD's the REAL issue with 'prostitution' or is the real issue rooted in a social code and how a society feels about sex?

People's opinions about prostitution are driven by what a society views as moral or immoral acts. Moral codes of a society that set the standard of acceptable and unacceptable behavior are deeply rooted in religious doctrines that are used to 'control' how people behave in a society. Remember, so-called Christian missionaries labeled to Africans as 'heathens.' What exactly was it did they mean by that?

In a society like America, are people FREE (have the right) to use their bodies any way they choose or does someone else control how free we are to do that? Do you honestly believe that what two consenting adults do in private is their right or is it only their right according to the law? Who sets the laws and what (whose) ideas do they usually stem from?

We allow people to sell body parts and body functions, i.e., surrogate mothers, ovum and sperm, hearts, kidneys, etc. There have been studies stating that sex reduces stress and prelongs life when practiced frequently. Why can't a wo/man rent his/her body and it not be viewed as some immoral act.

I haven't read this entire thread, only the first 2 responses but women are prostituting themselves everyday, they may as well legalize it. I don't think it would change anything to legalize prostitution.Golddiggers are nothing but prostituted anyway, the same way with selling weed, it should be legalized. You will find that the things that the government makes illegal usually only work against the poor and in favor of the rich. If the rich can't profit from it, they make it illegal.

I will respond with more info about how we shopuld open conversations about sex, when and why. I will also speak to the reasons why i believe a father should educ a daughter.

Yes, I believe that it would (definitely) be harmful to any community especially that of minorities which suffers from some of the stigmas directly relating to prostitution. We, as “woman” have the right to do whatever we want to our body but I feel that because it is a right it also should not be abused and if it is made legal than what is that saying to our daughters (hell at 13 and 14 if they’re fed up with you they can sustain a life without you) and this opens up a lot more statutory rape charges (honestly most “girls” nowadays look and dress like a “woman”). It’s not a profession that any woman (in her right mind) would actively seek as a career so why is Sen. Clinton so adamant about supporting such a law that would do more damage than “liberation”. It’s sad really…

IMO---

Of course it is a moral issue. Of course prostitution is wrong. Of course it is harmful to our communities. However, we should not try to legislate morality!

People are going to make their choices to particpate in prostitution wheather there are laws against it or not. I agree with Nevada's take on the issue. Make in legal in brothals in an attempt to lower the amount of abuse, neglect, disease, and street walkers.

We as tax payers pay large amounts of money to policing adults' choices. I submit that prostitution causes less disease, harm to families and children than SMOKING. But, smoking is legal! Why? because big corporations pay enough money through lobbying to keep it so. If pimps and prostitutes got together and pooled their money (and came up with enough) they could pay to have it legalized too!

I have said this before in different posts...these are as much economic issues as moral one's. I doubt that any prostitute you talk to would say she became one after she was already financially secure.

I think Hilary is right (even if it is for the wrong reason) to try to push this through. At least legalization would have taxation attached to it in order to protect, counsel, and rehabilitate some of the women and/or men.

Where I live there are basically two streets where hookers hang out...and that is because that is where they can 'work' and not be hassled by the police. I would imagine that it would be the same...if it were legal to 'work' in brothals...many would choose to do that because they can engage without fear of prosecution.
Which means fewer on the street and consequently less exposure to our children and young adults. If a man actively seeks a prostitute..i.e..phone book, or newspaper advertisement...then chances are he was going to find it anyway...why should we as taxpayers pay to TRY (unsuccessfully as it stands) to keep him from it?
Just my two cents...sorry if i rambled...lol