Sex work has been a controversial topic in the U.S., whether it be from an economic, political or moral standpoint. Nevada is the only state, thus far, to have decriminalized sex work. However, the business’s decriminalization is still an on-going conversation among the rest of the U.S. Sex workers are often faced with dangerous circumstances and deemed vulnerable to cases such as assault, abuse and even death, particularly transgender women and women of color. The government’s criminalization and marginalization on these women only make them even more vulnerable to injustice, but women still partake in the business. To the core, in a practice that seems to promote misogyny and patriarchal values, where does the line for feminist values lie? The line lies in consent and autonomy. Modern and self-serving sex work can offer women financial security and independence and those factors alone are threatening enough to anyone with rather conservative and traditional values.
According to Refinery 29, Liara Roux claims, “How much I make a year varies. Last year, it was $500,000. It’s been both financially and emotionally rewarding.” Feminism’s foundation is the concept of equality between men and women. Sex work is often portrayed as inequality because of how sex work is often portrayed as an unequal and hyper-sexualizied profession for women. The truth of the matter is, men are the customers, sex is the purchase and sex workers are the businesswomen. While some may do it as a form of survival and others empowerment, women are relying on themselves, and because sex — something so familiar yet so taboo — is their gateway to independence and security, they are criticized and criminalized for their autonomy.
Meg Muñoz shared her story at the annual West Coast Conference of Amnesty International. The New York Times reported that, “Muñoz started living on her own for the first time. With rent and car insurance to pay and a plan to save for college, escorting became her livelihood. ‘I was moving towards a goal and sex work helped me do that.’” This kind of work provides women with the means to survive, the means to have a building block for more if they want it and the means to not have to beg for government help when it is evident that the help is limited.
Hypersexualization of women is commonly associated with patriarchal values and toxic masculinity. However, a woman’s autonomy and freedom to decide when, where, with whom, how and on what terms this sexuality will be consented to is powerful. Sex work gives power to a woman’s sexuality, whether it be for her own personal empowerment or her choice to survive on her own terms. Sex workers can often be seen as victims; however, it’s important to be clear on what that label represents: it can mean being a victim to the systems in place that put them in this position to turn to sex work to survive financially or a victim to the systems that criminalize them for how they choose to use their body. They are victims who risk losing the respect and protection of the people who should be keeping them safe, but the assumption that they are victims because they’ve lost respect for themselves and their bodies is flawed.
People tend to wonder how a person would be willing to sacrifice their sexuality — and if it is necessarily a sacrifice or not — but sex is not a cultural universal. Everyone’s value of sex is different and one should not be stigmatized and marginalized for valuing it differently, and the word “differently” is important, not less or more. One’s body and sexuality will always be valuable and personal, and the consent to let someone in, whether with a business or romantic mindset, is just as valuable. The right to one’s body or the right to grant consent is powerful and taking that away is abusive. Sex work has lived on for centuries and is constantly evolving before our eyes. Shaming, criminalizing or questioning a woman’s self-respect and values will not make this profession go away. A sex worker working for herself, utilizing her gift of consent, and earning sexual and financial liberty through her practice, is powerful. The power to work, the power to choose and the power over one’s body are powerful.
Written: Eva Fournel
Photo: A. Smith
