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Why are sex workers forced to wear a financial scarlet letter?

thewalrus.ca

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Re: Why are sex workers forced to wear a financial scarlet letter?

#171

Post by from »

SamoyedFurFluff wrote: post #28
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #9

All this time, and technology hasn't solved this issue? Wasn't bitcoin supposed to be applicable here - anonymous transactions? Wasn't the internet supposed to enable humans to interact at will without censorship?

Technology can’t solve primarily cultural issues. The second bitcoin tries to perform the same financial services as a bank (mortgages, lending, checking, savings, interest, etc) that institution using bitcoin will need to do the same “know your customer” behavior that makes it hard for sex workers to get the same financial services.

Exactly. Backpage took crypto for instance but ultimately if you are convicted of a crime and the government gives you a forfeiture order then it is a crime not to comply. Which is what they did to the tune of millions of dollars.

Re: Why are sex workers forced to wear a financial scarlet letter?

#172

Post by teolandon »

aliqot wrote: post #151
confidantlake wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Teaching safe sex is what prevents disease and unwanted children, not moralizing about sex. There are plenty of well adjusted people who are either in open relationships or have no desire to be in relationships. Being kind and treating people with respect is what strengthens families.

- A condom won't prevent diseases or unwanted children. - Open relationships do not strengthen "families".

The fact that you believe that casual sex affects pair bonding ability at the chemical level, but you don't believe that condoms prevent the spread of STIs and pregnancies is concerning.

Re: Why are sex workers forced to wear a financial scarlet letter?

#173

Post by ladyattis »

jrm4 wrote: post #27
LatteLazy wrote: post #13

We're really seeing a counterrevolution around sex and sexuality. From Row vs Wade to crackdowns on pornography to this, America is getting back to its puritanical roots...

Real talk. As someone who was raised Catholic, I just sort of assumed that sexual repression was a by-product of strong religious beliefs, and now I'm both fascinated and dismayed to discover that religion is in no way a requirement for this. America has managed to reinstate sexual repression, and it's odd how there's no clear "source" for it beyond "habitual capitalism" or something like that.

The irony is that Saint Augustine said prostitution was a necessary evil. So it just seems like modern moralists have refused to operate within the real world where some things we find repugnant are legal and protected.

Re: Why are sex workers forced to wear a financial scarlet letter?

#174

Post by pjc50 »

josephcsible wrote: post #107

Why doesn't the argument "private companies can do whatever they want, so if you don't like being arbitrarily banned by the incumbents, then start your own bank and payment processor" apply here?

Obviously it depends on whether people like the activity being banned or not?

Re: Why are sex workers forced to wear a financial scarlet letter?

#176

Post by pjc50 »

Kiro wrote: post #66

Among Swedish feminists and the left, sex work is completely unacceptable and prostitution is pretty much equated with rape. Is this not true for other countries?

This is the "Nordic model", and it doesn't seem to produce significantly different or better outcomes; sex work remains underground because it's still criminalized, just on the buyer side of the transaction.

Re: Why are sex workers forced to wear a financial scarlet letter?

#177

Post by a-user-you-like »

pjc50 wrote: post #169
a-user-you-like wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, it needs to be made permanently illegal and the activity driven underground. This would solve the problem you are mentioning.

You forgot the /s tag.

Hah, except that you get more of what you subsidize. Besides being immoral, it’s destructive to society.

Re: Why are sex workers forced to wear a financial scarlet letter?

#179

Post by giantg2 »

Workaccount2 wrote: post #168
aliqot wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because free sex makes disease and unwanted children, disease and unwanted children cause/suffer-from problems, disease and problems hurt society. This isn't just moral puritanism, it's for good. Promiscuous sex and many partners irreversibly negatively influences a person's pair-bonding ability at a chemical level, this destroys the family unit and does not benefit the empowered singles and divorced 'pair-couples' w…

Ironically, the issues you list would be best solved with a professional prostitution industry and regulatory committee running the show. As for the pair-bonding thing, it reads like it came out of a bible pamphlet. "This idea feels right, and is consistent with my ideology, so it must be right" .

"As for the pair-bonding thing, it reads like it came out of a bible pamphlet. "This idea feels right, and is consistent with my ideology, so it must be right"."

Why do you think that? There are objective reasons for parents sticking together - success of the child and the economics of being in a pair tend to positive things. Although I will say that I don't know of any resources that investigate these on things like polygamy - they focus on the common stuff like marriage, divorce, and sometimes remarriage.

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