WAVE I
I've recently made a series of videos expressing my opinions on the industry of sex and pornography. I've done a rather decent amount of research and continue to research this subject.
It's important to note that I am a former sex worker who was once considered a 'sex-positive', which, to me, meant that I supported all forms of sex work and wanted it to be legitimate or decriminalized.
I have come to the idea that while harm reduction strategies are valid, what is more important is to address the sociological, psychological, political, and economic aspects of the industry of sex within a feminist/human rights perspective.
This means I no longer view the industry of sex as something to be given legitimacy as the ultimate solution but I'm willing to put a few Bandaids on it while the system as a whole changes to accommodate the ideas of radial/socialist and marxist feminists.
I have also discovered that there are sex-positive people, mainly on YouTube, who aren't willing to dialogue the issues and are processing criticism of the industry itself as a personal affront to their self and self worth.
Instead of joining feminists who question the industry, sex positive women break the issue into two 'camps' as you'll see in one of the videos presented here.
Here are some videos that pertain to my ever expanding views on the subject:
In the next 2 videos, Shelley Lubben of the Pink Cross Foundation interviews a porn actress who has recently left the porn industry:
There are many other interviews of ex-porn performers on YouTube, similar to the one you just heard.
The reaction to these ex-porn industry women by sex positives is nothing short of derogatory. Either they rate the video down or make a video response that disregards the interviewer.
Shelley Lubben, of the Pink Cross Foundation, is one of the leaders at the forefront, helping women and men get out of the porn industry. Shelley herself was a stripper, escort, prostitute and porn star for 8 years.
Because Shelley is Christian, sex positive women use this to try and discredit her, imply that she's lying about the statistics and information she presents to government officials, and refocus the very real trauma of women. I often wonder if sex positive women would engage in the same unctuous tactics if Shelley was Jewish or Buddhist.
Here is a video that tries to cleverly switch the focus directly onto what other Christian groups engage in. This is known as appealing to pity.
WAVE II
The response by the sex positive group on YouTube has been incredibly hostile without any in-depth examinations of their position. I've understood these basic principles coming from the sex positive camp:
- the oldest profession that hasn't changed so why change anything
- legalization or decriminalization will erase the stigma of the industry and its workers and make it safer for the workers
- women and men should have the freedom to make choices about their own bodies
- radical feminists are slut shaming current or former sex workers and therefore contributing to the stigma that society places on these workers
When confronted with well researched videos we get responses such as this montage from various sex positive people:
One of my sisters made a brilliant video which explains the sex positive position in terms of what feminism they subscribe to, if any, and why it's so important to deconstruct the industry from the radical feminist perspective.
Stay tuned for upcoming part II. I am releasing this now rather than later so that my audience can engage in the comment section.
