this post was submitted on 01 Jul 2024

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Sex work would probably be less stigmatized in a currencyless society (self.showerthoughts)

submitted 5 months ago by Ibaudia to c/showerthoughts

61 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Thinking about this because of a greentext I saw earlier complaining about OF models.

It feels like a lot of the stigma surrounding sex work in the modern day (that doesn't just boil down to misogyny/gender norms/religion) is based on the fact that selling intimate aspects of one's self places a set value on something that many see as sacred; something that shouldn't have monetary value.

Not to say anything about the economic validity of a society without currency, but I think that, hypothetically, if that were to exist, sex work would be less stigmatized since this would no longer be a factor. Those engaged in sex work would be more likely to be seen as doing it because it's something they are good at/enjoy, and less because it's an "easy" way to make money, as some think. It would also eliminate the fear of placing set value on social, non sex-work related intimacy (not that those fears were well-founded to begin with).

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[–] givesomefucks 10 points 5 months ago (1 children)

What?

A prostitute that isn't paid...

Isn't really a prostitute are they?

[–] Ibaudia 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (3 children)

There can be other forms of compensation in currencyless societies, so not necessarily. There's also just the personal fulfillment aspect, which is supposed to be the main thing motivating people to work in this hypothetical.

Edit: Other forms of compensation would re-introduce ethical questions, so that's probably a bad suggestion. It would have to be a post-scarcity society, as others have pointed out.

[–] givesomefucks 12 points 5 months ago (1 children)

There’s also just the personal fulfillment aspect,

Yeah, that's the reason lots of people have sex for no money...

Like, if there's no money changing hands, it's not a free prostitute, it's just someone willing to have sex with you

It doesn't make any sense to still call them a prostitute.

[–] Ibaudia 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

It does if they formally define it as their career path and treat it as such.

Sex work is more than just having sex with people for fun. There's layers, specializations, and skill to it. Not all of it is strictly physical. Someone might want to just go on a date after their spouse passed away, for instance. Handling that situation requires a lot of emotional maturity and your skill in those situations improves with experience.

Edit: better examples would be sex surrogacy or porn creation.

[–] givesomefucks 5 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

So. In your eyes...

Are they having sex with everyone that asks?

Or are they only having sex with people they want to for no money, like literally every other human?

Because the more you talk, the more it's feeling like you want a society with public sex slaves.

If there's no sex, why are you calling them sex workers? In your example, it's just sympathy dates?

Seriously, none of what you're saying makes sense. And I know this is a sub for ideas that aren't thought out... But still bro

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

While I agree with you that I don't think OP has correctly described what they're actually thinking about, there is plenty of sex work that doesn't involve actually having physical sex with anyone. Like a solo porn model, or erotic dancers

[–] Couldbealeotard 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

I think OP doesn't even know what their point is.

They keep saying people will continue to perform sex work if there's no economic gain, but at that point it's not work. Then the counter argument to that is "there's many different kinds of sex work", but the point still stands that having sex voluntarily, being an exhibitionist, or having a hobby of filming sexual encounters are all things that people do for personal gratification and are not considered a career now, or in this hypothetical post-scarcity civilisation.

Like someone else said, it sounds like they are just fantasising about sex slaves. To me it also sounds like OP is overcompensating on the whole "I respect sex workers" virtue signalling.

[–] Ibaudia -2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Other commenter is right, I was thinking more things like creating pornography or sex surrogacy, things that people would find fulfilling and choose to do irrespective of what incentives may or may not be on offer, and would qualify as more traditional "work".

[–] givesomefucks 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

things that people would find fulfilling and choose to do irrespective of what incentives may or may not be on offer

Again, people already do that for free...

Just with people they choose to.

So either you're advocating for sex slaves who feel obligated to do so with anyone, or it's just still normal sexual/romantic activities.

[–] Ibaudia -3 points 5 months ago

I don't agree, I think it's possible to compartmentalize certain sexual activities as not romantic and also not obligation-based, while still being fulfilling and work-related in a post-scarcity society. Like helping clients overcome sexual insecurity or barriers with sex surrogacy, for instance.

[–] thejoker954 7 points 5 months ago (1 children)

So instead of being a 'whore' for money, Jane can be a 'whore' for a meal? Or a whore for a new dining set?

Unless we are in a post scarcity world there will be 'currency' even if it's not 'money'.

Anything that made sex transactional would just be more of the same old shit we see today.

[–] Ibaudia 2 points 5 months ago

True, it would have to be post-scarcity to be ethical then.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

It seems like you mean a post-scarcity society rather than a currencyless one. Sex work done to earn a living is still done to earn a living if it's in a society that distributes goods and services in another way. I'd hope that the sex worker in question is getting personal fulfilment from it, but unless their basic needs are covered regardless then it seems foolishly optimistic to assume that it's the case

[–] Ibaudia 2 points 5 months ago

Post-scarcity is more accurate for what I was imagining, yes.