Dan Savage on the Rights of Sex Workers

[bluebanshee3]

it's insane not to legalize it---it's insane not to remove the stigma from it. it's open season on sex workers because what recourse do they have?

who are the victims of prostitutes' actions? the illegality of it is based on a moral judgement, one that isn't grounded in human reality; the outcome is a loss of lives. it's a surreal system of ethics.

[sillykatz]

though i think its a harmful profession and i wouldn't date a guy who was ok with it, i can sort of see his point.on the other hand maybe we should evaluate why women go into prostitution or feel the need to financially. yes its your body but guess what, i can eat a lot & gain 300 pounds, does that make it good or right for me, no! people may disagree with me. also what kind of message does it send young girls that is ok to objectify your body and that your mind is nothing! i'm just on the fence

[Gillypants1]

@sillykatz To say that prostitution creates objectification of women is ignorant. All kinds of people become sex workers: men, transsexuals, queers, fluids. Besides, the objectification of women is created by the MEDIA selling products using sex and sexuality. Sex in this country is been made to be taboo; to the point that simple sexual acts such as anal sex or rough sex are considered by many to be "fetish" or "deviant" behavior. It is crazy how backwards the american view of sex really is.

[sillykatz]

@Gillypants1 I actually agree now! Being repressed about your own sexuality makes you think others should be repressed too! I know that there are different types of people out there who are sex workers, do I still agree with it or condone it, no not really. But there is a difference between sex traffickers and women who love their line of work, sex!

[Snoep76239]

@Gillypants1 True. It is kept taboo, in part, to keep it as a good tool for selling products as well...

[sillykatz]

i hate to sound like debbie downer but to me prostitution is harmful to the mind, not just to the body. i think it creates this objectification of women and that to me is wrong. sex workers are just that, workers, they have no enjoyment from it or at least not all the time. there is a book called female chauvinistic pig: the rise of raunch culture. but i do see what he is saying on the other hand, if you allow strip clubs why not prostitution. i think its a horrible harmful emotional profession

[MissTemperence]

@sillykatz "sex workers are just that, workers, they have no enjoyment from it or at least not all the time." Isn't that true for almost everyone who's ever had any kind of job? Very few people are fortunate enough to have only had jobs they truly enjoyed all the time. A lot of people may prefer doing sex work for a few hours a week and working for themselves over working for someone else for relatively little compensation.

[jjtiojohn12]

@sillykatz then what do you call people who work in the porn or strip club industry? if prostitution is harmful then porn actors and actresses are twice as harmful because in the porn industry they dont use condoms and they make the woman take a jizz in the face without proper protection and she doesn't have a choice not to do it because directors make them do it! but with prostitution a woman has control over her own body and she can protect herself if necessary! so whats more harmful?

[attemptingtobehumble]

I LOVE this guy.

[JamesInAsh]

Severely disappointed that he said retarded.

[HTROXURSOX]

@JamesInAsh As am I. I recently had a fight with my uncle about the use of that word. As a lesbian, I consider using any sort of bigoted word that targets a specific minority to be hypocritical, and I'm glad that you agree with me on that matter.

[RachelCharlieStorm]

Did Dan Savage just use the word "retarded?" Classy!

[RachelCharlieStorm]

Did Dan Savage just use the word "retarded?" Classy!

[JTBrandt23]

@RachelCharlieStorm Hi there, Rachel! Random seeing you comment on YouTube. Yeah, I wish he would be more careful about his choice of words sometimes.

[CanadiaNecro1]

Hookers are a disgrace to humanity. They have no respect for themselves, why should we respect them? I don't care if every prostitute gets raped and cut up and left to die in the street. They are not human beings, they have no place in society, I will never allow legalization in my community!

[spackar]

I think that "off the street" prostitution between consenting adults should be legalized. However streetwalking prostitution should probably remain illegal due to the effect it has on the neighborhoods where it is practiced and the people who live and work there.

[prschuster]

@spackar Exactly; legalizing sex work does not mean it has to be unregulated. There definitely should be restrictions on where it is practiced and under what conditions it may be allowed (like regular testing for VD or working conditions).

[PriscillaRelentless]

@spackar Did you ever think that streetwalking may a result of the level of poverty in the neighborhood, and not just something that exacerbates it? It seems to me that until people acknowledge that, they're never going to make real headway in getting rid of streetwalking.

[johnclavis]

I wish prostitution were legal. I'd happily pay for the service of having a professional, willing sex worker focus on my pleasure, relaxation and sexuality for a little while. Imagine what it would be like if virgins could go to someone whose job it was to introduce them to sexuality in a pressure-free and safe environment? Our society would be far healthier across the board if it were socially acceptable and possible for men and women to relieve tensions and explore themselves in this way.

[Divinity33372]

As a feminist I think Dan Savage is right about a lot of things including this. There will ALWAYS be prostitution. That doesn't mean I agree with it but it would be foolish not to acknowledge this unfortunate truth. What I want to know is why pimps who control the prostitues threw coercion and drugs don't get charged with slave trading.

[Lilja124]

Because they don't own the prostitutes? Women stay in horrible relationships all the time (not all prostitute-pimp relationships are what you'd imagine either, a stereotypical horrible relationship with beatings and degradation) where they work to pay for a lazy man - are all these relationships slavery?

[Ddstairclimber]

@Divinity33372 exactly legalize tax it and regulate it, so its more safe. it is foolish to outlaw it, and pretend it doesn't exist.

[YamazaruEiki]

@Divinity33372 We have to remember that the pimp is not a necessary medium. With enough street smarts and "marketing" knowledge, a woman can sell herself without an employer. We have no right to tell her what she should do with her body, so she may prostitute herself as much as she pleases. Sometimes you hit a corner and you have to put food on the table. It's sad, but I agree. You can't get rid of the world's oldest profession.

[infjjim]

The reason why all those laws and rules are in place is because they want this line of work to be more diffiuclt and painful. They think it's wrong. They don't think that coal mining is wrong. They don't really love the prostitute as a person, they think the line of work should be non-exisistant. This is their way of making it a less attractive option. --And they're not doing a really good job. They really need to catch the people before they fall into that trap.... Commit to the goal.

[bootslevis]

The've dealt with this in Antwerp, Belgium with fairly good results, better than they would be if working in illegality.

[unionmaidn]

Hi Dan, thanks for this. A correction: MSHA, not OSHA, is the regulatory oversight agency for mining. Cheers!

[TheCletusFetus]

MelieSue: Did you even LISTEN to the video? It doesn't sound like it. See, prostitutes can't go to the police when they get beaten, raped, or robbed, because they were beaten, robbed, or raped while they were committing a crime (prostitution) at the time the other crime happened to them.

STIs are one reason I'd never go to a prostitute. But that issue is better addressed by public health measures and, say, mandatory testing for prostitutes, etc., than by putting these women in jail.

[MisterGibs]

I view the ban on prostitution as just another way in which the power elite in this country makes one set of rules for themselves and another for the working man.

Rich men are able to get a "girlfriend", put her up in an apartment and essentially fund her life in exchange for her company and sexual services.

How is this different from a working man hiring a sex worker at a brothel, except for the former being a monthly contract and the latter being hourly?

[czar47]

The same should be true for prostitution. It's not like if it were to become legal, everyone would start doing it. That's preposterous. It's a difficult and demanding job. It's taxing, both physically and emotionally. Stripping is legal and not everyone is lining up to become a stripper. No matter what the law says, people are going to do what they need to do to survive, including prostitution. If we legalize it, we can help to make it safer.

[golf1262]

now that i see what he is saying...he's right. since prostitution is illegal, the prostitutes who are threatened, murdered, raped, etc... can't seek for help. but if they were to legalize prostitution, they are covered under the nation's protection. of course a drawback of this could be that prostitutes might take advantage of this safety, but honestly speaking....it is a job that they chose. noone goes around telling garbage man why they chose the job or were forced to. that's just excuse..

[MelieSue]

wtf are you serious? yes lets totally promote and make legal the blatant sexual exploitation of women in this country...as if women are not being viewed as objects enough already. ugh this is despicable!

[LiquidWolf98]

As a male, making myself available to female clients would be something I would consider. I'm 6' 160 lbs and nicely toned. I listen very well, discuss popular topics, dress sharply, and do enjoy dancing. I'm also very sexually open.

While I wouldn't consider prostitution a career choice, it could probably net me a good amount of money. *shrug*

I don't think American Women are comfortable hiring male prostitutes just yet... andI'm not single... so this wouldn't be possible at the moment.

[MelieSue]

That's because women don't need to pay for sex. We are not as desperate as men. And let's face it, any woman who really wanted to have some sex (and didn't have a partner) could go to any bar and EASILY leave with a man to have sex with for FREE. Men are animals and will fuck anything with a vagina. But like I said, the majority of women are not that desperate to have sex in the first place, thus there will never be a large market for straight male prostitutes in this country.

[kiwisunshine5233]

I'm a woman, I'd pay for sex. Not all women can get a man with a snap of her fingers, there are those who are not pretty enough &/or not popular/sociable enough to get a guy that they're attracted to. Women are sexual beings who desire sex just as much as men, its just that society expects women to have this false image of "purity" & only having sex out of love rather than just sex out of lust.

"Men are animals and will fuck anything with a vagina." - And you call US sexists?! Hypocrite.

[Eshto]

"Men are animals and will fuck anything with a vagina."

An interesting point, considering this video features a prominent gay man who has absolutely no interest whatsoever in vagina.

[crazymike44]

hahahaha...

[delli2011]

@kiwisunshine5233 go to japan. they have male prostitute clubs. they're the good looking guys dressed up all nice.

[kiwisunshine5233]

@delli2011 I know about those, wish I could go there. ^^

[joecdn]

I'm sorry, I see your point here, but I'm sure that you're probably the same person that'll later lambaste the authorities for "failing to do enough to protect female sex-trade workers". Yeah, the entire sex industry (porn, prostitution, etc) is based by and large on the sexual exploitation of women (and men) - but the industry still exists, and will exist regardless of legalization, so they might as well legalize and regulate it as much as they can - to protect the workers.

[MelieSue]

legalizing it would legitimize it. people would then think it's no big deal and become numb to it, then the next thing you know you'll have little 13 year old girls roaming all over the streets trying to make that "easy money." it would no longer be thought of as a bad thing and before you know it women would be seen ONLY as sexual objects and nothing more, resulting in even more physical abuse towards women in our society.

[joecdn]

I'm not entirely sure which fantasy world you're living in - but prostitution is the world's oldest profession - it was legitimized long ago. 13 year olds DO roam the streets, unfortunately because prostitution is illegal, they're being forced to work so that pimps can make easy money off of them. If it were legalized and regulated - governments could control who entered the industry, and who's patronizing it. Street-level hustling would be gone and all transactions would take place in brothels.

[MelieSue]

i'm living in the real word. no duh it's been around forever, but it is not legitimate in this country that is why it's illegal! and no 13 year olds are being "forced" to prostitute because it is illegal...that's absurd. sure, there are some young ones out there already but the numbers would drastically increase if it were legalized...and i sure hope you don't think that would be a good thing.

[dawlz]

lol you clearly are not living in "the real world". in the real world, children and women of all ages and color are being sold as sex workers. In NYC alone, there are hundreds of illegal underground brothels where illegal immigrants are sent to pay off their debts from entering our country illegally. The argument that legalizing prostitution would lead to an increase in child prostitution is flawed because if it were legalized, men would choose the safer route and visit the legit brothels.

[czar47]

Actually, bodies are already legally for sale. If you know of pornography then you know that people are having sex for money already. When pornography was first starting to blossom, it was a concern that underage people would start trying to hop on this bandwagon. And for a while, some of them did. For a while, pornography was all very underground and it made for a shady, unsafe business. But it didn't take long for the law to step in and right these wrongs. Now pornography is highly regulated.

[MelieSue]

your reasoning is completely flawed...should we make murder legal too so that the government can regulate that as well!? i can't imagine where you think the line should be drawn if you believe bodies should be for sale.

[LiquidWolf98]

While I can't say i've seen 13 year old girls selling their bodies here in the US, i've seen them in Mexico.

I grew up around drugs, prostition, and murder on the borders of the US. Coming into the central states, life seems "too good". People cover their eyes and ears. The preach about how things "should be" yet never see the world outside their white picket fence. The white paint IS peeling and the blue skys are turning grey.

These people will have to adapt, or they will suffer for it.

[Geezu5]

If someone is murdered, then there is a victim, completely different from prostitution which is a victimless crime

[MelieSue]

Ya know I wasn't going to continue to respond to these comments because the majority of them are just flat out ignorant...as ignorant as they could possibly get...but this one I just can not ignore, prostitution is a VICTIMLESS CRIME!?!?!? REALLY!? Tell that to all the women who now must suffer with stds such as hiv and full-blown aids because their husbands went out and fucked around with a prostitute...

[kiwisunshine5233]

By that logic, having any sex outside of your marriage is a crime, being a slut is a crime, and having sex with multiple people in your life is a crime. Unfaithful husbands can just as easily get & pass on STDs to their wives by having sex with any person without pay. The blackmarket makes the profession of prostitution dangerous. Pimps enslaving women, women not being able to report rapes because they'll get in trouble, women being forced to have sex without condoms, wars over territory, etc.

[MelieSue]

Tell that to the women who get raped and murdered while trying to sell their bodies for a little bit of money to support their drug habit or their kids. Those women who prostitute themselves ARE victims...victims to this fucked up society, consisting of people like you, who have foolishly led them to believe that they are objects and that the only thing they are capable of doing with their lives is laying down and spreading their legs wide open!...

[kiwisunshine5233]

That happens in the blackmarket of prostitution. If prostitution was legalized & regulated, women who sell their sexual services (not their bodies) can preform their profession in safer environments without being taken advantage of by a pimp or customer. The law could protect sex workers just like it can protect workers in any other kind of field of work.

[MelieSue]

Those women do not sell themselves because they enjoy it, they do it because they feel it is their only option. And your resolution is 'make it legal so you can then prosecute the men who harm them.' That is not going to keep men from raping and killing these women! That does not solve any problem! That makes a problem ACCEPTABLE, so that the real root of the issue can continue to be ignored!! SHAME ON YOU and the rest of you SEXIST FUCKS!!!...

[nicknonsense303]

are you seriously suggesting that not a single woman who works in the sex trade actually CHOSE the job? it's not sexist to suggest that woman should be allowed to make choices, even if they seem like bad choices to many women. she can choose to be a stay-at-home mom or a sex worker, but as long as she actually made that choice of her own free will without interference from the law or the patriarchy

[nicknonsense303]

eta: then it's a choice the rest of should accept and respect. to only respect the choice of a woman to leave the sex trade and not to enter it is to impose your own values on her, and tat's no better than men teling her what to do.

[MelieSue]

Um did I EVER say that the women who prostitute did not choose to do so!? NO, I did not say that. Don't put words in my mouth. I never implied that they were forced to prostitute against their will. I said they feel they have few other options!...

[MelieSue]

Have you ever even seen interviews with actual prostitutes!? 90% of them say they don't like what they do, but it's the only way they know of to make quick buck enough to support themselves and their habit or their kids. You really think the majority of them just like to fuck around with tons of nasty ass men with all types of diseases!? Oh please!! Just because they choose to sell their bodies, doesn't mean it is not exploitation!

[kiwisunshine5233]

Miss Sue, you truely are a closed minded individual who attacks anyone who disagrees with you on this issue & your false perceptions of it. You won't even try to back up your claims when confronted with logic you can't refute, you just throw personal attacks like a child and attack a straw man. Don't comment unless you put some thought and logic into them and start acting mature.

[freeyerself]

what gives you the authority to claim to know why women become prostitutes? what would prevent a woman from actually wanting to be a prostitute?

in another comment you claim that women who are prostitutes are victims because they are poor and have to support drug habits. you go on to claim that that's because society is fucked up. i think your views about women who prostitute are fucked up. you're contributing to the myths about prostitutes by speaking out of ignorance. " fucked up" indeed.

[kiwisunshine5233]

Who are you to say who enters a profession for what one reason? Your generalized claims can only go as far as the blackmarket, the real danger here. In places where its legal & regulated, women do it for lots of reason: they enjoy sex &/or working with people, they want the extra money as a part time job, they would rather do it instead of flipping burgars for minimum wage, they want to make a lot of money without hard labor, they just want money for sex instead of the dinner & movie thing, etc.

[MelieSue]

After all, it's no coincidence that the majority of you are men.

[kiwisunshine5233]

Bitch please, don't make false generalizations about what sex we all are here. I'm a woman supporting the right to choose what any person of any sex can do with their own bodies. We may or may not get sex the "authentic way", so what? We need to be restricted of playing on the same field as the rich, popular, beautiful people are? Who are you calling sexists? You're the one restricting women of choosing their jobs,way of making money & what they do w/ their own bodies. BTW Men can be hoes too.

[LittleRedMenace]

Great point, joecdn! We have regulations in this country that don't allow so called legitimate business to use child labor. Same would apply to prostitution, right?

And hey, don't we all pay for sex in one way or another? ;-)

[wrinkleypp]

You are retarded for neglecting why it is illegal. Prostitution isn't popular in the USA. Until you figure that one out then you won't be able to change anything.

[JaviErick]

He wants to put his wife to work.

[Aikosar]

nice one

[1inkdaddy]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

So wrong

[jeremyshambles]

lalways ove you on real time dan, cheers

[geandily]

Wow Dan is such a good speaker

[melinojoshua]

Not a fan of your use of retarded, but otherwise think you are brilliant.

[Devin1488]

as dan would last on his podcast, 'leotarded'

[pumpkinpjays]

Pretty much. Preach on, brother!

[dawlz]

"I think it's uh.. *points to chin* retarded.." he is so fuckin hot!

and regarding the HIV/AIDS issue, if prostitution is legalized and regulated i doubt the HIV/AIDS epidemic amongst sex workers will be as high. The government can mandate D&D testing which leads to drug & disease free prostitutes.

[point5past]

it's not retarded. it's *leotarded*. duh.

[oooze15]

IDk Marijuana doesn't have a virus. HIV AIDS. So, prostitution in my book is not the same. People say, "Marijuana doesn't hurt anybody." but can you say the same for prostitution? Even Dan was saying that it is emotionally draining [UNDERSTATEMENT] I still love you Dan.

[joecdn]

Dan also said that people have the rights to do what they want with their bodies...people make choices every day and have to live with the consequences. You choose to smoke pot, you choose to accept the consequences (such as emphysema) that might come with it. You choose to be a prostitute, you choose to accept the risk of HIV/AIDS, or whatever. Prostitutes can also choose to use protection to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS, so it's not like a choice for prostitution is a choice for disease.

[oooze15]

It's not a choice for disease but the risk is out there and can not be ignored. I would see your point..BUT I'm sorry. We are not in 50's. We are way past the 80's. It is scary. The risk of weed "illness", physically, hurts the USER mostly, yes. BUT Prostitution involves two people who may, or may not, carry an illness. Do you see how ambivalent it is?

[joecdn]

No I don't see how ambivalent it is. Dan explained why prostitution should be legal, and I agree with his points. I think marijuana should be legalized too. I live adjacent to a neighbourhood that has a higher rate of HIV infection than some African countries. Many of these cases were as a result of IV drug use - of which marijuana is considered a gateway drug. If drugs were legal, these people would have been afforded the protections that legalization and regulation would have provided them.

[joecdn]

To continue my comment, the fact remains that both marijuana use and prostitution can lead to HIV infection, and that the argument for legalization of one of these acts should not supersede the legalization of the other. In fact, Vancouver (where I live) is in the middle of a gang war as a result of the illegal drug trade, which makes more dangerous than prostitution. Fact remains that both instances (or industries) would benefit from the government control legalization would provide them.

[oooze15]

I knew you'd come this far. And so here it is [Balls to the walls] would you be comfortable if someone in your neighborhood, of which "has a higher rate of HIV infection than some African countries", become a "legal" prositute? And I know weed would get distributed through a pharmacy, clinic, or head shop but how would you legally distribute a whore?

[oooze15]

Also, to your comment about marijuana is a gateway drug which can lead to something more harder, which can lead to HIV: You said it yourself, it is a gateway, which implies OVER TIME someone may get into some other harder drug, OVER TIME. Having sex for money, which seems to imply many strangers during the whole day, has a risk that is immediate. You see, I choose not to go by your naive quote, "JUST PUT A CONDOM AND HOPE FOR THE BEST, IT IS A CHOICE" No. You can still catch an STD through oral.

[joecdn]

Show me where I said what you just quoted - you're just putting words into my mouth! There are many ways to catch STD's - implying that only prostitutes spread them is ignorant. I'm pretty sure that more STD's are spread through a college campus than through a hooker. The point I'm making, and you're not really understanding is that by making something like prostitution illegal and pretending that it doesn't exist creates more danger than it would if it were legal and regulated.

[oooze15]

Here is the quote about the condom " Prostitutes can also choose to use protection to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS, so it's not like a choice for prostitution is a choice for disease. " I was being frivolous but that is basially what you said.

[hollidaychild]

You are one of my idols and someone I truly look up to when I engage in entertaining while educating my viewers.

THANK YOU for being so real, honest, smart, straight forward and insightful!

You are truly an inspiration!

[iluvspikyhair]

It's legal in Germany, but isn't it illegal to HIRE a prostitute? That way it protects the prostitutes without promoting it.

[schoolake]

Dan Savage, One of the most sane people in this country.

Thank You Dan!

[Priapus00]

(shaking head) I never ceases to amaze me how people will argue anything to hear their own voices. the very simple fact is, the act of prostitution is not a crime in canada. Now whine and point out individual abuses of other laws all you want. it does not change that very simple fact.

[Priapus00]

Prostitution is also not illegal in Canada. (an example a bit closer to home)

[nesa167]

It IS very illegal in Canada...what the hell are you talking about?

[MaggyWood]

Prostitution itself is not illegal but everything associated with it is (ie. illegal to pick up johns on the street, etc) There is a supreme court ruling happening right now about it.

[Priapus00]

Public solicitation is illegal.  done in private, it is perfectly legal.

[emmetgirl]

that's an oversimplification of the nuances of the law in canada, which are, i'm afraid, more leotarded than that. check out the criminal code, + also alexandra highcrest's autobiography, "at home on the stroll" if you want to know just how leotarded.

[metalburb]

2:19 Uh-oh Dan, you said the R-word! What happened to goal of saying leotarded?

[GoHiltyGo]

Very good. Now post some fucking more.

[Konner]

Amen brother. I agree completely.

[dancortese2006]

Please, Dan, more than one video at a time! I can't stand going two weeks with just one new three minute video. :)

[freethinker3161]

stop , stop, your making too much sense.

[leeheeman420]

I completely agree, Mr. Savage. I wish there were more rational people like you in this world.

[countvladdracule]

it should be legalized it would make it easier to regulate as well as make it safer not only for avoiding rape but also for avoiding VI's.