Sex work and development in Beijing
Joaquim Moura (mailto:poa-bsb@CR-DF.RNP.BR)
Thu, 7 Sep 1995 03:48:08 EST
Message-ID: <9509070648.AA27532@cr-df.rnp.br>
Date: Thu, 7 Sep 1995 03:48:08 EST
From: Joaquim Moura <mailto:poa-bsb@CR-DF.RNP.BR>
Subject: Sex work and development in Beijing
To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
>To: mailto:partners@ucf1vm.cc.ucf.edu
>From: mailto:poa-bsb@cr-df.rnp.br (Joaquim Moura)
>Subject: Sex work and development in Beijing
>Cc: mailto:acta@clark.net
>Bcc: mailto:lguerin@delphi.com
>X-Attachments:
>
>About a discussion on the Beijing-WCW-List. The point is sex "working"...
>
>I am always reading here some messages calling "sex workers" the female
>(and male, I suppose) prostitutes. There are even some ladies proud to
>declare themselves "whore" or the only truly liberated women in the world.
>(according the recent messages from Carol Leigh or from Catherine La Croix -
>Executive Director of COYOTE - Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics
>a sex "workers"' rights organization in Seattle).
>
>I (as a Brazilian volunteer international leader-leaded on social,
>community and ecological development) would like to ask: if prostitutes are
workers, what is their product? How do they contribute to the community
>development and to their/'others' personal evolution? I am afraid they
>are so productive as other parasite "workers" as the professional
>gamblers, the weaponry traders and any other charlatans who live on the
>exploration of the foolish side of humankind.
>
>If being a prostitute would be a valid option, why not to increase the
>income generation in the poor communities by training the youngsters to
>prostitute themselves? Or by stimulating the international sexual tourism?
>
>About being a "whore" and being proud about, as the COYOTE girls declare,
>maybe just few prostitutes in the world could state that, as the
>American "whores", who sell themselves in dollars, to the rich and
>beautiful people as we see in the Hollywood movies. But most prostitutes
>would prefer making their lives another way, less humiliating and
>dangerous, less exposed to violence, diseases, unvoluntary pregnancy,
>stress, legal and illegal toxic substances, precocious aging/decaying
>process. Most Brazilian and anywhere else prostitutes are not the Pretty
>Woman nor that L.A. prostitute arrested with that "famous" actor.
>(P.S. A Brazilian advertising agency made an ad with her for being
>broadcasted by the Brazilian TVs. She was paid US$ 30,000 for this ad,
>for Valisere, an industry of lingerie for women (mostly, I suppose...).
>
>Another argument demanding an answer: could you nominate any spiritual
>tradition, any philosopher, saint, concerned scientist, prophet or any
>other recognized as a master or a hero (either man or woman, either in
>the occidental or in the oriental tradition), who has ever advocated
>prostitution as a feasible way of life? How do you suppose a person
>really awaken and aware would evaluate any form of commercialization/
>exploration of the natural sexual reproductive human instinct (including
>its present use as a marketing resource to sell whichever product or
>mass media)?
>
>Finally, the COYOTE leader always ends her messages quoting another
>prostitute (I suppose) friend of hers, Ms. Margo St.James: "I've always
>thought whores were the only emancipated women". But how could be free
>someone who lives by exploring the illusional fancies and the emotional
>lacks of hers/his and others' and must offer her/his intimacy to anyone
>just because he/she will pay for that. This should the logical pinnacle
>of the capitalist consumist society, and maybe only American prostitutes
>could appreciate and defend this way of being. How could call free a
>woman whom money makes to pretend being interested in make love with
>some idiot, as are most their clients. Clients usually paying with money
>they earned without any actual benefit for the community, the nature,
>the society, or for the future. Very on the contrary!
>
>Thanks, Joaquim Moura (personal opinion)
>
______________________________________________________________
Joaquim Moura
Youth & Citizenship Development Commission
Partners of the Americas - Brasilia / Washington DC Committee
SHCGN 713 - Bloco I - Apt. 202 - 70760-739 - Brazil
Phone (55 61): 414-1780 (w); 273-5613 (h); 414-1898 (fax)