People these days get paid for all sorts of things: playing sports, singing songs, dancing behind someone else, doing contortions, etc. All of these things center around one essential tool: the human body.
I’m an actor, so my teachers and mentors have told me for years that my body is my instrument. I embrace this concept and try to take pretty good care of myself (give or take). I train my voice, stretch my body and broaden my imagination.
There is one thing that has always bothered me when I think about people who get paid for their body’s ability: the fact that prostitutes cannot legally use their own bodies to make a living.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never wanted to be a prostitute. Well, maybe once, but that was after a night of watching “Moulin Rouge” and wishing I lived in the turn of the 20th century.
I don’t exactly agree with what prostitutes do, either. I find it pretty disgusting, and I basically feel that they disrespect themselves by not preserving a certain act (Shakespeare refers to it as “the beast with two backs”) for someone they truly care about.
I pity women, and men, who feel that the only talent they have going for them is the ability to, well, you know. But this does not mean that I feel as if it is the government’s place to forbid them from selling themselves.
Making something illegal is not going to stop it from occurring; it actually spends government money by enforcing the restrictions (i.e. “hunting” prostitutes) and incarcerating those who do violate that law. The government would actually make a lot of money if it did legalize prostitution.
If prostitution was legal, it could be taxed heavily and regulated. Prostitutes could benefit from the protection of law enforcement, so they wouldn’t be afraid to report an assault or harassment incident.
Additionally, a standard for cleanliness and contraceptives could be instituted. The rate of sexually transmitted diseases acquired from a paid partner would plummet. Logically, if contraceptives were required, sexually transmitted diseases would not be able to be transmitted.
Prostitutes would have to report their earnings every year, just like the rest of us, so that would prevent them from receiving government aid if genuinely ineligible.
Prostitution is not going to stop, so why not make it as safe as possible for everyone involved?
If the problem with prostitution is religious, the government needs to face that religion and the state should remain separate. Everyone has different beliefs; nothing is going to please everyone.
Our Founding Fathers had no intention of creating a nation revolved around Christianity or any other religion. They were actually trying to avoid just that.
Who is to say what prostitutes do is wrong?
They are providing a service that a select group of people apparently needs, and do so in a way that both sides of the deal get what they want.
A singer gets to use her voice to sing, and she’ll get paid.
An athlete receives payment for performance in a game after strenuous training.
Even a runway model gets paid to look a certain way and keep her body a certain size.
Why is it outrageous to allow women, and men, to offer their intimate services in exchange for monetary payment?
Wendy Morell is the opinion editor of The Reflector. She can be contacted at [email protected].