Prostitution or Pornography?

This is the question that made me wonder why exactly prostitution is illegal. Now, the legality of prostitution was a question I had been considering for a while when this idea occurred to me, and it still bothers me, :

• Why is it all right to pay two people to have sex with each other but not okay for one person to pay another to have sex?

This question is obviously referring to the difference between prostitution and pornography but my problem is that the only difference I can see between the two businesses is not sex but is, in fact, money. If a person pays for sex, it's wrong. If a person is paid for sex, it's really wrong (I will get into the difference between wrong and really wrong when I discuss the penalties for solicitation versus prostitution). But If a person pays other people to have sex and then records it, it's okay. And if someone pays you to have sex with someone else and films it, it's okay. So, I guess that making a record also makes having sex for money legal. So, if a pimp is recording his prostitutes having sex and selling it, is it prostitution or pornography, legal or illegal? Or say, you pay someone to have sex with you and record, is it prostitution or pornography? Okay final question, if you pay two people to have sex while you watch, is it prostitution or pornography? So, those are my questions, where are the lines, what's the legality, is it down to sex, money, recording or some amorphous moral question? I don't know but hopefully I'll find out while writing this blog and if I do, I'll share it with you.  Then we can tackle the ultimate question, how can we safely and successfully make it legal?

Prostitution and Morality

I'm going to start with asking few questions and making a few statements to illustrate my viewpoint on why prostitution should be legal.

1. We allow people to use their bodies as the primary tools of their businesses.

• athletes

2. We allow sex to be a commercial item.

• ads
• pornography - literature, photography, and video

3. In general, it is considered immoral to tell someone what they can and cannot do with their bodies.

• except being when their actions cause harm to others
• which prostitution does not if done correctly

Intro

This blog is a place for discussion and activity on the question of whether or not Prostitution should be legal. I will be arguing in favor of prostitution and examining prostitution and its sister businesses such as pimping and pornography. I will be providing information on these areas both in the United States and around the world. I will also be arguing in favor of prostitution from moral, legal, and economic standpoints. Finally, I will be discussing problems with prostitution and legalizing it.