Read on Twitter
"While most men support legalizing prostitution, most women disagree"
Hardly a surprising result, but puts Twitter's large "feminist pro-sex work" contingent into perspective https://today.yougov.com/topics/politics/articles-reports/2016/03/10/prostitution
Hardly a surprising result, but puts Twitter's large "feminist pro-sex work" contingent into perspective https://today.yougov.com/topics/politics/articles-reports/2016/03/10/prostitution
The libertarian impulse in me wants to legalise "sex work", but only on the conditions that:
i) Couples have the right to stipulate severe penalties for adultery in their marriage contracts (this would also be a libertarian move, so why sex work and not this?)
i) Couples have the right to stipulate severe penalties for adultery in their marriage contracts (this would also be a libertarian move, so why sex work and not this?)
ii) There are more significant restrictions on abortion (a libertarian believes the state's job is above all else to protect the right to life, and I believe babies have that in the womb at an earlier stage than most abortion laws recognise)
iii) Both biological parents have a legal obligation towards their offspring (most sensible libertarians don't fully extend their laissez-faire approach to children, the mentally handicapped, etc, but enforce obligations to these groups
– and we can legally mandate that the cost of the paternity testing regime is borne by the parties to the sex work transaction rather than the state)
iv) Some minimal sensible public health measures: eg requiring sex work providers to undergo regular disease testing
iv) Some minimal sensible public health measures: eg requiring sex work providers to undergo regular disease testing
v) A strong State provided social safety net (eg a UBI) to ensure no one is de facto forced to engage in sex work (the last two principles may depart from libertarianism somewhat)
However, I think if there is ever a case for departing from libertarianism, maintaining (and even increasing) prohibitions of sex work may be there.
Here are a few reasons amongst many:
Here are a few reasons amongst many:
1. Prohibitions on sex work, "slut shaming", and other "conservative" sexual norms are often maintained by women in women's favour and against men's wishes and interests. The polling in OP is one example of this.
The reason is that this pushes up the price / value of women in society.
See for instance this article: https://theumlaut.com/the-economics-of-slut-shaming-447d64e49875
See for instance this article: https://theumlaut.com/the-economics-of-slut-shaming-447d64e49875
2. Even more easily available sex outside of marriage and other committed relationships further disincentives their formation, and their strength of bond and importance where they exist.
I see marriage as integral to the good life, so this is bad.
I see marriage as integral to the good life, so this is bad.
3. It devalues and desacralises sex, which I believe is bad in itself (as I believe that sex can be a great transcendent good if understood and treated in a particular way) – and also thereby devalues and desacralises those relationships which are predicated on sexual exclusivity
If sex is even less of a big deal, then the significance of being in a sexually exclusive relationship with someone is going to be felt like less of a big deal
4. Even with widespread paternity testing, unless that operates *perfectly* (ie 100% of sex workers' children are correctly identified) paternity certainty will be reduced.
Ample literature from anthropology and other fields demonstrates why this is a bad idea:
Ample literature from anthropology and other fields demonstrates why this is a bad idea:
Eg less investment (time, financial, emotional, etc) in children, mothers, and mothers' families by fathers and fathers' families
5. It would mean even less children are born and raised by both their biological parents, and in stable and loving homes, and where the focus is oriented around them.
This is probably the most significant and destructive downside to sex work legalisation.
This is probably the most significant and destructive downside to sex work legalisation.
And as it primarily involves children, who can't consent to what they're born into, if they're ever a scenario where we're justified in departing from libertarian principles it's here.
Effects on children and the disabled and the sick are usually the best reasons to depart from libertarianism (as is sheer economic necessity if we're truly interested in freeing people).
6. It would further sexualise culture. I think this is greatly debasing, and so think this provides some reason for state intervention (probably not on its own sufficient to justify departing from libertarian principles)
Something I should have included earlier, if we are going to legalise sex work on libertarian grounds, then we should be consistent in our libertarianism, and also give people the freedom to refuse to employ and serve providers and consumers of sex work,
give civic associations the freedom to not admit sex workers and clients in, give parents the freedom to not have their children taught by people who think sex work is moral, etc
