Background
From old-age brothels and whorehouses to phone sex operations and webcam modeling, sex work has significantly upgraded since the nineteenth century. Economic necessity and the desire to have an easier life made many women go into the sex trade leading up to the Civil War (Jabour, 2016). As technology became more modern, so did the industry. Not only is there street prostitution, there is also webcam modeling, phone sex lines, and escort/parlor-related services.
Webcam modeling includes performing erotic acts while streaming online with a live webcam or selling videos of their performances. Phone sex companies typically have clients pay to call their line so that they can talk to an operator about any fetishes or fantasies. Escort agencies provide escorts and arrange one-on-one meetings between one of their escorts and a client. Any specific arrangements or additional fees are typically negotiated directly with the escort as they may not be provided by the agency involved, such as providing sexual services. Historically, sex workers took part in the gay rights and gay liberation movements. Well known trans and queer sex workers were involved in Compton's Cafeteria and Stonewall riots in the late 60s (Toone, 2018). In the 70s, Harvey Milk was assisted in his campaign by Margo St. James, a famous self-proclaimed prostitute and sex work advocate in San Francisco, California (Toone, 2018). While sex workers played a significant role, they were heavily influenced and affected by the waves of feminism and the movements that came with it. Prominent women's organizations often promote the Nordic model which seeks to criminalize the people who purchase the sex rather than those providing the sex (Solis, 2019). Sex workers have made it known that the use of this model makes it more dangerous for them to do their work. It makes it harder to screen clients and easier for law enforcement to infiltrate the communities (Solis, 2019). Some advocates for women's rights argue that it's the only way to reduce exploitation and abuse within the sex work trade (Solis, 2019). Despite the divide that this causes within the feminist movement, the goal remains the same which is to seek justice for those whose bodies have been abused and exploited along with decriminalizing consensual sex work and gaining rights for sex workers. |
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