An odd question (adult related)..

[draggar]

Why is it when one person pays another for sex it is considered prostitution and illegal

YET

When two people are paid to have sex with each other it is called pornography and legal?

(Assuming all parties involved are of legal age etc..).

[draftermatt]

Wow...

I think my head exploded a little bit trying to figure that one out. Never thought of that before...

It may have something to do with the diseases that the (legit) pornography business tries to keep in check. (Databases as to who's been infected, etc).

Though I agree with George Carlin "Why is selling fucking illegal?"

[iradney]

Probably because the prostitute gets paid in cash, and therefore doesn't pay tax - and it's hard to track how many clients they had.
Whereas porno can be tracked (You sold 5000 copies of how to fill a mockingbird at 15.99? Where's your income tax form?)

[Shards]

It's an issue of semantics and values. If you're paying to get laid, then you're 'violating' the other person, and you both become open for diseases, plus it's amoral. If two people do something on camera and then sell you the tape, you aren't at risk, and, since they willingly put it on tape, it's no less moral than buying a home video off someone.

I also think it's because the guys who would be willing to try to outlaw pornography don't want to become any more felons than they already are.

[Jester]

Though I agree with George Carlin "Why is selling fucking illegal?"

To be fair to George, we really should include a bit more of that quote. To wit:

"I do not understand why prostitution is illegal. Why should prostitution be illegal? Selling is legal. Fucking is legal. Why isn’t selling fucking legal? You know, why should it be illegal to sell something that’s perfectly legal to give away?"

It may have something to do with the diseases that the (legit) pornography business tries to keep in check. (Databases as to who's been infected, etc).

Hard to believe that that is the cause for pornography being legal, considering all the amateur (and legal) porn out there, voyeur cams, and, of course, that I am pretty sure that no such database exists. And this is not just a guess....I have known two different female adult film actresses. One is a longtime friend of mine. You are the first person I have ever heard mention any such database.

Probably because the prostitute gets paid in cash, and therefore doesn't pay tax - and it's hard to track how many clients they had.
Whereas porno can be tracked (You sold 5000 copies of how to fill a mockingbird at 15.99? Where's your income tax form?)

Again, no. Because after all, you can very easily pay a prostitute with a check. And HOW they get paid is not, after all, why their trade is illegal.

[draftermatt]

Hard to believe that that is the cause for pornography being legal, considering all the amateur (and legal) porn out there, voyeur cams, and, of course, that I am pretty sure that no such database exists. And this is not just a guess....I have known two different female adult film actresses. One is a longtime friend of mine. You are the first person I have ever heard mention any such database.


Not saying that's the cause for pornography being legal, but for why prostitution is not.

As far as the database thing, I saw it on a TV show once, and while I know TV shows are works of fiction it seemed like a good idea, and made me think that an industry based on sex would want to do such a thing. I could be wrong.

And most amateur and voyeur cams aren't being paid to have sex. They are being paid by people who want to watch them have sex. Mainstream or other porn where the actors/actresses are being paid to do the deed and then getting money from people buying it is a little different.

[Pedersen]

To me, this was a question on the lines of "What color does a smurf turn when you choke it?" As a result, it didn't really bother.

Until now. I just asked that question at work to a guy who pays attention to such things. His answer? Legally speaking, the people involved in porn are getting paid as actors/actresses. They are not getting paid to have sex. They are getting paid to act, and are exercising their freedom of expression in doing so.

Now I have a headache.

[Evil Queen]

I have a headache just reading this.

[Crazeyal]

Legally speaking, the people involved in porn are getting paid as actors/actresses. They are not getting paid to have sex. They are getting paid to act, and are exercising their freedom of expression in doing so.
Beat me to it..

*WHPSCH!!*

sorry..

:devil:

The legalities and moralities of Porn are hotly debated, and constantly in flux. The sex industry, infinately moreso. And BTW... It's only MOSTLY illegal. There are places where Prostitution is legal, regulated and taxed. You can argue the whole "objectification" route until the dawn breaks and the cows come home (wearing leather!!) But no matter what is legal or accepted in society, there will ALWAYS be people willing to buy and sell sex.

[RetailWorkhorse]

You are the first person I have ever heard mention any such database.

You didn't know that most of the crew in the Porn industry have their own database? It keeps their stars safe because they're supposed to be tested every month for various diseases. If one has to be quarentined then it's put in the database and the Quarentined person doesn't perform or does something else that doesn't involve another person.

Some databases will even be cross-referenced with another Studio's if someone works for two or more Studios.

[Evil Queen]

The Database system is supposedly pretty common with the bigger industry names.

Most other legitimate businesses (restaurants, hotels, ect cetera) have similar databases for scam artists and people who skip on their bill. It's the same principal.

[Rapscallion]

Made me think about things, this one. Me no likey thinking. Thinky hurty!

Rapscallion

[Jester]

I guess the database makes sense. Of course the flaw with it is that is only going to be the larger studios using it. With the tendency of anyone with a camcorder making porn these days, that database is not going to apply to every piece of porn. And of course, going back to the OP, has nothing to do with the legality of porn versus the (mostly) illegality of prostitution. Especially when you consider a couple things.

1. Any porn actor or actress that is infected with any communicable disease, especially an incurable one like herpes or AIDS, is not going to be getting any work once word gets out.

2. Where it is legal, prostitution is even better regulated, and has a similar database, showing that the prostitutes have gotten monthly bills of health. Which is not only better than most porn stars can say, it is better than most of US can say. Seriously, how many of us get monthly checkups for STDs, or anything else for that matter?

[draggar]

2. Where it is legal, prostitution is even better regulated, and has a similar database, showing that the prostitutes have gotten monthly bills of health. Which is not only better than most porn stars can say, it is better than most of US can say. Seriously, how many of us get monthly checkups for STDs, or anything else for that matter?

Most of us are at a lower risk than prostitutes. I have sex with my wife now and that's it and I'm pretty sure I'm the only person she has sex with. After each partner I was checked out. This puts us at a greatly lower risk than people who have multiple partners (even using precautions such as condoms carries a risk).

Now I'm sure some people will pipe in surgeries and other procedures that can have the risk, yes, there is the risk there but there are many precautions in place to prevent contamination.

[Eireann]

If thinking about all this is giving everyone a headache, does that mean...

Well...

Considering the subject matter and all...

You get the point.

Or maybe not.

:D

[One-Fang]

To the original question ... power.

If I pay you to do something to me, I have power over you.

Porn stars are not paid to have sex with each other. Porn stars are paid to have on-camera sex with each other. It may be subtle, but I think it's quite an important fact. They're not paid to immediately personally satisfy the desires of the one doing the paying, like prostitution. Their pay comes from an involved third party and depends on more than just sex. Like someone said, they're actors. Not great ones, but still ...

I think it's a power thing.

Databases and methods of payment are no reason not to legalise prostitution. You can regulate it if it's legal, and therefore keep the girls safer, reduce likelihood of infection, etc.

[Eric the Grey]

There are places where Prostitution is legal, regulated and taxed. You can argue the whole "objectification" route until the dawn breaks and the cows come home (wearing leather!!) But no matter what is legal or accepted in society, there will ALWAYS be people willing to buy and sell sex.

I was going to mention this. I worked, briefly for a brothel in Nevada when I was 16. Unfortunately, I worked in their grape vineyards, and was never allowed inside the buildings since I was underage, and even that made the owner nervous, so they let me go after a couple of days. :cry:

Personally, I believe the original sanctions on prostitution was due to the church, and it has just never been fully done away with. No, I have no proof, just IMO.



:cool: Eric the Grye

[cinema guy]

A further question, why is prostitution legal in many countries, but not in (most of) the USA?

The US is the king of capatalist nations, yet it outlaws the worlds oldest profession.

In the UK prostitution isn't illegal, but advertising, soliciting, streetwalking and running a brothel all are.

[AccountingDrone]

Hard to believe that that is the cause for pornography being legal, considering all the amateur (and legal) porn out there, voyeur cams, and, of course, that I am pretty sure that no such database exists. And this is not just a guess....I have known two different female adult film actresses. One is a longtime friend of mine. You are the first person I have ever heard mention any such database.



Again, no. Because after all, you can very easily pay a prostitute with a check. And HOW they get paid is not, after all, why their trade is illegal.

From :http://www.thebody.com/cgi-bin/bbs/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=infected&Number=95720&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=7&o=&fpart=1

Public Health Implications
The Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation was established five years ago to provide screening and medical services to actors in the pornography industry in an effort to stem the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Any positive results are reported to the actors and their on-screen partners and are tracked in the industry's STD database (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 5/21/01). The industry recommends that all actors and actresses be tested for HIV every 30 days (Los Angeles Times, 4/16). "We're in really good shape as far as containment. This is early detection," AIM Co-Founder Sharon Mitchell, a former adult-film star, said (Los Angeles Daily News, 4/15). Los Angeles County Public Health Department Director Jonathan Fielding said that the agency does not consider the outbreak to be a public health threat "at this point" (Reuters/AP/Globe and Mail, 4/16). Fielding added, "This is another illustration that unless all the sex you're showing is safe, that actors will continue to be put at risk. Even good industry-wide efforts would be hard to be 100% successful because people are having sex outside the industry." Adult film actress Summer Tyme said, "I'm going to change the way I do things now. ... No money is worth risking your life" (Los Angeles Times, 4/16).

[Jester]

Most of us are at a lower risk than prostitutes.

Yes, we are. Especially married folk like you. But you still can't get away from the irony that these people are more thoroughly checked out for such things than the average single guy or girl.

To the original question ... power.

If I pay you to do something to me, I have power over you.

Many would argue that it is the prostitute that has the power, not the client.

Personally, I believe the original sanctions on prostitution was due to the church, and it has just never been fully done away with. No, I have no proof, just IMO.

And your opinion is correct. The Puritanical base of this country's founding is what caused many things, including the criminality of prostitution. Whatever your beliefs on religion and prostitution, this particular fact is just that....fact. Our Puritanical beginnings are what causes such illogical things as the facts that selling is legal, fucking is legal, and selling fucking is illegal.

A further question, why is prostitution legal in many countries, but not in (most of) the USA?

See above.

The Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation was established five years ago to provide screening and medical services to actors in the pornography industry etc., etc......

Touche.

[Rapscallion]

Well, this thread has gone through the acceptable part of business, which is asking a question and getting an answer. It's well into debate turf, which is not the remit of this board.

Closed. You know where this is supposed to go.

Rapscallion