Anonymous #3 2w

It normalizes erotic behavior and leads to a desensitized society, which in turn, leads to people having to seek out dangerous and harmful sexual behavior in order to feel turned on. Not only that but it IS degrading, as it’s a way to monetize people objectifying themselves. While bad on its own, it also teaches people to objectify others subconsciously.

-5

Anonymous #1 2w

“Empowering” is intrapersonal though, so ya can’t really make bold, generalist claims.

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Anonymous #4 2w

Yall why did I get a downvote I’m literally right lol. Nothing about what I said wasn’t straight, complete facts

1

Anonymous #4 2w

Plenty of things that make people feel happy are not empowering and actually harmful. Sex work especially.

-5

Anonymous #4 2w

Sex work is bad, and if someone feels like they’ve gained power from doing it or “feel powerful doing it” (by the modern usage) then they’re living in a delusion they’ve invented to cope with the horror they’re putting themselves through.

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Anonymous #1 2w

But like… empowering is still intrapersonal. Regardless of what it means societally or literally or whatever you want to say, empowering is still an intrapersonal label. To extrapolate a bit to prove my point: most serial killers find what they do empowering, but you would argue it’s horrific and disgusting, right? It’s the same idea. Who are we to judge what’s “empowering” to someone else? You can express your moral beliefs, but you can’t control how someone feels.

3

Anonymous #4 2w

ok I was on your side until that serial killer argument man that is truly an awful point

3

Anonymous #5 2w

But why is it an awful point lol? It’s just an argument extrapolation. The point holds too. We can judge morals, claim delusions, etc. but at the end of the day what’s empowering to someone isn’t up to us. That’s the idea lol. I’m not equivocating sx work to serial killers

5

Anonymous #1 2w

I think you’re discussing a different meaning for empowering that isn’t in the scope of this question. When someone asks “is sx work empowering” they’re not asking if it SOCIETALLY beneficial or will improve your standing/reputation. They’re talking about a feeling. So if sx work makes someone feel happy and confident, then it is objectively empowering TO THEM

2

Anonymous OP 2w

OP imo this is a horrible debating topic for a class lol. There is no clean yes/no answer, and it depends on perspective. Anything is empowering depending on your perspective. People will probably bring up arguments like “but it isn’t good!!” or “it’s structurally not liberating” but those are non sequiturs. Those are a different conversation entirely

2

Anonymous #4 2w

That’s an interesting argument you got there 💀 I’m not going to waste my time arguing the semantics of “empowerment”, my main point is that sex work is objectively wrong and isn’t empowering even if someone feels like it is. Feelings are subjective, I agree.

3

Anonymous #1 2w

Okay, so I want you to understand my argument then lol. I guess it’s technically semantics, but empowerment seems to be pretty clearly defined in questions like this as “self-confidence”. You can believe anything is objectively wrong or objectively harmful, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t empowering for the person doing it. My argument is basically that something being “objectively wrong” in this case is a complete non sequitur: it just doesn’t matter bcz it isn’t being asked

3

Anonymous #4 2w

Actually no, it’s not objectively empowering. Feelings are subjective and not based on objective reality. And I bring up societal impact because OP said they’re going to be discussing sex work for a lecture and usually in discussions people bring up subjective feelings of empowerment like they’re the end all be all. I’m hoping to showcase how that’s objectively not true due to its impacts. (Societal and personal)

7

Anonymous #4 2w

I understand your argument, but I have to replies: 1. Empowerment has two definitions, one referring to gaining power, one referring to the feeling of gaining power. By the first definition of gaining power, I stand by my argument that sex work is not empowering. But if we’re going off of the second, feelings based, one I would also argue that since it’s not a feeling that matches their reality it’s nonsensical. I’m not saying they don’t or can’t feel that way, I’m saying they shouldn’t.

1

Anonymous #4 2w

2. I bring up the objectively wrong argument because OP mentioned that they're going to be discussing sex work for a lecture and usually in discussions people talk about multiple factors not simply what one person may feel about it.

0

Anonymous #1 2w

*two

1

Anonymous #4 2w

Lately, we’ve been able to choose our topics in class (vote on them). I didn’t vote on this out of the plethora of other topics. sooooo take it up with my classmates lol

5

Anonymous #1 2w

Capitalism innately objectifies you.

0

Anonymous #9 2w

No slavery and prostitution are both illegal in the U.S. (In most places at least. I’m still advocating for prostitution to be abolished digitally but unfortunately society’s going to make that difficult.)

1

Anonymous #1 2w

Do most jobs not treat their employees as expendable drones that exist only to squeeze labor out of?

8

Anonymous #10 2w

Puritans who can’t fathom that adults might enjoy consensual sex busting their asses off downvoting any comment that expresses this sentiment

8

Anonymous #7 2w

fr

1