Originally posted by Curtis
I'm surprised that you think pro-choicers are generally anti-prostitution. I haven't seen any surveys done on the subject, so you may well be correct, but my position is that prostitution should be legal and regulated, like the right to serve alcohol or sell firearms, with monthly doctor's visits and STD checks (plus pension plans, medical and dental coverage, income tax witholding and all that rot).
Ever notice how nobody wants to get caught being against anything? That's why it's pro-choice and pro-life, instead of anti-life and anti-choice.

Anyway, the movement to legalise abortion was and is a feminist issue. While there may be feminist groups who favor legalizing prostitution, I am not aware of any. Their position is that it is evil exploitation of women and should not be tolerated, no matter what the individual sex worker may think.

Now, I agree with you that it should be legal. While medical insurance, dental, pensions, etc. are nice, they imply that everyone would have to work for a large enough firm to make this happen. What about the woman who wants to be self employed? How about the three close friends who just want to make a little money for Christmas? Think about the plight of the twins (OK, we're getting into fantasy territory here) who want to raise some spending money with a lettle tag-team action?

The required exams for STDs would be good, but may be overrated. The incidence of STDs among prostitutes is currently no higher than in the single female population as a whole (in the US). The real risk there is tatoos, and the risk is high in professional parlors. It isn't the needles. They reuse the ink, which is expensive. They usually pour off some ink from the bottle into a separate container, but when done, many pour it back into the bottle. Right now, 40% of Hep C cases are contracted at professional tatoo parlors.

Be careful!

Bill