Should prostitution be legalized in the United States?

Contributor: Ahatmadeofshoes12 Ahatmadeofshoes12
I absolutely think prostitution should be legalized. Under a legal system we could better protect our workers and allow them to have more choice. Legal protection would allow them to get better medical care and better protection under the law from anyone who might hurt them or violate their consent.
02/08/2012
Contributor: Mwar Mwar
Legalize it. Legalize drugs. Regulate.
02/25/2012
Contributor: PeaceToTheMiddleEast PeaceToTheMiddleEast
If I could give every prostitute the sites that I am on. It will save them from all kinds of hurt and pain and diseases. They can be in their own home and feel comfortable working on a site instead of out in the street getting messed up by someone, or catching some kind of nasty disease.
02/25/2012
Contributor: Roz W Roz W
Legalizing prostitution wouldn't make things perfect, but it would make things better. Laws that treated sex workers like human beings would help protect human beings.
02/26/2012
Contributor: corsetsaurus rex corsetsaurus rex
The ability to tax and regulate the sex trade through legalization would both be a smart financial move and help make it a safer industry for johns and workers.
03/01/2012
Contributor: oneeyedoctopus oneeyedoctopus
I find the arguments for legalizing it more compelling than those against. But I'd like to know more about how it affects society in countries where it is legal.
03/02/2012
Contributor: MissCandyland MissCandyland
I don't really care.
03/02/2012
Contributor: Jake'n'bake Jake'n'bake
I honestly think it should be legal. If it was regulated, it would be safer.
03/02/2012
Contributor: queerasfuck queerasfuck
Legalizing things generally always makes it easier to regulate and also less stigmatized, which is good.
03/12/2012
Contributor: TheGreat TheGreat
Yes! It would allow for the safety of all parties.
03/23/2012
Contributor: Woman China Woman China
Quote:
Originally posted by js250
I can sell my body and mind to an employer for 8 hours per day to do their general labor. I think everyone does this at one point of their lives, if you want to eat or live in a house. Why can't I sell my body (if I chose to) to a man for sexual ... more
I agree with what JS250 has said.

Interesting points too!
03/24/2012
Contributor: pootpootpoot pootpootpoot
I absolutely agree with the quote. And when you legalize something, you regulate it, which will reduce the abuse on adults involved in prostitution.
03/26/2012
Contributor: marrythenight marrythenight
Quote:
Originally posted by Raven
I say, absolutely yes. Between 2 consenting adults I see so reason why the government should step in and regulate what goes on. Some people in this country are really screwed up when it comes to anything to do with sex and they want to tell ... more
absolutely this!
04/02/2012
Contributor: pasdechat pasdechat
It's a really complicated issue, but I'm going to say no. The problem, as I see it, is that for a variety of reasons (differences in pay, differences in expectations, the simple fact that women are less likely to orgasm through plain old intercourse) the people patronizing prostitutes (of either gender) will probably be overwhelmingly male. This means that, since the majority of men are heterosexual, the overwhelming majority of prostitutes will be female, and I don't think it's a good idea to endorse a system where female sexuality--but not, for the most part, male sexuality--can be bought--it lowers the standing of all women.
04/29/2012
Contributor: GONE! GONE!
Quote:
Originally posted by Ahatmadeofshoes12
I absolutely think prostitution should be legalized. Under a legal system we could better protect our workers and allow them to have more choice. Legal protection would allow them to get better medical care and better protection under the law from ... more
This. People are going to do it anyway, why not keep things safe and healthy? I don't see what the big moral outrage over the idea is either honestly. People sell their bodies in all kinds of other ways.
05/02/2012
Contributor: catastic catastic
I think it should be legalized to make it safer for sex workers especially since the industry would never go away. Sex workers would be able to report crimes, would be less likely to be taken advantage of by pimps, etc.
05/02/2012
Contributor: gsfanatic gsfanatic
Frankly, I can't see why legalized prostitution, as long as the prostitutes were not coerced, are going to harm society. Given that people can get sex by buying dinner or for free, why would paying make it any more evil.
05/03/2012
Contributor: Various Various
I ride the fence here. I don't think it is OK for the government to dictate what we do or don't do with our own bodies or money, but I can't say I am pro-prostitution legalization either.
05/03/2012
Contributor: iabicpl09 iabicpl09
It should be legal
05/09/2012
Contributor: pasdechat pasdechat
Quote:
Originally posted by gsfanatic
Frankly, I can't see why legalized prostitution, as long as the prostitutes were not coerced, are going to harm society. Given that people can get sex by buying dinner or for free, why would paying make it any more evil.
I'm sure there are many arguments against it, and admittedly, a lot of these are just knee-jerk "sex is bad" responses. I consider myself sex-positive, and a feminist, and I'm against it. As I see it, there is probably always going to be de facto gender imbalance in clients and prostitutes (clients primarily heterosexual men, and prostitutes primarily women--of whatever orientation). In practice, I can't see how this could NOT affect the perception/standing of women in society. If the majority of prostitutes are women servicing men, it equates heterosexual female (but not male, for the most part)sexuality to money in a way that is troubling to me.
05/09/2012
Contributor: Undead Undead
I don't think so.
05/15/2012
Contributor: Nirelan Nirelan
I voted other because after reading the questions at the bottom of the paragraph I forgot what the MAIN question was LOL! Anyway, I think it should be legal. It's the oldest profession in the world and what people do with their own bodies is up to them right? If you can legally kill a baby because it hasn't taken it's first breath and its ok, why not let someone make some money from what they do best? I think the government just has WAY too much control over what we Americans are "allowed" to do.
05/19/2012
Contributor: Nirelan Nirelan
Quote:
Originally posted by Viv
I say get a strict regulating body in place to maintain the safety and health of sex workers and then TAX THE LIVING HELL OUT OF IT. What deficit?
Exactly!
05/19/2012
Contributor: Nirelan Nirelan
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
It is interesting to note that prostitution was once legal and policed by the state. This was during the civil war when the rise of syphillis was so extreme that the North nearly lost the war due to the sickness of it's troops. To curb this the ... more
LOVE this response!
05/19/2012
Contributor: authorzero authorzero
Others have mentioned that legalization would lead to human trafficking, but human trafficking already exists, even in areas where prostitution is illegal. Strong regulation is the best solution, but it should definitely be legal.
05/19/2012
Contributor: spineyogurt spineyogurt
Yeah sure why not
05/20/2012
Contributor: Peggi Peggi
Quote:
Originally posted by Raven
I say, absolutely yes. Between 2 consenting adults I see so reason why the government should step in and regulate what goes on. Some people in this country are really screwed up when it comes to anything to do with sex and they want to tell ... more
I fully agree to this. I would not be on either end of the deal there, but I certainly feel that it should be legal for others to do so! As long as the girls (or guys) get regular checkups and maybe have the women use birth control, it should be legal.
05/20/2012
Contributor: melissa1973 melissa1973
Definately!!!! Have restrictions on things like a specific age, regular testing for drugs and STD's, and tax it like any other business. Get rid of the pimps (they need to get a job). The prostitutes have a hard enough job anyway. After being tested and cleared then they would be free to work, and the bordellos should stick to the regulations in place and not take girls without being tested.
05/20/2012
Contributor: LoveBug721 LoveBug721
Quote:
Originally posted by Nashville
You can legally buy someone over 18 a $300 dinner and then take the person home for sex. You can legally take the person on a $2,500 weekend getaway for sex. But it’s a crime for you to pay someone $2,500 directly for sex, etc. Porn is not illegal as ... more
They're going to do it regardless
05/20/2012
Contributor: Taylor Violet LXIX Taylor Violet LXIX
Quote:
Originally posted by Nashville
You can legally buy someone over 18 a $300 dinner and then take the person home for sex. You can legally take the person on a $2,500 weekend getaway for sex. But it’s a crime for you to pay someone $2,500 directly for sex, etc. Porn is not illegal as ... more
I think its logically absurd for it to be illegal to pay for something that is legal to give away for free.
05/30/2012