The Normalization of Porn and Prostitution in Leftist Circles
The Marxist & Radical perspective on prostitution is often overlooked in mainstream feminist discourse. While liberals frame "sex work" as a manifestation of liberation, we think otherwise.
The co-optation of Marxism by liberals, coupled with the promotion of sex work in leftist circles, has led to a distortion of Marxist feminist analysis. While Marxist radical feminists argue that prostitution is inherently exploitative and linked to capitalism and misogyny, liberal interpretations of Marxism tend to view sex work as a legitimate form of labour. This perspective has only served to further normalize and legitimize an industry that disproportionately harms women and reinforces existing power structures.
In contrast to this liberal interpretation, radical feminists maintain that prostitution is inherently exploitative and dehumanizing, and that it cannot be separated from the broader systems of oppression that sustain it. Prostitution, they argue, is not a matter of individual choice or empowerment, but rather a reflection of the commodification of women's bodies in a patriarchal society. This commodification is intensified by capitalism, which only serves to further marginalize and objectify those who are already most vulnerable.
The classism, sexism and racism that permeates the sex trade must be addressed, as the porn industry and sex trade also encourages the fetishization of women of color - putting them in increased risk of trafficking and sexual assault.
The failure of legalized prostitution becomes apparent when examining the effects of decriminalizing johns. In countries where prostitution is legal, decriminalizing the purchase of sex has actually led to an increase in human trafficking. This is because traffickers are able to operate more easily when they are less likely to be penalized for their actions. It is essential, therefore, that only sex workers themselves are decriminalized, rather than the sex capitalists (pimps) who seek to exploit them.
The individualist nature of liberal feminism also fails to recognize the collective impact of prostitution on women as a whole. By focusing solely on the autonomy of sex workers, liberals overlook the ways in which prostitution reinforces patriarchal power structures and contributes to the objectification and commodification of women's bodies.
Sex work unions, while sometimes well-intentioned, have often failed to achieve their stated goals due to the inherent power imbalances within the industry. In many cases, sex work unions have served more as a smokescreen for the realities of the trade, with some even being co-opted by pimps and traffickers.
WNU representatives claim they have 6,500 Cambodian “sex workers” on their books fighting for “sex workers’ rights.” The translator said that none of the women I met with used the term “sex work” to describe what they do, or “sex worker” to describe who they are. This language was used by the WNU. One of WNU’s aims is “to challenge the rhetoric around sex work, particularly that concerned with the anti-trafficking movement and the ‘rehabilitation’ of sex workers.” All the women asked me where they could get help to escape the hell they were in. Meanwhile, WNU board members and paid staff travel the region, speaking at “sex workers’ rights” conferences, distorting the voices of exploited women.
The prostituted women in Cambodia made it clear to me how much they hated prostitution. The board member said she had been at a regional conference with other “sex workers’ rights” activists and that “tens of thousands” of “sex workers” in Cambodia signed up to this so-called union. The women I spoke to had no idea that they were “sex workers’ rights” activists.
- JULIE BINDEL (TruthDig)
Unfortunately, in countries like the Netherlands and Germany, where prostitution has been legalized and regulated, we have seen a corresponding increase in sex tourism, with men from all over the world flocking to these destinations to purchase sexual services. This exploitation of women in poorer countries only serves to further entrench the power dynamics of colonialism and imperialism, as wealthy Western men continue to extract pleasure and profit from the most vulnerable members of society.
It is a grave mistake to conflate sex worker unions with genuine worker solidarity. Sex worker unions have failed to protect women from violence and exploitation. Instead, they have served as a performative smokescreen, offering the bare minimum for survival and normalizing the sex trade while obscuring the realities of prostitution. Statistics from these countries show that the majority of sex workers are migrants, disproportionately impacted by poverty and lack of legal protection.
The rise of OnlyFans has further normalized and mainstreamed prostitution, with platforms like these presenting a glamorized version of sex work that obscures the reality of women's exploitation. The normalization of both pornography and prostitution has led to a culture where men are actively encouraged to consume it as a commodity, while women are reduced to mere objects for their gratification.
It also paved the way for profiteers to utilize the increased demand using trade tactics such as the loverboy method. The loverboy method is a disturbingly common tactic employed by pimps and e-pimps, such as the infamous Andrew Tate. Men who use this method often pretend to fall in love with a woman, building up her trust and emotional dependence before gradually coercing her into prostitution.
The increase in demand for virtual pornography and camming has also paved the way for the rise of "pick-up artist" culture, where men are taught manipulative tactics to coerce women into sexual submission - this also affects women outside of the trade, as many men utilize the demand to upload revenge pornography of their partners or unsuspecting women that they sell on the internet for money. Changing rooms, toilets and even hotel rooms are often equipped with devices to record women, to satisfy voyeuristic fetishes fueled by pornography consumption.
Men should be barred and discouraged from participating in the sex trade and pornography, as their involvement only serves to perpetuate the exploitation of women and girls. The ongoing human trafficking crisis, including the trafficking of non-consenting individuals like those seen in the PornHub scandal, highlights the urgent need for such action.
There has also been a decisive move by liberals to destigmatize Johns, or men who purchase sexual services, as merely "sex-positive" individuals exercising their right to pleasure. In the article Chester Brown and the Queerness of Johns - the john is viewed as a man who seeks non-normative sex arrangements, and becomes “queer” pariah as default.
This flawed view conveniently ignores the harm that these men inflict upon women in the sex trade and their position as male sex buyers in the patriarchy. Pro-john ideologues that seek to redeem johns often ignore the women who are often subjected to violence, exploitation, and psychological manipulation. The website DIE UNSICHTBAREN MÄNNER (WHAT ARE SEX BUYERS THINKING?) highlights the misogyny and self-admitted abuse that is rife amongst sex buying men in the industry by highlighting quotes from forums and websites online where johns congregate.
In the end, it is not enough to simply decriminalize prostitution or legalize sex work. We must challenge the very systems that create the demand and supply for paid sexual services in the first place. This means fighting against the objectification and commodification of women's bodies, both within capitalist societies and in the global economy. It means addressing the root causes of poverty and inequality, which disproportionately affect women and girls, and creating real alternatives for those who are trapped in the sex trade. Only then can we begin to envision a world where all women are truly free and equal.
- By Noray