The assertion that Prostitution is a social institution that reinforces the idea that “women are the property of men” (Meier, Geis, Pg. 43), is a common idea among most radical feminists. This view attempts to equate prostitution with slavery and to place the blame on men and society. The major problem with this viewpoint is that the prostitutes themselves are not being held accountable for what quite simply is a choice that they made for themselves.
Some of the biggest problems with this type of thinking is that it is too narrow-minded and does not look for various causes or reasons, it instead focuses it’s attention on one group, that group is males. Instead of trying to find out why a young woman enters the world of prostitution, whether it is to support an addiction, to make money, or if she is forced into it, these feminists would rather point the finger at men and blame them for the choices that the prostitute made.
To imply that prostitution is mans way of owning women is absurd. It is important to remember thatmost prostitutes work for themselves, set their own prices, choose whichcustomers to serve, and choose what acts that they will perform. This does not sound like the actions of somebody who is the property of another. Another problem with this assertion is the comparison between prostitution and slavery.
To compare a job where the majority of its workers are voluntary and get paid for their services to slaves who were taken from their homes and forced to work for nothing but scraps of food is not only absurd, it is insulting. Once again the feminists need to realize that most of these women choose this lifestyle, the fact that they had a bad childhood or were victimized is irrelevant. Many people go through the same type of things and grow up to get good jobs and lead a good life. The only point in the feminist point of view that I agreed with was that prostitution can violate a woman’s dignity.
The woman’s dignity may very well be violated, but it is violated because of the lifestyle that they chose to lead, not because men violate them. The men are simplytaking advantage of a resource that is already there, they are not forcingthe women to accept money for sex. In conclusion, the feminist view that prostitution reinforces women as the property of men, quite simply has no merit. While I do not deny that women still live in a somewhat unequal world, blaming men for the poor choices that women make is not right. The feminists must realize that men are not to blame for all of the problems facing women today. If young women choose to become a prostitute, it is her choice.
To try and make aconnection to men and find a way to blame them for that choice is a sexistact. Feminists complain about how society is biased towards women, maybe they should look in the mirror and see how biased they are towards men.
