I would hire myself out as a professional date, but even then, it would probably only be for a guy that could get his own date, and where does that leave you?

ita, a friend of mine did this as a bodyguard. She was the hottie who could then protect the guy, I guess.

I didn't really see the point, because her presence would in no way be a deterrent against starting something, but I guess some guys get a kick out of having a date who could kick someone's ass.

I think you would be hard pressed to find many, if any, feminist critics of prostitution who blame the prostitutes.

Hasn't been hard at all, actually, more's the pity.

Huh. That really has not been my experience.

The routine-ness of sexual violence against sex workers is dreadful. In this country more than half of female sex workers have been raped and 75% physically assaulted by clients/pimps. It's horrific.

I wish that surprised me. I wish. These men, many men, do not see a prostitute as a woman doing a job. She is not even a person. She is an object they have rented to do with what they please.

Seska, I look forward to checking out your organization.

In a perfect world, no one would be forced to do anything. In this one, we need to protect each other.

Bless you my child. [That, right there, tangentially speaking, is why I have major problems with (what I understand to be) Libertarian political philosophy. All talk, very little walk.

Seska, I'm curious--I totally grok not being a fan of the general porn industry that most stuff comes from--it seems from what I've read/seen to be a fucked up place that does few people any favors. When you say you're against porn, do you mean because it's basically coming from that? Or just...in general? I ask because while mostly I'm more a reader than a viewer (and from what you say about erotica, I'm assuming when you reference "porn" you mean visual, not written), but when I do view, it tends to be very much women-for-women stuff--the dyke feminist porn. Stuff made by and for a queer audience, with a queer gaze. With hot butch women in it (yum!). ...and some of it has had my friends in it! (Though I generally try to avoid those bits, cause ew.) And I have a hard time finding that objectionable, or seeing how it's really hurting anyone.

ita, a friend of mine did this as a bodyguard

That's an angle...I, of course, would get the guy who'd get a charge out of the idea of his own ass being kickable, and that skeeves me. Which is exactly why I could never date on demand. Too easily skeeved by predilections.

And I have a hard time finding that objectionable, or seeing how it's really hurting anyone.

I'm pretty pro-porn and anti-the porn industry as it stands. I don't relly have an answer to your point on this though. However I do have serious reservations about prostitution/paid sex acts in general which might cross over a bit.

I've heard from plenty of women who are prostitutes by choice, and make lots of money and see it as in no way against their feminist principles. However, that does not take away from the fact that something like 80% of prostitutes (in the UK at least) are drug addicts of one kind or another, and often controlled by pimps. That, to my mind, makes having sex with them rape. So, if a person is paying for sex with an individual, how can they tell if if they're paying for sex or paying for rape? And if you're working within that system, are you just supporting a system where peple aren't asking questions of women's agency in the industry?

I am deeply ashamed of the fact that we haven't finished sending thank you notes yet. That's going to happen this coming week since we will both be home, but we're disgustingly late.

Don't be. I haven't even sent you a gift yet!

Oh crap! I just remembered I have one to send as well!

No no! You guys don't need to send us anything! I didn't mean that at all. I just feel rotten about not having finished the silly thank you notes that I'd meant to send by the end of March at the latest.