Lesbianism and Sex Industry - Essay Example

Lesbianism and Sex Industry Introduction Lesbian is a woman who finds interest in romance and sex with another woman. A woman who finds interest in both women and men can be termed as bisexual. Both traits in women lead to sex industry. The women who are interested in sex with other women and generally the men interested in women create a demand for women who offer sexual services for money and thus result in flourishing of sex industry. This above definition and view seems to be the general definition of lesbian and the understanding of it may be a straight forward one. Adding to it some feminists offer a broader meaning regarding the women who are against the view of hetero sexual existence. According to some writers, lesbianism is a trait in women, who do not accept conventional sexual life or marriage with opposite sex. It has been described as "woman identified woman". According to Cheshire Calhoun in 1995, "when feminist woman loving replaces lesbian genital sexuality, lesbian identity disappears into feminist identity. Whatever may be the definition, the sex industry can have demand from both men and lesbian women, as far as female sex workers are considered as service providers. The diversity in the sexual activities in women having same sex relationships depends on interpersonal activity, sexual expression and on the context of relationship. 1 As it has been observed that the sexual relationships between women are growing and demand for sex industry is not decreasing, the topic should question about the point in law that punishes the provider leaving the customer. 2 2. Lesbianism According to Sally Munt in his book Heroic Desire: Lesbianism and Cultural Space talks about the Hero of lesbianism and the versatility of a lesbian culture. He feels that living as a lesbian is a heroic act and that needs to be changed according to him. He opines that identification becomes an amalgam of experience and desire and a process not excluded. That is pivoting. In this discussion the cause and developments of lesbianism are not discussed and instead of that making general the expression of lesbianism is discussed. The biological and social consequences are secondary to this view as the feminist hero dominates the discussion. 3 Moreover the developmental and clinical issues taken up in specific chapters of Lesbian lives include the challenges faced by lesbian adolescents. They are regarding psychological and social significance of getting out. This makes the studying of experience of a woman who loves another woman a subject to study and research. To treat lesbian patients, psychoanalytic therapists should turn away from the present formulations of lesbianism. The new language helps them in treating lesbian women successfully. This can be termed as a revisiting of lesbianism and their interrelated issues. This may lead to development of psychological consequences of identifying as homosexual and having same sex relationships. In this context, the major psychoanalytic and biological theories come into fore. These talk about identification of gender. Psychologically mature model of sexuality between members of same sex need to be evolved at this context. This may giver rise to development of clinical issues that are needed to be taken up for the sake of Lesbian lives. These are regarding challenges faced by lesbian adolescents, the psychological and social significance of coming out and other meanings are considered. The correct psychoanalysis at the right time may make them come out of the state or to face the society with confidence. This involves the interaction of individual psyche and social context in clinical work with lesbian patients. The history of homosexual therapy and psycho analytical training regarding lesbian patients need to be recorded. 4 3. Illegitimate Work to the Labour Market 3.1 Labour Market: Before considering illegitimate work to the labour market, the consideration of prostitution by feminists needs to be taken into consideration. They consider this as an alternative gendered relation and an issue of sexuality, thus a kind of labour. This brings into fore, the legitimate and illegitimate work to the labour market of sex. The integrated feminist analysis of sex work focuses on gendered relation and labour. In this case it rejects moralism and determinism of the gendered critique. This may result in radicalising the economic critique. This perception understands the prostitution as a symptom or function of various masculinities. Thus feminism considered the sex work as a question or problem of women's agency. This is regarding sexuality. This type of standard feminist approach is capable of de-neutralising of prostitution as inevitable feature. This is also capable of radicalising the conventional policy debate regarding prostitution. The relations that make the administration and the constitute that make prostitution a stigmatised, hierarchical and exploitative practice can be criticised and can be modified. 5 3.2 The illegitimate work and labour market of sex industry results in a new vision that may result in sex workers' movement. The social structures, life sexuality, moral rights and wrongs need to be reviewed in the new structure. One aspect that needs social consciousness in sex industry is about transmission of STD and HIV through sex workers or customers who seek sex services. This affects the quality of life for both service providers and seekers. As offering sex for money is not illegal in UK, the education regarding sexual behaviour is needed to improve the communication and negotiation skills of lesbians and sex workers. Even the clients may be ignorant regarding health care in sex industry. This is due to the ideologies of love family, motherhood influence the sexual gestures of everybody. For instance, a sex worker uses a condom while participating in sex with a client and may not use it while in the case of husband or a lover. The family member may also be a carrier of life threatening viruses. The fine balance between commercial transaction of sex and love, trust and intimacy must be maintained and this needs awareness and training programs. The consideration of commercial transaction makes the sex services legitimate and views it as an occupation. To consider it as an occupation the social demand for it should be taken into consideration. In this case the term prostitute may be rarely used or may not be used for the people who earn their livelihood from it. Though there is law allowing sex for money in UK, there is probability to make the sex workers victims as the service provider is taken for bind over and the client is generally left scot-free. In whatever society they may be the oppression met by sex worker is more than a regular worker. The justification comes from the view that the sex work is sinful. Due to the changing needs and demands in society, the sex workers demand the equal rights to work within the structures of the society and to improve their conditions. 3.3 History of Sexual Morality: Sexual need and sexual desire are fundamental needs of humans. The sexual desires and sexual practices are socially conditioned and the changing times and needs need new social conditions for the new practices coming to the fore like the biological and psychological needs of lesbians and sex workers. Till now the sex and sexuality are not given social significance, beyond the reproductive purpose and this view must be modified to accommodate lesbianism, homosexuality and sex industry's views and needs. 6 4. Gender and Power Relations 4.1 Family Structure: According to Jon Bernardes, the variation and diversity are hallmarks for family structure in Europe. The families should work both internally and in relation to the society through labour market. The working of families through social institutions like education and law is also necessary to alleviate social disasters. When family is working as part of social institutions as an individual unit, avoids negative outcomes of patriarchy. This system will soon adjust to changing social forms. This can reduce gender inequalities. 7 4.2 The rise of gender and inequality: Construction of gender and sexuality is complex within & across the social sites as the girls and boys traverse the key social sites and negotiate their identities according to social conditions. Schools have special place to play regarding sexual constructs and gender identities. The new ideas about gender inequalities, equalities and patriarchy must be introduced from the school level to influence the new generation. Teachers can be agents in schools to enhance important construction of gender and sexuality that is able to empower or dis-empowers young people to deal with sexuality issues. This is because; gender and sexuality are reproduced in almost all social settings, family being the key. The family and educational settings are consigned women to subordinate settings. This involves reproductive work that is biological and social, productive work regarding consumption and community work regarding collective services. 4. 2Patriarchy Inequality: The violence and oppression faced by prostitutes is due to the patriarchy and inequality. In general sex workers will be in news of oppression and violence. Some sex workers feel that it should be considered as a wing of feminism to make it independent of patriarchy thus coming out from gender equality. This point arises from the fact that the patriarchy is based on the point that the women are for reproduction. The inequality rises from this point and leads to oppression. If one sees the fact that not only the male clients, there is increase in number of women clients also regarding lesbianism and hetero sex, one can argue against the point in the law that criminalises the clients or sex workers. One should keep in view that the provision of sex for money arises from the backwardness of women. This backwardness may be regarding homelessness, drug dependent or due to abuse of different kinds. The problem arises when feminists ignore the voices of sex workers. While thinking about prostitution and sex workers, one should keep in view that the vulnerability leads to create victims. This is due to grey areas in law that target sex providers but not the seekers. To criminalise the seekers is not the solution as this may result in loss of livelihood for sex workers. The thinking of criminalising the clients arises from the mind set of patriarchy that limits women's role to reproduction. 8 5. Prostitution 5.1 Prostitution and its treatment by administration: The system of regulating the prostitution needs to be just and in-discriminatory. If it is not it will be a failed policy. The present law do not take into consideration the origins and causes of prostitutions and it tag the prostitution with street offences. This amounts to be sexual double standard and is filled with general misunderstandings and assumptions. 9 One should go into analyses and explore the divergent ways the prostitute women that make sense of contradictory meetings. The experiences of the prostitute women as a result of involvement in prostitution in Britain need to be considered when any reforms or amendments in the law regarding the prostitution are proposed. Moreover, the new legislations or amendment of existing legislations need to consider the livelihood of prostitutes or homeless women and increase of women as well as male clients. The feminist views regarding lesbianism and sex industry need to be considered while amending the existing legislations or making new legislations. 10 5.2 Background for existing laws: The background of the legislations regarding regulation of prostitution is the control of STD/HIV mostly. This is done by interviewing scores of female prostitutes and male clients and by processing the results. As female prostitutes are supposed to be the reason for spreading of STD and HIV, the legislations and amendments are in a manner to control them. The livelihood of them and the sex services demand are completely ignored while doing this. The commercial demand for sex is so much high that cannot be regulated by legislation. 11 5.3 Vulnerability of Sex Worker and its avoidance: According to Ronald John Weitzer, Money, sex, danger and power is al in the day's work for a characteristic sex worker. Understanding the origins of sex industry and causes for its growth will enable to view sex workers and their feelings in a different manner. The study and analysis of lives of telephone sex workers, gay pornography, legal brothels, prostitutes' customers, police vice squads, actors in the porn industry, lap dancing and street prostitution is needed to give legal protection or to understand the necessity of legal protection for sex workers. Only by understanding the positive and negative aspects of sex industry, the administration can amend or make new laws regarding regulation of prostitution. 12 References: 1. Media Wiki, 2007, Definining Lesbians, Wikipedia, edition information not available, Retrieved on 6th January from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesbian#Sexuality 2. Munt, S. R. Heroic Desire: Lesbian Identity and Cultural Space, 1998, London: Cassell 3. By Maggie Magee, Diana C. Miller, Maggie Magee, Diana C. Miller, Lesbian Lives: Psychoanalytic Narratives Old and New, 1997, , Routledge 4. C. Heike Schotten, 2005, Men, Masculinity, and Male Domination: Reframing Feminist Analyses of Sex Work, Cambridge Journals, electronic, Retrieved on 6th January from http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=98E5382054D7C8854406A41123590FBF.tomcat1fromPage=online&aid=357231 5. NSWP, 1997, Sex Worker's Manifesto, NSWP, edition information not available, Retrieved on 6th January from http://www.nswp.org/rights/dmsc/dmsc-manifesto.html 6. Fatuma Chege, 2006, YOUNG PEOPLE CONSTRUCTING GENDERED AND SEXUAL IDENTITIES IMPLICATIONS FOR HIV/AIDS IN AFRICAN CONTEXTS, CICE, edition information not available, Retrieved on 7th January from http://home.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/cice/73pp.pdf 7. Juliet, 2006, Your Money my Body, Red Pepper, edition information not available, Retrieved on 7th January from http://www.redpepper.org.uk/article434.html 8. Helen J. Self, Prostitution, Women and Misuse of the Law: The Fallen Daughters of Eve, 2003, ,Routledge. 9. Kinnell H, Griffiths RK, 1989, Male clients of female prostitutes in Birmingham England: a bridge for transmission of HIV, Central Birmingham Health Authority, edition information not available, Retrieved on 7th January from http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/102179847.html 10. Ronald John Weitzer, Sex for Sale: Prostitution, Pornography, and the Sex Industry, 2000, ,Routledge 11. Jon Bernardes, Family Studies: An Introduction, 1997, ,Routledge. Read More