Tolerating Sexuality

Prostitution is the oldest profession in the world.

It has integrated into society so intricately that every human language has a word for it!

It caters to a basic instinct of humans, like any other basal instinct - hunger, thirst or food and shelter.

Different peoples treat it differently. Some people even consider it an art form!

Some nations `tolerate` it enough to legitimise it and its relative, pornography. Some nations and religions consider it on par with murder or other such crimes.

Some mothers willingly allow their daughters to enter prostitution. Some daughters take to prostitution by their own free will. Others consider it a grave sin.

A cause of VDs, like AIDS, for some, casual sex for others.

Performed between two broad minded, consenting adults, the objections always arise from third parties - for whom the motivations are varied, but not always above suspicion of jealousy.

What is is devious crime for some, is an art form for others!

Should prostitution be considered a crime?

I agree. Prostitution should be legal. Amsterdam is a good example to follow.

[A homosexual lesbian girl, kills herself...]

What stupidity. She was already out of the gene pool by choice.

Religion and Sex are intertwined in Carnal Embrace till eternity --

unless we teach Religion to be Tolerant -- Tolerance for Sex and Sexual preferences is like chasing chastity in a brothel house.....

How is a prostitute different from a wife? They are both giving out sexual favors in return for something material, cold cash in one case, a shelter, food, and clothes in the other.

In the Lucknow culture, ``tawaif`` was far more than a mere prostitute.

She embodied the refiniest part of the culture - ettiquette, music & dance.

I wonder if any remnants of that culture remain in India!

#2 by oraja: How is a prostitute different from a wife? They are both giving out sexual favors in return for something material, cold cash in one case, a shelter, food, and clothes in the other.

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The husband and wife bond is something on a higher plane and should not be considered that base. They make a commitment to live with each other for the rest of their live`s, share their secret`s, their joys and worries. I am talking about healthy relationships, not necessarily love marriages, simple relationships in which both of them cooperate and help each other. I agree that many people have your point of view, but it does not apply to every couple.

#2

the union of two ppl, be it man and woman, man and man, or woman and woman, in a marraige is a lot more than just sex, its considered sacred (at least man and woman union) and encompasses almost every aspect of that couples life, not just sex...

anyone seen the movie Umrao jaan? where the big nawabs go to the court house to see highly refined and articulate courtesans perform, it is prostitution but as an art form and a career... in our society it was ok for the nawabs to go there (in fact encouraged) but what of the comman man?

there are similar kinds of set up in Lahore, but no way near refined or articulate of the Umrao Jaan era and style, politicians and `Madams` meet, no one says anything to them, it is the same with the vaderas and choudaries... why in some instances is it accepted by society and in others it is not?

Now ask the enlightned west why cant a man marry another woman if his first wife is willing?
What happens? does heaven come crashing down? Does nothing happens when swapping and orgies takeplace betweetn married couples?
I sure am impressed the modernity and logic and freedom preached by the west and its handdogs.

#1 by parthaab on July 31, 2003 0:19am PT

so is robbery!!

The arguments made in this article are pretty ridicolous. Just because india is the land of kamasutra and mystical traditions dznt make it necessary that one should practice those again. India is also the land of Sati and wife burning.....why dont you start practicing that again. Plus whats so artistic about pornography......showing one`s basic instincts isnt basically an art form. There always has to be a limit where the line should be drawn. and if anything is happening out there you dont necessarily have to exploit it further. What you are neglecting over here is that people do porn for the money`s sake out of financial needs not as an art. If you are such an art fan why dont you make one on yourself. Why exploit the miseries of one prostitute and make a porn movie starring her.

ali87 #10

Surely you`re willing to extend your argument to polyandry as well.
Also, labelling people as ``handogs`` hardly counts as counter-argument
of any sort.

razzz #11

I agree with you that the article stands on very weak legs by trying to flash
the Kamasutra card. But what if one wants to do a porno film because
he/she wishes to ? Should pornography be criminalised for its questionable
artistic merit ?

About doing it for the money, the men/women doing construction work in
mid-summer Delhi heat aren`t doing it for the thrill - I`m certain of that.

``If at all sex should remain illegal, we should consider punishing these `consented` crimes, such as prostitution, pornography and homosexuality...``(Prathasarathy)

first homosexuality is not synonymous with prostitution and pronography -- and none of the three should be a crime -- --

consensual sex between adults with different preferences -- is no crime -- whether free or for a fee

prostittution`` -- yes it`s a definite health hazard -- must be a carefully monitered and strictly regulated business as public health hazard -- but no Crime?

as Ghalib may have said -- about the sex trade:

``Han Voh Nahin Khuda Parasat Naheen
Jaao Voh Baiwafa Sahi

Jisko Ho Din-o-Dil Aziz
Uski Gali Mein Jaye Kyon?

as adults you should be free to choose-- if you don`t want to die of AIDS -- don`t go there...

yes but atleast those sweating it out in the sun do it as a respectable profession. Do you not consider prostitution and pornography as a violation of one`s self respect and esteem specially when its being done for the money ?

razzz #14

You need to tighten up the logic a bit. What I think about prostitution or pornography matters little here. The question is whether the person invloved in it thinks it violates his/her self esteem. If not, then my/your opinion shouldn`t matter - it`s strictly
between consenting adults.

You didn`t address my question, though. Should we ban pornography because it is
low art ? Perhaps it should be allowed as long as there is no exchange of money
taking place (since you seem to have a problem with that).

The issue you raised first was exploitation - do you honestly think that day-labourers
do not get exploited, just because you label their job respectable ?

i fail to understand whats so artistic about pornography..its done for the perverse pleasure of some people and provide sexual entertainment to people who are mostly underage and are NOT adults...........there is no art whatsoever involved in pornography......we have to remember that we live in a world which has some norms and criterions which we should adhere to......no one is stopping one from doing anything in the privacy of their home but doing it as art for the public is ridiculing art......and downgrading it. If anyone is so keen on performing this art why does nt that person himself come forward and make one on his/herself. Then he/she`ll realize what kind of exploitation does it involve. as for day labourers ....a lot of jobs in this world involve exploitation but pornography is one we can do without ...........the society is not losing out on anything because of its being banned.