Amen Sister! Excellent argument. I hadn't thought of the comparison to marriage before but it makes perfect sense.

I agree with your argument. The unfortunate thing is, that you really don't own your body, at least not in this country. You can't sell your body fluids (except sperm maybe, but I think that's still labeled as a "donation" like plasma) or body parts. There are things that you can't put in your body... and so, so much more...

But, I'm rambling. Everyone knows there is a lot of wrongness in this country. This column was excellent though. Thank you!

Most women are prostitutes and have been for time immemorial. Women provide their bodies for sex and procreation, men provide everything else.

Well Said MM. Well Said. This nation was built on a rational foundation that has grown over with the mold, mildew, and brambles of fundimentalist beliefs in the name of returning to a "tradition" that never existed. For all the steps forward we have made since the constitution was radified there are those who would throw us back to the Magna Carta in the name of this tradition. This last thing will go the way of all the others. It probably should have decades ago. The fact that it has not says a great deal about the power of the puritanical thought that we have such difficulty shaking off.

@3 What's up with reducing women down to nothing except our naughty bits, which are fundamentally for the pleasure of men (to you)? Men, I see, get to do a ton more shit in your "cute" little summary of all human interactions in history ever.

You are either a conservative, stupid, or 15.

@3, fuck off.

Laws aren't moral codes handed down from on high. They're tools to help make the world a better and safer place.

If you look at the results in countries that legalized prostitution versus the results in countries that continue to prosecute johns but decriminalized prostitution and offer women resources to leave the profession (if they so choose) the choice is clear.

Male prostitution is ignored to the point of being decriminalized right now.

Eliminate the double standard, whichever way it goes.

http://www.rentboy.com/Browse/Results.as…

http://www.men4rentnow.com/ds/index.asp?…

Thank you. As a former sex-worker, I often wondered why what I was doing was illegal. I never came up with an answer.

@3 sorry, you're incorrect. We've been people for 82 years!! (in Canada, anyway).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwards_v._…

"to those who ask why the word ["person"] should include females, the obvious answer is why should it not." - Lord Sankey

My experience working with underage prostitutes in NYC demonstrated to me that there is too much overlap between the legal sex services industry and human trafficking/child prostitution. The case that needs to be made is that legalizing adult prostitution would reduce this overlap, but the author's reference to laws that already exist don't accomplish this. If anything, the "let those laws do that" argument just underscores how the existing laws are NOT sufficient to protect children. I'm open to the idea that creating a market of consensual, adult prostitutes will help reduce the demand for young exploited women-- but the author needs to make that argument effectively to convince me. "My body, my choice" sidesteps the trafficking/exploitation problem completely and most unsatisfactorily.

haven't you written this same article a number of times before? publishing this in the stranger is preaching to the choir. NEXT..

@14 If sex was legal to sell, rather than just not-quite-"real"-sexual touching or looking, as it is now, then prostitutes wouldn't have to hide among the sex workers who really are just offering looking and touching. What's more, sex workers themselves will be better able to shut out people who compel women (or men) to work as well as children who work for themselves, because they won't get arrested for existing. And finally, customers will be more empowered to ask and state their preferences - the VAST majority of clients would prefer to sleep with someone over 18.

Besides, Matisse only has a few hundred words here. This column need not present every argument in favor of legalization, but the ones it brings up should be done rigorously and well, and I think she does that.

I'm surprised MM didn't mention one of the primary reasons prostitution is illegal in the first place... it is one of the only transactional realms in which women are in sole possession of the most valuable commodity. It fits squarely under the umbrella of all moral panics and social structures created to control women by controlling their sexuality.

yep, as the above poster said, preaching to the choir by posting this in Stranger. Now, just like me as a tradesperson, taking up grievance up with my union, for example, MM, as a worker in this shadow industry, would be advised to do something about it, or at least try. Organize and try to make some changes....