Readers React: How sex work benefits society

To the editor: Sex is essential to human existence. And sex is integral to our humanity and central to our identity as human beings. (“Sex work is safer online than on the street,” Opinion, Feb. 17)

Sex work is called the oldest profession for a reason. From the time sex became a regulated commodity (regulated by church and state through the institution of marriage — an ownership contract — where females, usually female children, were traded by the father to another male), there has existed involuntary sexlessness. In males, involuntary sexlessness leads to frustration, isolation and a sense of failure.

Sex work has always existed as a way to counter the ill effects of this system. Sex positivity recognizes those facts and understands that sex is a human right and imperative, that morality is just opinion and that ethics matter.

Let’s do the ethical thing and concentrate not on where there is sex, but where there is harm.

Gabriella Cordova, Malibu

The writer is founder of the group SexPositive World.

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To the editor: Whether or not “sex work” is available through online services, there will always be sex work in the streets regardless of its legalities. This is the commonly known act of exchanging sex for money — prostitution.

I can agree that using online sex services would provide much more organization and easier tracking records, but the reality is, not all people who engage in sex work have easy Internet access. These people will have to prostitute in the streets to make their money, regardless of whether it is illegal or unsafe.

Instead of condoning sexual activity in exchange for money through online services, we should be using online services to help these people find careers that don’t require them to have sex to make a living.

Tara Kliebenstein, Oceanside

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