Be heard on the issues that matter most to you!
Tomorrow, June 11 (at 9 p.m. central), Cult of Gracie Radio has Dr. Michael Goodyear, MD, PhD, as the guest.
An Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at Canada's Dalhousie University, his main focus there is in responsible human research governance, particularly the ethical aspects of research. His active interest in issues of women's health have lead him to a longstanding involvement in women's health and studies (including family planning, social justice and ethics), and the problems associated with those on the margins of society.
No wonder then that he would become interested in the issues & myths surrounding sex work.
Well-versed in the research, as well as the ethics and methodology of research, Michael's put his skills and knowledge to use in identifying social determinants of marginalization and speaking out both for decriminalization and against the myths of sex work.
An avid supporter of sex workers' rights, Michael moves past academia, actively seeking out & speaking out.
He speaks directly to the matter of why decriminalizing sex work, especially that at the street level, is a feminist issue:
Public health measures must be built on evidence based best practice. Only by moving sex work outside of the criminal justice system, focussing on public health and social care, can we achieve this and help to break the cycle of violence. Criminalisation of sex work that limits access to care contravenes UN guidelines on human rights.
Remedies for social issues surrounding prostitution lie not in legislative measures but in social determinants such as wage disparity and access to welfare that limit women’s choices. Labour politicians frequently state that the moral fibre of a society must be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable members, yet their policy discriminates against the most disadvantaged.Michael Goodyear speaks on the inaccuracies of sexually transmitted infections in sex work (found via Dr Petra Boynton):
Unfortunately the discourse in public health, and in particular that concerning services to individuals involved in commercial sex, are more likely to be informed by opinion than by evidence. In addition repeated exposure to messages reinforces and polarizes previously held prejudices.And he speaks sanely regarding an issue that drives me insane ~ the perpetuation of myths:
It is unfortunate that the Gazette insists on repeating tired myths about sex work, without checking its facts. This is a very unbalanced article. The German World Cup story has now made its way into the archives of urban myths. Even anti-trafficking organisations such as Prevent Human Trafficking are expressing concern about the constant reporting of untruths. "It seems that this estimate originated with unsubstantiated statements made by a few antitrafficking groups which, though they have no basis in reality, have somehow gained legitimacy through repetition".This includes challenging Melissa Farley & her "findings" on several occasions:
Melissa Farley is one of those people who are convinced there is a connection between sex work and trafficking, but mainstream researchers do not.For more information, see his Marginalization of Women and Sex Work page.
With all of this, I'm surprised that I had not discovered Michael earlier. (We "met" at my post at Sex In The Public Square). But then, as Michael himself has noted, the myths are passed along far more enthusiastically than the truths.
Click here to listen to the show live, and call in with comments and questions at 1 (646) 200-3136.
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I run Sex-Kitten.net.
Gracie, Michael, excellent show! A few points I thought were especially important and that I'd love for our readers who weren't able to listen to know about:
There's plenty of research out there that refutes the myths about sex work and yet people don't pay attention to it. It seems people act on sex related matters -- and maybe on many political issues -- based on their emotions and not based on reason. How do we change peoples *feelings* about sex, sexuality, and sex work so they are receptive to sensible policy?
Many feminists who we believe truly do want to protect the interests of women act in ways that harm women because they buy into the myths mentioned above. Is it possible to educate those women so that they really can advance the cause of equality and reduce harm to women? Or is this, too, a matter of affecting emotional states and not a matter of reason?
Moral panics are fueled by concerns not only about sex but about population size (growth or shrinkage), about population composition (race, ethnicity) and so the sex work controversy and the immigration controversy are inextricably linked and are together reflected in the trafficking panic. How do we counter that?
Exchange is a part of all relationships. How do we help people understand that the exchange of money or other goods for sex is not uniquely different from all the other exchanges that we make in intimate relationships?
How do we build solidarity among workers across industries, especially when they seem to believe that their interests are at odds instead of being unified?
Oh, and how do we create spaces for accurate information about sex and sex work when the most commonly referred to sources, like Wikipedia, often allow that information to be altered or deleted? At least that one will have an easy answer soon. (The other questions are answerable but take more time.) We are starting our own wiki info site, SexCommons.org, a joint project between us and Center for Sex and Culture, where you will be able to find accurate and sex-positive information about all things sexual and which will also archive photos and videos of historical and social importance (yes of course that may also include erotic material).
I absolutely encourage anyone who wasn't able to listen live to click the link below and listen when they have time:
...because public space really matters!
Elizabeth
Thanks, Elizabeth :)
There were some issues with BlogTalkRadio's server/site, and so the show will be downloaded, edited and uploaded to adjust for that. (Hopefully it is all recorded.) Meanwhile, please be patient with the "dead air" gaps ~ the show did go on (even longer than scheduled).
And look for the return of Dr. Goodyear on a future show. (Please fee free to listen to future Cult of Gracie shows , and past shows , as well! lol) Many thanks to him for sharing his information and his patience during a glitchy show.
Elizabeth, Chris, when are you going to be on? :P
I run Sex-Kitten.net.
Thanks Elizabeth, these are all useful questions for possible future debate on Gracie’s show. One of the issues we discussed was where the pendulum of popular mores is going and how that will position sex work in the future.
One aspect of this is the conservatism that appeared in the late eighteenth century (after an earlier brief life under Cromwell’s Puritans) and lasted till the early twentieth. There is no sign of this reversing itself in the near future despite pockets of opposition that we have commented on here.
We are awash in a popular culture of sexuality, yet its expression remains firmly controlled. As you yourself have commented recently, a changing technology is enabling women to once again gain control over their sexuality and to re-invent the oral tradition of preserving and passing on knowledge. Shows like Gracie’s also provide sex workers and other sex-positive groups a forum to give voice.
We have also commented on how Dr Jocelyn Elders wanted to bring sexuality into the mainstream curriculum, rather than labelling it with the forbidden fruit ‘Adult’ tag. The only way major improvements in the protection of the human rights, health and wellbeing of sex workers will occur is by doing everything possible to mainstream it, repositioning it as normative, even if a minority activity.
