My apologies in advance if I offend someone (I know I will).donskar wrote:And BTW, I'm no stickler for the law, but just as a point of fact, I assume prostitution IS illegal in GB? And in the majority of cases (at least here in the US) it seems the law comes down hardest on the one buying the service than on the one providing it.
The list of countries where prostitution is illegal boils down to, essentially, the United States of America.
Prostitution is legal in most of Europe (England, Wales, France, Denmark, etc.), Canada, South America, Israel (known as "the brothel capital of the world"), Australia, New Zealand (recently). It is legal or tolerated in most of Asia, including even countries like Iran, where you can get a "temporary wife" for a few hours (if marriage were that simple!
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
In my country, as in most civilized, non-puritan, less strait-laced, not so sanctimonious countries, prostitution is seen as "acts which harm no one", as long as you don't promote it, force people to work in it or you go to bed with a minor.
Simple: hookers are welcome, pimps aren't.
Some people hold the point of view that as long as prostitution is illegal, "prostitute women will be subject to brutality at the hands of misogynists and moralists -- they are, arguably, the same group. And when prostitutes are treated as second class citizens, and in extreme cases, as less than human, then all women who dare to step out of their social constructs will be labeled as whores and treated accordingly. For these reasons, the rights of all women are contingent upon the rights accorded to the most vulnerable women".
--Dr. Jocelyn Elders, US General Surgeon--
Mrs. Elders was fired by Bill Clinton because of her views on masturbation. Oh, America, Number One in jailing the small people for their vices, while it calls that law enforcement.
So, Mary Magdalene is understood everywhere.
Sorry for going OOT, but I've always (sorry again for the stereotype) thought that US aggresivity comes, in part, from their lack of comfort with sex.
Even more OOT, US also seems to be obsessed with the qualities of youth (the Peter Pan complex): people don't want to grow old. I happily concede I might be wrong when I think this comes from the same source: lack of comfort with sex.
A lot of americans I know are desperate to look young. This is a clear contrast with the attitude of most of the world, where old people is respected: you don't want to look like a boy or girl. At least I always wanted to look older (I have kind of a boyish face, people always thinks I'm 10 or 15 years younger).
In short, as my father-in-law says about every strait laced person he mets, americans are not "well ---"...
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
Oooops.
![Embarassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
British, on the other hand, perhaps without reason are seen as people that "don't --- well". It must be the food. Actually, with the exception of James Hunt (don't tell me Coulthard has a normal sex life), I don't recall a british driver or manager that seems happy being sexy. Can somebody help me here?
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)