Do you feel the Porn Industry & Prostitution are the same thing or very different?

Okay well first things first, neither prostitution nor the porn industry are the same as illegal sex trades. Not the same at all. I don't know how that comparison can be drawn. Possibly because people are forced to become prostitutes or are forced to have sex on camera. But it is a world away in the definitions themselves.

@mrdecepticonleader: I hear ya, I think the only thing they all have in common is they all involve "sex" but definitely not the same.

It's the same thing Pornstars are just better looking and have a better looking choice of Johns.

Porn Stars get paid to have sex, that is the dictionary definition of prostitution. I'm not making any moral judgement here I'm just stating a fact.

Prostitutes can make a lot more money than any porn star could dream of. Depending on your clients and how classy of a hooker you are, you can be making pretty good dough.

Illegal sex trade is very different, while porn and prostitution are only a little different.

I think they serve, roughly, the same purpose and interests. But, one of the differences, and one that makes them completely separate…is payment. In the industry (I dont want to type porn), both parties (actors…or what-have-you) engaging in the act, are being paid for their time by a third party (director/production co). I wont get paid, by a pimp, if I go to a prostitute…even if I want to film it.

You may see some sites that are themed as filmed prostitution, but those are just that…themed. 99% of those are still actors, playing a role that entices certain people’s sexual interests. The 1% that is real, actually doesn’t qualify as prostitution anymore. They signed a contract, with an established company that pays both actors to perform. So, even though its real, it’s more-or-less still fake.

Another difference is regulation; in the industry, there are standards set in place that prohibit actors from going so long without some kind of testing for AIDS and other STDS. This is not, and historically never been, the case with prostitution. There are also certain things that can be done, and cant be, in the industry; whereas, in prostitution, there is no real regulation, causing a dramatic increase in its danger. This would not, necessarily, change with legalization.

There are a lot more differences, but my brain is tired of thinking about both the industry...and prostitution.

Prostitution is one person paying another to do whatever, presumably in private. The industry is a group of mutually paid actors, playing a role to entertain a mass audience.

Both are demeaning towards women.

@nerdork: So does this mean that if a guy paid 2 hookers to go at it while he just sat back and watched that wouldn't count as prostitution?

@joshmightbe: Is this person having them sign a legal contract? Is he part of a bigger, licenced organization? I get what you're saying, but dont be incredulous.

Well different from who's perspective? From the prostitute/porn star's perspective you could make the argument that's it's roughly the same: getting paid for sex. From the consumer/client perspective however it's different. I have sex with a prostitute but I only want a porn star have sex with someone else. So in that way it's much different.

Women aren't the only prostitutes...neither are they the only actors in the industry.

@nerdork: Also female porn stars get paid way better than male porn stars. Its like a reverse corporate thing.

@joshmightbe: Actually its young males, who do male-on-male vids, that get paid the most. Not my thing, but its the truth.

Sorry to be difficult but even this OP (Opening Post) isn't precisely the point I was trying to make. This OP can be answered a couple of ways.

Obviously prostitution (in the USA) is illegal except for a few places like the Bunny Ranch. And obviously pornography (within it's own regulatory laws) is legal. This makes them different.

Also there is the issue of social acceptance and stigma. Again in this regard they are very different.

Because porn is legal it receives the benefit of being considered a legitimate industry.

My point was somewhat more fundamental. The best way that I can demonstrate is to repost my original analogy:

Lets focus for a minute on the illegal aspects of high end escorts of the Heidi Fleiss variety:

The escort is contacted via some type of registry (pimp, online resource, access to clandestine "list", etc) , a meet is arranged, payment method is agreed to, and sex act(s) is/are committed.

Now lets consider the legal creation of a basic pornographic scene:

The performer is contacted via some type of registry (agent, agency, online resource, access to "contacts"), a meet is arranged, payment is agreed to, and sex act(s) is/are committed.

The only difference I see between the two scenarios offered is legality/license and the existence of recording/production equipment.

In fact I can imagine scenarios have occurred where the illegal escort agreed to allow the use of recording equipment as part of the negotiated payment.

And then to further muddy the waters I added:

This line seems to blur even more when one takes into consideration the exploitation of overseas performers who for the most part seem to ACTUALLY be prostitutes and sex workers who have agreed (hopefully) to allow the sex acts to be recorded for the consumption of Americans and Europeans. Now what were these performers... prostitutes or porn performers? Again the only difference I see is that one scenario has been deemed legal (for whatever reason) while basically the exact same activity has been deemed illegal.

My point however is that it seems to be a hypocritical contradiction to allow porn to be legal while making prostitution illegal when they are basically both solicitation for sex acts. Seems hypocritical and capricious.

Not really. Some women in some countries are born and reared or forced into a life of prostitution. Porn stars at least have a choice. Also, and I am not sure, but I don't think porn stars will get beat if they don't produce a certain amount of money a week for their "handlers", maybe some of them do.

*sigh* I just feel... I feel the feels.

@nerdork: I watched this documentary on it, it basically said unless men were doing gay porn the women got paid on average about double what the men were.

I see another element has entered into this discussion. Originally it was specifically within the USA and the issue of the "illegal sex trade" ie "human trafficking" was not within the purview. All of my comments thus far have been focused on the illegality of prostitution within the USA verses the seemingly hypocritical contradiction which allows for the legality of pornography despite the near identical methods and activity of sex solicitation.

Again, my main point is that porn and prostitution (in the USA) are both solicitation for sex acts for payment (which is what solicitation means but I thought I would elaborate) The difference between them is that one is legal and one is not. Why?

LOL, i think i may have watched the same documentary. It was on HBO. Did you hear how much the youn men were getting paid. It was something like roughly $1000 per hour; whereas, the women are getting paid per scene.

Is this a "bring the mods" moment?

Porn Industries cleaner, safer, and more caring

@nerdork:

Illegal escorts often also work for "third party" managers with whom the sign contracts. Porn producers are often also performers meaning that there isn't always a "third party" involved.

True there is "filmed" prostitution which is artificial. But there are also entire sites dedicated to scenes of overseas prostitution tourism which uses actual prostitutes and "bar girls" etc as it's talent pool. These sites get around legal issues also by having these people sign "contracts" and age verification. But they are still prostitutes being solicited as talent.

Regulation emerges from legality. The Bunny Ranch also is contractual, highly regulated by IRS and has age and medical requirements. Amazing what legality can achieve. In fact many prostitution "rings" (sort of like management) work under a "wink wink nod nod" agreement with local officials as long as they give "kick backs" and maintain a semblance of hygiene.

The industry is only an industry because it is legalized. It is only regulated because it is legalized. Once upon a time and probably more often than we really even know the "industry" was subject to many of the same abuses you seem to associate with prostitution. In fact many of the same players operated both "industries".

@thecheesestabber: The porn industry is only cleaner and safer because it is regulated. It is only regulated because it is legal. I seriously doubt if it is more caring. Perhaps with the rise of so many female producers who were once performers there may be an increase in consideration but the motives are still profit. Remember that since time immemorial it has been women acting as lures and madams in the oldest profession.

I agree with this. I definitely see some similarities with both but definitely not the same. Money and sex to me are the only two things both have in common, however implemented very, very differently. For the record lol I'd probably rather do porn then random prostitute who chances are have god knows how many STD's, at least with porn industry they have testing now which makes sense. Especially these days since people like to sleep around a lot.

@vaeternus: Yup.

@nerdork said:

Some has got porn on the brain :)

But seriously you have summed things up perfectly.

@joshmightbe: They're paid to entertain.

Anyone's perspective really, CV's ;)

@kuonphobos: Guys are in porn as well.

I mean in the Porn industry you can have friends and make money without having to scrounge around.

You create a safer easier life for your self than being with a pimp, and you make more money and open up more opprotunities for yourself

Couldn't of said it better. As I said in the other thread. Yes in porn you get tested for std disease as to where when a strange girl approaches you, there is no std test involved... She just has sex with you, takes your money and you never see her again and those prostitutes aint gonna be honest either about how many men they've been with.

Guys in porn make less then chicks? Did not know that. Interesting lol.

Depends on your size.

Doesn't matter. There's nothing wrong with either when its done the right way.

By default? Even if the woman chooses so? And the topic isn't about woman prostitution, it's about prostitution in general.

Also, i just want to point out, that i am neither condemning, nor condoning, the topics. Just hashing out some technicalities.

I haven't read anyone else's post so if someone else has discussed this, whatever.

Porn star's have a choice, Prostitution is a choice, Sex trade is not.

Porn star's can back out anytime,Prostitutes usually get a choice to back out,Sex Slaves don't.

Porn star's can go home to their family,Prostitutes can to (Although this can risk being killed depending on the pimp),Sex slaves don't

If a Porn Star tries to leaves the business she is missed,Prostitutes are forgotten,Sex slave's are killed.

There are multiple Porn Star's that have their masters,PHD,and other college degrees but choose to be a Porn Star cause its easier and can make just as much if not more money,Prostitutes usually do it to feed a drug addiction,Sex slaves do it cause if they don't they are killed.

If it gets to rough for a Porn Star she can stop for a while or quit the scene completely,Prostitutes can leave and forfeit payment (Although this can get them killed with violent customers),Sex Slaves can be raped untill they die of exhaustion or it being to rough.

You must be 18 to be a pornstar,You must be 18 to be a prostitute (U.S.A),You can be anywhere from 6 years old and up to be a sex slave.

Good thing scores:

Porn Stars - 7/7, Prostitutes - 3/7, Sex slave - 0/7

amen

I tHink maybe on Porn's first day. On tHe early stages of Porn it was tHe same as prostitution.

But now it totally isn't tHe same.

-ABstract4$$#073-

It was pretty much the same at one point as far as selling sex goes, but I guess the actors/actresses starting getting infected to where they needed to do std tests, but prostitution wise no....

@thecheesestabber: Size? I'd think performance haha

I dont judge people that choose their path, so i dontlook down on the escort; but, how often is prostitution done the right way? 1 in 1000? (at absolute best)

The porn industry has regulations like any other industry. Prostitution is completely unregulated and can result in the complete abuse of an individual, so, very, very different.

What is demeaning towards women is that people don't think they have a choice themselves (and here we take sex trades out of the equation since that is slavery and there is no free choice in that). Let women control there own bodies let them do what they want.

@vaeternus: It really depends on what kind of Porn they're trying to make

Just because women can choose to be a prostitute or a porn star， doesn’t make the practice/industry itself any less demeaning towards women.　Or are you going to　tell me that you think that prostitution and porn work is good for the image of women everywhere and that it improves men’s attitudes and thoughts towards women?

Also, if women controlled their own bodies, then there wouldn’t be a need for pimps, would there?

@MatteoPG

Female prostitution counts for a large part of prostitution, so I wasn’t　off－topic there.

And you know that it’s demeaning by default. Even if the lady chose to go into it, she can’t choose　how society sees her, but you know it’s not anything positive or pretty.

@thecheesestabber: lol thats a lot of choices since porn has what like hundreds of fetishes now? Lol

This is such a strange topic lol but no

Porn shouldnt even be brought up along side prostitution and the sex trade. you have to remember porn is a form of entertainment and though prostitution may be illegal in most cases women may choose this lifestyle to pay their bills or support any other habits they may have.

Read my post again. Your clearly didn't get it the first time.

Pornstars are camera ready

Hookers you need as little light as possible, and to be drunk, then get tested.