Imagine there are no prostitutes

» What would happen if all sex was consensually free?

Elliot Chan
Opinions Editor
te, S opinions@theotherpress.ca

W: consider it the oldest
profession, but sucha
claim creates an illusion that
what is happening now and has
been happening since the dawn
of men and women is okay.
Now, I’m all for people doing
whatever they please with their
bodies, and should they decide
to sell it for sex, neither I nor
anybody else has the right to stop
them. Not even the law, right?
Yet I also know that a large
number of women, and many
we can only refer to as girls, who
enter the trade do not consider
what they do empowering. It’s
slavery. Many are taken from
their homes, trafficked to
different countries, and sold like
products on the streets. So the
people who choose to take on
prostitution as a career are in
fact crippling those that don't.
There is no honest way
to stop prostitution. It’s not a

: company. It’s an industry. You
: can close down Safeway, but

: people who want groceries will
: simply go over to Superstore.

: Same goes with illegal sex. You
: can get rid of a drug dealer,

: but another one will just fill in
: the gap and fulfill the demand.
: It’s a business, and like all

: businesses, as long as there is

: demand, there will be suppliers.

So the question when it

: comes to stopping prostitution
: isn’t how to stop prostitution,

: but how to stop men from paying :
: for illegal sex. After you utter
: such a question all you can do
: is give a big exhale, because

: even the most optimistic of

: folks can agree that such a

: mission sounds impossible.

The thing about prostitutes

: is that many of them aren't

: offering sex exclusively; they are
: offering companionship. They

: are “escorts.” If it’s just horniness
: that drives the male desire for

: sex, then a few minutes alone

: with the Internet should be

: enough to suffice. But loneliness

: isa whole different beast. The

: longing for physical touch is not
: something that every person is

: blessed with. If we want to end

: prostitution, we must find a :
: solution where we can give people :
: the satisfaction of human contact :
: and emotional intimacy, while
: preventing them from falling into :
: drugs or other abusive habits. :
: When you peel away the skin :
: of the problem and look at the

: core, you can see that the need

: for prostitution is continued due
to the fact that some men are just :
: bad at interacting with women. :
: These men are so undesirable,

: or they feel so undesirable, that
: they cannot imagine woman :
: spending time with them without :
: having to pay. I believe we live :
: ina world where people can rise
: above that shitty attitude—the

: attitude of self pity and shame

: from people who want something :
: but aren’t willing to work for it.
: They take the easy route, and

: that is what prostitution is.

: Instead of driving around the

: block looking for free parking,

 

the driver will just pay fora

: spot in the parkade. It’s easier.

I don't like the people

: who approach prostitution as
: lusty entertainment for a stag
: or stagette party. I think that
: tradition needs to be wiped

Image via thinkstock

: out. However, no matter how

: much Id like to believe that

: wecan find ways to seek other

: companionship, prostitution

: asa source of comfort and cure

: for the lonely is something this

: world cannot be without for now.

 

Love (and Groupons) will keep us together

» Saving money on dates is sexier than you may think

Sharon Miki
Contrioutor

alling in love has never been

more complicated—we're
working in the difficult Netflix-
and-chill era of dating, where
vegetable-themed emojis are
easier to interpret than facial
expressions and ghosting is more
ubiquitous than a Kardashian-
Jenner at a Lakers’ game. For
sure, dating in 2016 is more
complex than ever before...
but does it have to be more
expensive? Not if you're willing
to get over yourself and embrace
the sweet money-saving love of
coupons when it comes to dating.

Whether you're embarking

ona first date or you're coasting
in a multi-year relationship, the
reality of dating is that money
is always a factor. Our popular
culture perpetuates the idea
that conspicuous consumption
is the fastest route to showing
affection. On TV and in the
movies, were inundated with
images of impulsive, grand
(i.e. expensive) gestures as the
epitome of romance, and as
a result, many non-fictitious
people feel a lot of pressure
to impress their partner with
their wallets. For students and
young people, this inclination
to spend more to get more love
is often not realistic and rarely
wise. You'll either go into debt,
or you'll waste hard-earned

: money that could be better spent
: on things like tuition, housing,

: or saving for your future. The

: process of wooing is important,

: for sure, and sharing meals and

: adventures is integral to its :
: success, but there’s no reason that :
: you have to pay full price for it. :

Coupons, Groupons,

: and well-found deals are not

: gauche—they’re smart. Whether
; you use a couponing app like

: Checkout 51 to save money

: on ingredients to cook your

: girlfriend a meal, or you buy

: a Groupon to save like 168 per

: cent on a weekend away for

: your boyfriend’s birthday, you're
: getting more for less than non-

: couponing suckers. You can

: then use those savings for other

: essentials, or, if you really want

: to go nuts, you can reinvest the

: savings on other gifts or activities
: for your date. Either way, when

: you save, you can do more.

: Why is saving something we're

; supposed to be ashamed of?

Honestly, there is no shame

: in saving money, even when it

: comes to dating. Especially when
: it comes to dating. Budgeting

: and penny-pinching is sexy. Sure,
: we’ve all heard the songs about

: seeking relationships devoid of

: scrubs, but there’s a big difference :
: between a lazy cheap-wad and

; a Savvy saver. Saving money ina
: relationship is actually, believe it
: or not, a huge turn-on for most

: people. In fact, recent research

: from the University of Michigan

: Ross School of Business found

: that people who save their dollars
: are perceived as more attractive

: than spenders because their

 

: saving behaviour is indicative
: of intrinsic self-control. Those
: who have self-control, financially
: or otherwise, are often viewed
: as more stable and desirable

 

Illustration by Ed Appleby

|

: asa partner. There’s nothing

: hotter than a smart, goal-driven
: partner—even if they're pulling
> out a Groupon at brunch.