Yesterday I read a column by a woman who is a producer of pornography. Today I read a column by a prostitute. These were both in mainstream British papers.
It strikes me as interesting that in both cases, the byline details were slipped into the columns as if it were as normal as declaring that the sky is blue.
I’m not sure how to wrap up this comment. Perhaps only by saying that we no longer appear to strive toward virtue for the sake of it. I’m not saying these women are any more wicked than you or I–I believe the line between good and evil is drawn in every human heart. But what I am saying is that I feel that perhaps in the past we didn’t put wickedness on display and claim it as virtue.
I suppose I could link to the columns. But I’d rather not lend them further exposure so you’ll have to take my word for it.
by 
Thanks for not linking them – don’t need to see everything to know about things.
I recall not too many months ago listening to a CBC show on prostitution wherein the interviewer, Anna-Maria I think, was stunned to discover that the guest, a former prostitute, was against legalizing prostitution. The ‘show’ sort of died right there. The point I saw was that the ever tolerant, open minded, small ‘l’ liberal, advocate of ‘choice’ was completely ignorant of what really goes on in prostitution and sees prostitution as just another job as in ‘sex trade worker’. It’s amazing how people of influence and power often think they know what is best for those they know nothing about.
On the other hand, would you rather that that information was not included in the byline of the column, and the column was allowed to stand alone without any information about who it was writing it?
Or would you rather the column was not published at all?
I just hope the British people have the gumption to write letters to the editor, and the editors have the decency to publish them.
David–the columns were not salacious–I could have in point of fact linked to them and it wouldn’t have been a problem, which is what made it an interesting “social observation” moment.
Melissa–this is pure observation. They can print the columns. (they have to include the byline info though, otherwise it is dishonest.) In my mind it is quite a world we have entered into, of there being nothing that is a) not private and b) unacceptable.
plus these women are PROUD of their work. I will freely admit to encouter a woman producing in the porn industry… was something for me.