by elfeminista » Sat Apr 14, 2007 2:52 pm
While 'debating" ( I know, I know,..) with Jill B and pro-prostitution cohorts on their blog, they inadvertently turned me on to this feminist men's group and their manifesto.
English tanslation to the Argentinian feminist men's manifesto.
MANIFESTO: MEN FOR THE ABOLITION OF PROSTITUTION
To all the men for the equality between men and women
We, men for the abolition of prostitution question the traditional model of masculinity, based as it is on the ideas of control, domination and rejection of human feelings. We affirm in favor of a society free of MALE SUPREMACY and discrimination. For that reason we see prostitution as a manifestation of sexual oppression. Therefore, in the debate on the subject we want to contribute our point of view:
- We defend that the sexuality must take place in a plane of freedom, of equal and mutual consent, free of hierarchies, domination and commodification.
- We denounce prostitution as a modality of sexual oppression for the prostituted people, nearly all women and girls, and agree that it contributes to perpetuate violence and male supremacy and that this violence is accepted socially.
- We decry that the sexual education of many is based on the pornography, which trains men with themes of sexual violence reproduced in prostitution.
- For us the “client”, the "prostitutor" is the main person in charge of the prostituted person because with his purchase she allows that there be women who can be sold and that this paradigm contributes to generating concepts of domination of men over women
- We state that legal regulation, offers little guarantees for the prostituted, and benefits the Mafias and criminal organizations dedicated to prostitution, contributes to its extension and to its social acceptance, as well as favors the existence of child prostitution.
- We affirm that at the present time there exists an almost absolute tolerance on the part of politicians, judges and forces of security in our country towards all those that participate in the business of sex and that that contributes to its extension and social acceptance.
- The Dutch model of legalization of prostitution has not contributed to the disappearance of prostitution, rather to its increase. When combat is warranted to make something disappear we must not legalize it. The example of Sweden where for 4 years the abolitionist model has been applied, prostitution and the traffic of women have plummeted.
- We state clearly that affirmations of the type “without prostitution there would be more violations”, “is the oldest profession of the world”, “it is the only way to have sexual relations for many people” are completely unacceptable and offensive. We men we do not have uncontrollable and uncontrolled sexual desires because of which, without prostituted women we may end up raping. That type of argument tries to justify the power relation that underlies prostitution and simply looks to defend the rights of sexual predators.
- We rejected the accusations of “moralism” and “conservatism” that the abolitionist position is attacked with. yes we have morals, but our abolitionism comes from A FEMINIST ANALYSIS and a desire to end sexual violence against women. On the other hand, our positions do not have anything to do with the prohibitionism, we do not try to penalize the prostituted Woman or to force her to leave it. The abolitionists try to apply social programs of aid, alternatives and labor reintegration which will be available when those desireing to do so will want to change their situation.
- For us the only ones who deserve punishment are the dealers in Women (who deal with the women like sexual merchandise), the PIMPS (that remove benefit from the sexual operation and oppression) and in last instance the “clients” by the use and “objectification” of the body of Woman. We do not see crime in the sale of the body on the part of prostituted Women, but in the purchase of the women rather we consider that because of that purchase Women are reduced to mere merchandise at the service of the desires of men, and subject to the power relations that arise from the commercial relation and "who pays".
- We have come to the conclusion that masculine sexuality and the masculinity must be questioned by us ( in order to to be able to approach relations with the women in a situation of equality). What makes men believe they have the right to buy women? Clearly the “client” does not aspire to have an egalitarian relation with the woman in the sexual scope but rather one which is based on domination.
Let us agree that all this is is due due for a reformulation, and JUST AS THE WOMEN DID we must rethink our social script and the meaning of masculinity to give to an answer adapted to the present situation, as we are in need of creating a state of equality between man and woman.
For that reason, we are against the legal regulation of prostitution, by opposing a legitimation and normalization of this form of sexual violence, with it's comparison of woman with mere merchandise. We feel strongly that that political actions must go directed of urgent way towards:
- To eliminate the conditions that make possible and favor prostitution, which will be achieved by thorough policies of equality accelerating the fight against sexism.
- Campaigns of prevention, education and consciousness raising on the subject, ** insisting to the men not to buy sexual services.**
- To immediately persecute all the modalities of PIMPING, intermediaries or facilitators of the non consent of the prostituted person, in accordance with the Agreement of Nations United for the Repression of Trata de Personas and the Operation of the Other people's Prostitution of 2 of December of 1949,
(translators note: I am not familiar with this treaty but it is clearly an anti-trafficking law)
This is an existing law and as we assumed this when ratifying this document, enforcement is important.
- Campaigns of sex and conventional education from a perspective of the egalitarian, scientific and MALE SUPREMACY FREE topics.
- To increase the dedicated resources to undo the prostitution networks
- To create an ethical code that dissuades the mass media from publicizing prostitution.
- To increase the resources destined to the dismantling of the prostitution networks that operate in our country which deal in Women.
- To fund plans towards the social and labor reintegration of prostituted women that want to be free and free and to leave their situation. To offer labor options to prostituted Women for their social re-insertion.
We consider that, although homosexual prostitution has characteristics different from heterosexual prostitution, it is also a form of sexual oppression. For that reason, we call to the heterosexual and homosexual men to commit themselves in an active way to fight against prostitution. As the main clients of prostitution men have the responsibility to generate the conditions for it's disappearance: Without men ready to pay, there will not be prostitution.
MEN, WOMEN AND MEN ARE NOT MERCHANDISE, YOU MUST NOT BUY THEM! BY DOING THIS YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR OPPRESSION.
"I was analyzing a phenomenon I am seeing on the internet-- a proliferation of blogs in which the blogger identifies as a radical feminist, but does not seem to embrace the distinctives of radical feminism as we understand the term in the United States.And you know, I think it's okay if they do that, but I also think it's important to say what I said because otherwise (1) herstoric radical feminism gets erased; (2) people new to feminism never hear what herstoric radical feminism really was or is."~ Heart