Myths In Sex Work: Not Such A Delicious Irony

When I posted my (long) rant about the continually perpetuated myths of sex work which add to the further debasement, exploitation & abuse of sex workers, The Libertine asked where the bullshit posted at Ask Wellness Centre came from.

While they didn't bother to cite any sources for their "facts" (and yes, I have to use quotes because, like dear Libby, I know their "facts" to be bullshit), they link to several sex worker organizations. Or at least organizations which claim to be "for" sex workers.

The BCCEW, The British Columbia Coalition of Experiential Women, says it was formed to be "a consortium of sex worker activists mandated as a mechanism for the voices of experiential women to support the development of legislation and policies; peer driven programs and services; and work toward the elimination of oppressive systems and forces that create harm within the sex industry." This I cannot argue. But if so, I can't imagine they'd agree with what Ask Wellness Centre has written. That strikes me as very, very odd...

But worse than odd, is another organization Ask Wellness Centre links to: The Prostitution Awareness & Action Foundation of Edmonton (PAAFE). PAAFE lists their vision & mission as follows:

VISION: A community where there is hope, respect and transformation for individuals, families, and communities affected by sexual exploitation.

MISSION: PAAFE is a caring community. We work through partnerships to create and pursue strategies to address sexual exploitation and the harms created by prostitution.

"Harms created by prostitution"? Well, now we're getting closer to where the BS at Ask Wellness comes from...

Under reports and documents we learn that PAAFE operates C.O.A.R.S.E., "a provincial court-approved diversion program for individuals charged with offences related to prostitution, operated by the Prostitution Awareness and Action Foundation of Edmonton. Individuals who want to exit street prostitution can participate in a court-approved case plan that may result in withdrawal of charges or reduced criminal justice system sanctions."

COARSE inspires coarse language from me, so I'm hoping I don't need to tell you how that sort of legal blackmail works, or how fair it's not.

But scroll down the page and what magical name should appear? Why it's Melissa Farley and her spreading of stuff that comes from a bull's rear.

However, what offended me most of all at PAAFE's site (and trust me, there's plenty), was the screaming headlines on their main page regarding "Men of Honour 2008". WTF. It's supposedly a "pro women" organization, and they need to honor and acknowledge men?

I guess that's because women are such damn victims that they cannot even be credited for doing "the right thing" when blackmailed by PAAFE's COARSE program, huh.

While PAAFE doesn't really say what the heck the "Men of Honour" awards are for, Google helps with that...

“Men of Honour are those who act in meaningful ways to foster respect, encourage healthy relationships and create positive opportunities for people. Men of Honour strengthen their families, communities, and workplaces. Men of Honour respect the integrity, individuality, and
humanity of vulnerable children and adults. Men of Honour may be well known, or they may be quiet workers and volunteers. Men of Honour are found in many families, ethno- cultural communities, trades, professions, neighbourhoods, networks and organizations.”

Crap. That's all I can say.

Crap.

Wait, no; despite my intentions to keep this short, I can't leave it at that...

Where the heck is a single freakin' mention of those troubled, victimized sex workers?

Surely, someone else notices this gross omission, right? Google, help me...

Now what fresh hell is this... Someone's complaining alright ~ and he's in The Media too. One Scott McKeen of The Edmonton Journal voiced his negative opinion on the awards on Monday, February 26, 2007. But it's not what you'd think or hope for. Here's his complaint:

If you read this column regularly you know I defend masculinity. You will also recognize the word misandry -- hatred of men. While misogyny, hatred of women, is a widely recognized social evil, misandry is still mostly ignored, or laughed off.

Yet men are often denigrated in the mass media as violent, incompetent or lacking in self control. Men in movies are vicious thugs, childish goofs, or foolish slaves to their libidos.

Think of a modern sitcom. The wife, typically, is the competent, intelligent and virtuous one, always rescuing her hapless husband from his immature inclinations.

Last year I criticized a local organization for launching an awards program for men.

Actually, I liked the idea of the Men of Honour program. What bothered me was the fact the judges were women.

I have two daughters. Some of my best friends are women. I love and respect women. I just don't want women writing the definition of honourable manhood.

The awards are given out by the Prostitution Awareness & Action Foundation of Edmonton, or PAAFE.

If you don't know it, PAAFE runs programs to end street prostitution. It's best known for operating a john school, where men arrested for soliciting spend a hard day learning about the drug use, despair and exploitation of street prostitutes.

I'm ambivalent about PAAFE giving out the awards.

PAAFE sees a pathetic side of masculinity in these desperate or sex-addicted johns who pay for sex.

But I credit director Kate Quinn for her honest empathy towards men. Quinn is surrounded by good men in her personal life. She realizes that men are too often portrayed badly in our culture.

After I criticized PAAFE last year for its female judging committee, Quinn called my bluff. So I've been asked to join a handful of other men this year in judging the Men of Honour awards.

In one of our first meetings, we grumbled about the way the awards criteria were written. Sexist, we said. There was some delicious irony in the fact we edited the language to be more gender neutral.

Does anyone else see a completely different irony? Or four?

What does an award banquet for men, stereotypical or otherwise, have to do with (supposedly) victimized women? Are they just throwing awards at men who dare not to pimp, traffic, or abuse women?

Yeah, what "abused" & "exploited" women need is to celebrate men and regard them as role models ~ and with McKeen's help, they men they celebrate will have a much stronger "masculine ethic." Yippie!

:snort:

And where does McKeen get off whining that men have it so bad? Hell, he bitches at a (faux) female-centric organization that they aren't nice enough to men (men they are lavishing with attention rather than the women they purport to serve), and he gets his way.

I guess some would say I can just report "case closed" on the matter of the lies presented as fact at Ask Wellness Centre... But for me, this is just beginning.