Beseeching its readers to look past their “antiquated morality,” the editorial board for The Daily Californian – UC-Berkeley’s independent paper – called for the legalization of prostitution in the state:
Despite a societal emphasis on monogamy or polygyny, and despite the criminalization of the industry, the profession persists all over the world. In the places where prostitution is legal, sex workers have more rights. They can expect the cooperation of law enforcement when they are the victims of robbery or assault. They are regulated by laws that require their regular medical testing for public safety in many countries. They can even unionize.
Saying that young prostitutes often get caught up in the juvenile justice system while their pimps escape arrest, the board blames an “American tradition of legislating morality” that society has tossed aside when it comes to smut:
Logically, prostitution is not morally different from the production of pornography; an industry that is legal, unionized and regulated by the state of California. Through that regulation, the state ensures that no minors act in pornographic films and can even insist on condom use in scenes of intercourse.
The board’s belief in the magical power of unions notwithstanding, it might want to reconsider just how effective a mandatory-condom law – already on the books in Los Angeles County – would be statewide. As SFist reports:
In advance of the potential passage of a state law that would require condoms on all pornography sets in California, Kink.com (NSFW!) has made good on a threat to leave San Francisco by renting a new office in Las Vegas and taking an exploratory mission there in the last week. Kink CEO Peter Acworth has issued a statement about the trip, saying the company did two full feature shoots there and did some feeling out of Nevada’s permitting rules, all in preparation for a possible move if AB 1576 passes the Senate and gets signed into law.
Like The College Fix on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter
IMAGES: Cliff Howard/Flickr, Scott Beale/Flickr
Please join the conversation about our stories on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, MeWe, Rumble, Gab, Minds and Gettr.