Comments on: Prostitution Rocks! SuperFreakonomics on the Oldest Profession in the World

By: moondog

moondog — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:43:56 +0000

Man! Is Christine G. is hot or wot?

By: Christine Garvin

Christine Garvin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:58:35 +0000

Yes, Lauren, thanks for the use of the photo! We choose what we feel are the best photos from among thousands, and though the picture may not be an exact replica of what the piece is discussing, it’s a good representation of the idea. In this case in my mind, the legs represented a soft, sexual intimacy almost counter to prostitution (or what the media would like us to believe prostitution is all about when it’s not).

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By: Lauren Close

Lauren Close — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:37:06 +0000

Wow, the things you find looking through referrer logs.

Thanks DHarbecke, and to everyone else I’d like to point out that those legs do not belong to a prostitute!

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By: Amber

Amber — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:36:09 +0000

I’m sorry but this absurd argument by Stephen and Dubner warrant an overwhelming “What the F#@*”! There’s so much wrong here, it seems impossible to begin. Thanks for bringing it to our attention, Christine. I had no idea. Wow, it’s scary out there.

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By: Amanda is a traveling photographer

Amanda is a traveling photographer — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:01:20 +0000

Am I missing something? This article gave no physical description of either woman. i’m assuming one made quite a bit more than the other because she was more attractive. One gets stuck in a cycle of “surviving” which mean she can’t actually spend on apearance much. The other cycles ” up ” ….more money, better appearance, higher end clients ” ………

Now I’m curious to read this full article. I really don’t understand that with the risk of std’s and dying from them that the authors could come to the conclusion that this is a good thing to do.

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By: Thapelo

Thapelo — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:12:39 +0000

I have not read the latest book, hope to do so soon as i enjoyed the first one, however,I see nothing wrong the conclusion the authors arrive at, first Lasheena is pushed to prostitution because of her dire circumstances, while Allie made a conscious decision to be a prostitute for commercial and love for sex. This situations plays itself out everyday, highly prices hookers its their career and they invest in it much more than the person who simply wants to put food on the table.

While we may feel sorry for Lasheena, we should not do so for the likes of Allie their attitude is “morality does not pay bills” and they don’t have a shame in doing what they are doing, we should not judge them.

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By: christine

christine — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:02:20 +0000

Thanks, Stephanie!

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By: Anne

Anne — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:25:18 +0000

I think it’s funny that they didn’t study LaSheena’s life more. Her experience sounds way more interesting, and sheds a lot of light on choices people make in environments where jobs and training are scarce and need is high.
There’s also some writing about queer women who make the choice to be prostitutes to largely male clientele, which is heartbreaking and to me, a fascinating area for that should be researched more.

I am also interested in the authors’ implication that a wifely (to borrow the great word you used), ultra-feminine woman would attract the most clients.

I think that despite cultural norms about sexuality, most people actually have ideas, desires, and fantasies that do not mirror what they should, culturally speaking.

In short, I think that often people pay for sex when they are embarrassed by their desires, and would rather not speak openly to their partners about them. I think more often vanilla, straight relationships come closer to what the authors claim Allie offered her clients, so to me it makes little sense that her services were so sought-after.

I wish sex and sex work was less stigmatized in our society. Imagine how the U.S. would be if sex workers could join unions, have wider access to health care, and a venue in which they could discuss grievances! Imagine the relationships we could have if we could honestly and openly talk about sex with our parnters!

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By: DHarbecke

DHarbecke — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:29:25 +0000

I don’t really have a comment to make. I just love those legs in that picture. My, my…

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By: Nancy

Nancy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:22:57 +0000

Thanks for this article Christine. I actually really enjoyed reading Freakonomics a few years back and my husband just bought SuperFreakonomics a few days ago. I haven’t yet read it, but it disappoints me that the researchers came to this conclusion. They are obviously talented guys, but perhaps their unrecognized misogynist outlooks clouded objective reasoning. To me it’s plain and simple: Allie made more money because she lived in a higher class neighborhood and had higher-up connections and clinetele. No woman wants to be a prostitute and it’s degrading to all womenkind to ask why more women don’t do it.

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