Thread:Euji/@comment-22439-20160212201204/@comment-61022-20160216235052

As someone who has known a few people who have worked in the sex trade (I knew a few girls in worked as escorts to make money for university. I wasn't a customer or anything, just to be clear) as well as social workers who have dealt with people with addictions, vulnerable people, etc. etc.

The term "prostitute" is still used, but not frequently, they're quickly adopting the term "sex worker", or at least "escort" to eliminate the stigma behind it and try to convince people that it should be legalized and regulated to eliminate the black market, protect people from being exploited, and to reduce the spread of disease.

Likewise the other professions that are usually lumped in with the sex trade in general.

stripper = exotic dancer porno whatever = adult film whatever

I would lump the common terminology along the same lines as referring to little people as midgets. Little people have decided that calling them midgets or dwarfs is offensive to them and they are trying to make "little person" part of the common lexicon of terminology people use.

The reasoning for adopting terms like sex worker, or exotic danger etc.. Is to try and get away from the sex-shaming puritan stigmas attached to them. To try and get people to understand that -- while there is a shady underbelly -- people actually do these jobs as professions and the only way we can push for better working conditions for these people is to not use terminology that has a long history of being considered demeaning or derogatory. While a street level sex worker with addiction issues probably isn't going to look at you sideways if you call them a prostitute or a hooker, I can tell you if you were to call an escort either you'll probably be missing some teeth moments after the word is out of your mouth.

That all said, I'd have no issue with changing "prostitute" to "sex worker".. Although calling them a "full service" sex worker seems a bit much, and assumptive. Using Vanessa as an example -- at least in the comics -- it was said that she was involved in the sex trade, it doesn't flat out say she "did everything" (this harking from an era of the CAC, so not overly surprising) I suspect the Deadpool movie is quite a bit more candid with the full range of her services... but I digress.

Boiling it down, I think "sex worker" is sufficient for people who sell sexual services. Exotic dancer for someone who takes off their clothes for a living at a strip club. Adult film (insert job title here) for someone involved in pornography.

Although I can't think of any recent stories that involve anyone involved in the sex trade (specifically since Disney took helm), I suspect that if and when they get into those subjects again they'll probably be using more "politically correct" terminology.