Sex Workers, Soldiers, Employees: Aren’t We ALL Getting Screwed?

“Mia Khalifa Defends Sex Workers: ‘Being In The Army Is Worse’ Because You’re ‘Selling Your Body to The Government”

That’s a headline from yesterday. Ziwe Fumudoh interviewed Mia Khalifa, and this is what she said:

Ziwe Fumudoh asked: “So we have OnlyFans and then we have like the sex work industry, and then we have like actors. Is there a difference between these industries or are we all fundamentally selling our body in some way?”

Mia Khalifa replied: “Honestly, I think that selling your body, like if we’re going by that definition, being in the Army is worse than being on OnlyFans; you’re selling your body to the government.”

There’s no way to read that and not cringe. After thinking about it and letting it simmer, I understand what she means. However, I agree with the idea that we’re all fundamentally selling our bodies. Some of us have a more profitable mind than body, but we’re all getting screwed.

There are a few comments from the article that are worth sharing.

“Being a Vet, your body doesn’t belong to you while enlisted and is used for whatever purposes the military sees fit. At least a sex worker owns their body.”

Slow clap for the author of that comment. A brand hires models, and then that brand can use these people and their images as they see fit. And frankly, whether you’re waiting to be taken on a date and a nice dinner before you fuck someone or skipping the dinner and taking the cash, we all have a price.

“She would be 100% correct, I would argue though unless you are your own boss you are whoring out your time to somebody to make a living.” Another user, whom I can only describe as ‘enlightened’ replied: “That’s called being employed.”

“Sex work has been stigmatized in the US thanks to prurient and prudish religious zealots of all stripes. There is nothing inherently wrong with it as a profession for adults who choose to do it. And she has a point. Human capital is human capital. Whether you choose to sell yours to the military or the sex industry or to a construction company or to an office cubicle inside Initecch, you’re still trading yourself and your skills for money. Whatever those skills happen to be.”

It's always refreshing to read comments like this. Yes, there’s nothing wrong with sex work as long as it’s an adult choosing to do it. And circling back to the cringy military comment- maybe Mia shouldn’t be judging adults who choose to be in the military.

This guy is just as clever as inappropriate. “I bet she has been shot in the face more than anybody in the Army though.”

I want to conclude with a bit of food for thought. “A vet isn’t forced into entering military service. Regardless, comparing it to prostitution is really disrespectful and offensive.”

Is it? I keep going back to that quote: “Honestly, I think that selling your body, like if we’re going by that definition, being in the Army is worse than being on OnlyFans; you’re selling your body to the government.”

I don’t even agree with the original headline. “Mia Khalifa Defends Sex Workers…” Did she? She said that “…being in the Army is worse than being on OnlyFans….” If she intends to defend sex workers, why is she insinuating that being on OnlyFans is bad? If the bottom line is that judging sex workers for selling their bodies is wrong, why did she say that being in the military is worst?

Neither is wrong. Being a sex worker or being in the Army isn’t wrong as long it’s an adult who is making that choice. Why is she criticizing people who judge while judging a specific group of people that have nothing to do with what she was saying? Have two wrongs ever made one right?