In the overall health care reform, I am relieved to learn that sexual assault and domestic violence cannot be used as “pre-existing conditions” anymore. The practice had carried a chilling message of continued silence– which allowed the carnage carried on at home to remain in the home. However, and I know this may be hard to imagine, but I think Congress largely ignored women’s needs in the overall health care reform debate because the extent of consideration surrounding women’s needs amounted to continued control over our bodies and choices.

As I listened to the debate, I was reminded of the threat women seem to pose to the larger societal structure. Apparently, by opening the health care reform discussion, Congress provided an opportunity for legislation to deny our basic right to reproductive health and justice.   The venom spewed around the media about “baby-killing” and the attempts to give insurance carriers to right to refuse coverage of birth control while reimbursing for Viagra was painful just to hear.

When the debate heated up and the bill looked doomed unless the restrictions to our rights were inserted, women’s health needs became dispensable.  Women became invisible again.  Maybe we had never stopped being dispensable for even progressive legislators dropped our right to reproductive justice.   And, justifications for this negligence flew everywhere.  I noticed legislators rolling their patronizing eyes when we wanted to fight the exclusions. Afterall, “why couldn’t women take one for the team?” they implied. And, that makes me wonder, whose team?   Are we not equals?  Where else can a non-medical group legislate a legal medical procedure?   Is it just coincidence that this procedure involves women’s choice in reproductive decision making?

I naively believed that our fight for basic rights was over.  After fighting for reproductive justice for so long, I thought we could move on.  I was wrong, but I’m tired.  Young women and men must take up the battle with passion and vigor.  This is an emergent issue.  If we can’t get recognition from a Democratic president and a Democratic Congress, can we realistically depend on them?   Sadly, I don’t’ think so.  How can we take this issue to the streets and make our struggle for reproductive justice a priority?  I would love to hear suggestions.

I am currently reading the book “Half the Sky” by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. In the first few chapters, the authors cover forced prostitution and sex trafficking particularly of very young women.  They frequently note that adult women choose the lifestyle and therefore are not in greatest need of assistance (paraphrased).  First let me state that I really like the book.  It has exceptional stories of women rising from the ashes and using their horrific experience to contribute to the greater good.  On the whole, the book’s stories remind me that we are survivors.  I also agree that childhood sex trafficking is abhorrent.

So you might ask “what is my problem?”  Well, I want to explore the proposition that women choose prostitution.  For some women, prostitution is a choice.  But based on what?  I believe the word choice is a misnomer.  I think it is the result of the mainstream economic system’s deliberate (and successful) maneuvers to keep women from engaging in and benefiting from the established labor force in a meaningful way.

I parallel this to the mainstream economic effort to keep African Americans from participation.  It would seem that we have an entire underground economic system in our country for them that exists primarily as a substitute to achieve economic sufficiency and attain wealth.  It exists because African Americans have been systematically denied access to mainstream industry.

The problem with both alternatives lies in their danger.  Selling drugs, other contraband and prostitution are a means to an end.  These industries mimic “above ground” business in many ways however, except that violence is part and parcel of these industries and embedded in the rules of the game.  Both underground economic systems wear on the psyche and body. Prostitution is dangerous at best.   Incidence of substance abuse and sexually transmitted infection are much higher in the population of prostitutes.  Physical abuse is the norm.  Likewise, our prisons are full of participants of this underground economic system.  In the end, death and imprisonment are the risks of this game.

If the need to maintain this alternative economic system suddenly disappeared and the doors to Wall Street and Main Street opened equitably to accommodate all, would those engaged in dangerous and risky activities choose the alternative systems? So…back to my original question, when we say prostitution is a choice, I ask you, is it really?