I initially wanted to post this in Tilted Politics but decided against it, since this is a question of a more basal human feeling rather than one of political party.
I had a pretty interesting discussion with a friend today about why prostitution is illegal and why pornography is not. This stems from an adult video store that has just opened close to where I live. She thinks it should be closed on any technicality that can be found, and the owners railed out of town.
A preface... I think pornography is not harmful (all things in moderation of course) and actually helps with day to day stress relief. Prostitution, well, in today's atmosphere of STDs and unscrupulous people with little respect for life, I can do without it. Arguments could be made on both sides for either of them harming relationships with those you love, but thats for a different post
To each their own I say.
The main thrust of my friend's argument (she is opposed to both) is that there is no difference between either of them because money is being exchanged for sex.
Breaking this down, with prostitution a person pays another person to have intercourse/oral/whatever sex with them to bring them to orgasm. Conversely, in an adult video, sex show, etc., both participants are paid to bring them to orgasm. This also being displayed for others rather than being private.
I didn't really have a great supporting argument for legality, other than there would most likely be several more homicidal maniacs running around if pornography was illegal. I also made the point that all the people involved are being paid, rather than just one person out of two. A third party is also handing out the money.
She came back with the idea that because pornography is people in video or print being paid to have sex (a straightforward case of prostitution) it should be illegal.
So where is the line drawn? Or maybe more specifically, why was the line drawn? I'd love to see what you all think here.
*Edited for grammar*