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Letter to the Editor - March 28

28 March 2008 | By The Flat Hat, | The Flat Hat » opinions

Answers to the controversy

To the Editor:

The appearance of the Sex Workers’ Art Show on this campus for the past three years has brought a number of fascinating questions to light — not the least of which are issues of free speech and censorship: When do charges of obscenity trump first amendment rights? What is obscenity, anyway? What exactly is art? Should speech be censored when it is offensive?

Other questions are of community standards and the purpose of university programming: Is a college the appropriate place for a show like this to occur? Should programming be censored or banned to protect the reputation of the College? Should university funds be allocated to controversial events? Should the state be allowed to step in if it objects to programming at public universities?

Many questions about the performers’ intentions and experiences came up in the course of hosting this show as well: Why the hell would anyone become a sex worker? What’s the intent of these performers in making “art” out of their experiences? Are these performers glorifying sex work in a way that belittles the experiences of sex trafficking victims?

This Sunday, I would like to challenge critics, supporters and apathetic but curious people alike to come participate in what I think will be a provocative and enlightening discussion.

At 5 p.m. in Washington 201, Jill Brenneman will speak on campus. Brenneman is the executive director of the Sex Workers Outreach Project-East, and she will be talking about her experiences as a sex worker and as a sex workers’ rights advocate. It is her contention that “sex workers’ rights are human rights,” and that decriminalizing prostitution in the United States is a necessary step towards ensuring that sex workers gain access to health, legal and other services afforded to other types of workers.

— Constance Sisk ’08

  1. Yeah, sure…art, speech, censorship…yada yada yada. All I want to know is: do those ass sparklers come pre-lubed? Can you get them at an ordindary fireworks stand or must they be special ordered? This is serious stuff and I’d hate to think a pretigious university like W&M doesn’t have the answers to these vital questions. It’d be distressing to learn Larry Flyntt’s “Hustler Magazine” or Jerry Springer were pulling ahead of us in this important field of research.

    Also, Jill Brenneman’s show – is she hot and will she be nude? Let’s cut to the chase please.


    — whozit    Mar 29, 12:51 AM    #

  2. You’re a perv, whozit.

    If this were a speaker on racism in America, would you be asking where we can buy watermelon and fried chicken? Have some respect.


    — Edwin Pomfret    Mar 29, 10:48 AM    #

  3. I’m really looking forward to hearing Brenneman speak. Sex workers’ rights is something that is not discussed and should be. Brenneman was forced into the sex industry as a child (adolescent maybe?), but then realized that the best thing for the workers is to make sure that they have basic rights and to perhaps regulate the industry. This is a wonderful response to those who decried the Sex Workers’ Art Show for being too graphic and saying that they could have made their point/spread their message without the performances. About one thousand people attended SWAS and heard their message. There are 85 confirmed guests on Facebook for Brenneman. Let’s see if any of those are people that said they would rather someone talk about sex workers’ rights than perform. I know that I made it a point to invite the people that had told me SWAS was too graphic for what it wanted to say and all of them have said that they certainly will not attend this. Whatever


    — Kathy M.    Mar 29, 01:08 PM    #

  4. I think it’s an insult to compare the sex artist show with a REAL problem such as racism, Mr. French Fries. What they did was offer sex while pretending to offer social solutions, i.e. fried chicken for mentally fried chicks for the amusement of horny college students. They didn’t have two sold out shows and turn people away at the door because students suddenly got interested in the evils of the sex industry. Rather, it was the nudity they came to view. Having a so-called “sex artist” strip (or stick a sparkler up her ass) while telling us how humiliating and degrading it is to be forced into a life of stripping & lewdness is about like having a drug addict snort some coke to show us how his life crumbled. It was nothing more than a modern day freak show pretending to have social import so that students can leer with impunity, guilt-free. It’s really no different than some hayseed hick at the carnival side-show with a staw sticking out of his mouth gawking at the bearded lady. Only we’re supposed to pretend he’s sophisticated and socially concerned.

    As for Ms Brenneman’s talk, we’ll see. Maybe this won’t be another fraud and just more “watermelons and fried chicken”, as you say, for the victims of the sex industry. Serious discussion or ass sparklers? If the past is prologue I have little faith in this project.


    — whozit    Mar 29, 02:18 PM    #

  5. Whozit.

    Please tell me you are coming sunday and please come see me after the gig at the meet and greet. I very much would like you to share your thoughts with me in person after you have heard my presentation.


    — jill brenneman    Mar 29, 09:49 PM    #