A little bit tired...of choices
I'm a little tired of hearing over and over people say that in the sex industry people have choices. Choices, choices, choices, choices...Women can choose what they do, and we need to respect them and not undermine them for their autonomy and choices.
Blah! You know I used to use the word choices all the time. And to some extent I still use it now. But I realise now it is not so simple.
People are constrained. People are constrained by many things, which impedes their choices - in fact, we shouldn't even use the word choice here - just when people are constrained it impacts on how they think, feel and behave. Constraints can be many: thoughts, family, experiences, events, socio-economic status, illness, interactions...on and on.
I have heard some say that woman in the sex industry choose to be in the industry, and that this still stands even if they were abused in their past, or have no money and are living in poverty. People have said that even though these things have happened, we need to respect their choices, and believe in their choices, otherwise we are saying they are not capable of making decisions. Well, such a person is constrained. They are constrained by their past experiences, they are constrained by they poverty, and because of these constraints other 'choices' are not available to them. Their behaviour, thoughts, feelings have been influenced, and these things constrain them into a certain 'direction' as it were. Is this person free to choose? Not really, they are constrained by themselves.
Is a woman free to 'choose' not to be a prostitute if she believes she is worthless and useless...she is constrained by her beliefs, and her actions follow. She is not freely choosing, she is constrained into a set of behaviours that reflect her constraints.
What I have learnt over the last little while from reading others is that people can be very narrow in their views and understandings. 'It's her choice, and she is allowed to choose whatever she wants, so there...'...It is not that simple sometimes.
Can a teenager choose to communicate in an assertive way with his/her fellow peers when he/she has never been taught how to do so - when all he/she knows by their home life is that you communicate in an aggressive way? Is that a choice...no, he/she is constrained by their experiences and teachings.
Blah! You know I used to use the word choices all the time. And to some extent I still use it now. But I realise now it is not so simple.
People are constrained. People are constrained by many things, which impedes their choices - in fact, we shouldn't even use the word choice here - just when people are constrained it impacts on how they think, feel and behave. Constraints can be many: thoughts, family, experiences, events, socio-economic status, illness, interactions...on and on.
I have heard some say that woman in the sex industry choose to be in the industry, and that this still stands even if they were abused in their past, or have no money and are living in poverty. People have said that even though these things have happened, we need to respect their choices, and believe in their choices, otherwise we are saying they are not capable of making decisions. Well, such a person is constrained. They are constrained by their past experiences, they are constrained by they poverty, and because of these constraints other 'choices' are not available to them. Their behaviour, thoughts, feelings have been influenced, and these things constrain them into a certain 'direction' as it were. Is this person free to choose? Not really, they are constrained by themselves.
Is a woman free to 'choose' not to be a prostitute if she believes she is worthless and useless...she is constrained by her beliefs, and her actions follow. She is not freely choosing, she is constrained into a set of behaviours that reflect her constraints.
What I have learnt over the last little while from reading others is that people can be very narrow in their views and understandings. 'It's her choice, and she is allowed to choose whatever she wants, so there...'...It is not that simple sometimes.
Can a teenager choose to communicate in an assertive way with his/her fellow peers when he/she has never been taught how to do so - when all he/she knows by their home life is that you communicate in an aggressive way? Is that a choice...no, he/she is constrained by their experiences and teachings.
posted by Personal | 7:28 PM
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