Regarding the October 23 article about Monica Gary’s domestic violence charge, I feel it was extremely inappropriate and irresponsible, both as an individual reporter and as a publication, to open the article with reference to her previous employment as a stripper. It is very clear that intent of this statement, based on its delivery, was to condemn, degrade, and disqualify the quality of character of not only Monica Gary, but of strippers and sex workers as a whole — especially female strippers and sex workers. I will not stand for that in my community.
For this letter, I am using the terms “sex work” and “sex worker” broadly to encompass the various types of sex work including but not limited to stripping, pole dancing, prostitution, pornographic film acting and modeling, escort services, erotic massages, etc.
The profession of sex work is strongly stigmatized with deep roots in historical sexism and power dynamics. Firstly, due to the associated stigma, sex work is not a profession people decide on lightly. As a result, sex work has become extremely dangerous for women, making women more vulnerable (than they already are) to violence, harassment, and extortion from both the public and law enforcement. Further, sex workers face social and economic discrimination which can look like strained relationships with friends and family and difficulty finding housing or social services, including healthcare.
The stigma is perpetuated by societal beliefs, sexism, media portrayals, and law. Social constructs around gender have assigned roles to men and women. We learn dominant ideas around masculinity and femininity. For example, religious ideas are more likely to construct femininity as submissive to masculinity, with headship being associated with men. Femininity is also positioned as something potentially dangerous, luring, and tempting to men, as seen through interpretations of Eve and Adam. When femininity is constructed in these ways — that is, to serve men in the context of marriage and family life — women are positioned as sinful and in need of control. Women’s sexuality is feared.
While policymakers and law enforcement certainly contribute to cementing the structural stigmatization and harm towards sex workers, the media’s depictions of sex workers and consumers of sex have heavily contributed toward the cultural stigmatization of sex work itself. When it comes to video games, sex workers are often depicted as an object or commodity for players to use and discard at their convenience. Grand Theft Auto, for example, is notorious for condoning the dehumanization, rape, and murder of sex workers as a means to supplement the main character’s story arc. Similarly, Uriah Kiser, as a journalist, is guilty of perpetuating the stigma of sex workers in his article about Monica Gary by referencing past employment as a stripper when the subject matter of the article did not warrant such information as being relevant.
Such irresponsible reporting reflcts poorly on the judgment and character of Uriah Kiser, whether or not he holds such beliefs regarding sex work to be true. Likewise, publishing such an article reflects poorly on the discretion and quality of reporting of Potomac Local News. It would behoove Potomac Local News to ensure future reporting contains relevant facts to the articles it publishes to garner and maintain trust from the communities it serves.
Alexavier Allen
Stafford
