Conclusions
This exhibit was intended to highlight the lack of growth in discourse that has occurred over the past 180 years. Largely influenced by stigma, researchers and public discourse has been restrictive. This has created a broader discourse that allows for the reinforcement of social insecurities regarding prostitution. Unsurprisingly, this has restricted the voice of workers and therefore the discourse surrounding them is limited.
However, the expansion of technology and more liberal values may allow for the stories of workers to become more prevalent. If this can occur, stigma along with other negative traits associated with workers can be eliminated. As we can see the public perception has seen a shift in terms of blame relating to prostitution. As blame begins to fall on clients over workers, it suggests that individuals are tired of marginalizing those just trying to make a living.
Although this is promising, discourse and language surrounding prostitution is dated. To be able to draw parallels, especially in researcher discourses, it should be alarming and make us wonder, why haven’t things progressed? Why are researchers asking the same questions? Where are the voices of workers? Why does the public oppose of prostitution, while we normalize the sexualization of other public items (advertisements, television, etc.)? Observing language and discourse can highlight these questions and start to answer them too, but it’s important to continually analyze all components of social life and wonder how language and discourse plays into our understanding of those as well.