lindseyandhaley: prostitution

Showing posts with label prostitution. Show all posts

Wednesday, 30 July 2014

Study: Why do men visit prostitutes?

Ashley Wells, Seth Auberon, Wisdom Quarterly; Julie Bindel (The Guardian); Hillary Duff

Why men use prostitutes: The reasons why many men pay for sex are revealed in the interviews that make up a major new piece of research.

"I don't get anything out of sex with prostitutes except for a bad feeling," says Ben. An apparently average, thirtysomething, middle-class man, Ben had taken an extended lunchbreak from his job in advertising to talk about his experiences of buying sex. Shy and slightly nervous, he told me, "I am hoping that talking about it might help me work out why I do it."

Julie Bindel

I, too, was hoping to understand his motives better. Ben was one of 700 men interviewed for a major international research project seeking to uncover the reality about men who buy sex. The project spanned six countries. And of the 103 customers we spoke to in London -- where I was one of the researchers -- most were surprisingly keen to discuss their experiences.

The men didn't fall into obvious stereotypes. They were aged between 18 and 70 years old; they were white, black, Asian, eastern European; most were employed, and many were educated beyond [high]school level. In the main they were presentable, polite, with average-to-good social skills. Many were husbands and boyfriends; just over half were either married or in a relationship with a woman.

Science: 700 men were interviewed for the research project, which aimed to find out why men solicit and buy sex (Christina Griffiths/Getty Images/Flickr RM).

Research published in 2005 found that the numbers of men who pay for sex had doubled in a decade. The authors attributed this rise to "a greater acceptability of commercial sexual contact," yet many of our interviewees told us that they felt intense guilt and shame about paying for sex.

"I'm not satisfied in my mind" was how one described his feelings after paying for sex. Another told me that he felt "disappointed -- what a waste of money," "lonely still," and "guilty about my relationship with my wife." In fact, many of the men were a mass of contradictions. Despite finding their experiences "unfulfilling, empty, terrible," they continued to visit prostitutes.

Prostitutes wait at a bar in a plush northern suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug 22, 2002

Call to legalize World Cup sex trade

I interviewed 12 of the men, and found it a fascinating experience. One told me about his experience of childhood cruelty and neglect and linked this to his inability to form close relationships with anyone, particularly women.

Alex admitted sex with prostitutes made him feel empty, but he had no idea how to get to know women "through the usual routes." When I asked him about his feelings towards the women he buys he said that, on the one hand, he wants prostitutes to get to know and like him. On the other hand, he is "not under delusions" that the encounters are anything like a real relationship. More

Friday, 16 May 2014

Sacred SEX in Muslim-Buddhist Indonesia

Maya, Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Rebecca Henschke, Marco Werman, The World (PRI)

Sacred Tantric Yoga practices enhance intimacy and a sense of union with a partner.

Java, Indonesia's Borobudur is the world's largest Buddhist temple (TrevThompson/flickr)

Colorful Muslim girls visit the massive infidel shrine of Indonesia's history (TrevThompson)

Next let's visit sexy Gunung Kemukus? Asian Muslim tourists at Borobudur (TrevThompson)

Elizabeth Gilbert's salvation

"Eat, pray, love" the American Elizabeth Gilbert famously advised.

She had just come back to the U.S. from Hedonistic-Catholic Italy and Hindu-Buddhist India and Bali (Indonesia).

But Islam now dominates the massive island nation. Its remaining traditionally Theravadan Buddhists will gladly tell anyone about it from Southern California (visit: Facebook, DhammaCakraTra.org).

In Indonesia, people seek "salvation" at shrine to anonymous sex

Housewife Fitri has come up to the mountain for a good Friday night out. She hooked up with Ishlam, who is here to improve the fortunes of his small business (Rebecca Henschke).

Sex, okay. Sexual misconduct, not okay.

(PRI) Every 35 days, Muslims from across Indonesia flock to a hilltop Islamic shrine in central Java. They come to find blessings and good fortune -- through a ritual that involves adulterous sex.

When they arrive at the shrine, known as ["the ritual of the hill"] Gunung Kemukus, they offer prayers and flowers at a sacred grave. Then, they find a stranger for anonymous sex.

Question: Didn't this "sacred [sex work]" happen in ancient Greece? In Corinth, Delphi, in Athens and even Sparta, with The Oracle (the living Goddess Pythia, like the virgin Kumari of Nepal) and the temple priestesses, who were the Greek-version of Geishas called Hetairai? The Old World knew how to live better than our Puritanical shame and guilt about sex allows us to live now in a world saturated with porn.

Undress Me (Susan Gilman)

When I arrive there, darkness is starting to shroud the hillside. By candlelight, people are sitting on mats around sacred dewadaru trees.

[These are not the American deodara/Asian devadaru trees, both of which are favored haunts of woodland fairies or dryads called devas in Buddhism and Hinduism, a Sanskrit word (cognate Latin deus, dīvus, Spanish dios, French dieu, Proto-Indo-European deiwos), a term at the root of our English diva, deity, and divinity].

Siddhartha and deva-like maras under Bo tree

And they are sitting amidst the twisting roots of massive fig trees [like the Buddha sat under a sacred fig, Ficus religiosa or peepal, that became the Bodhi tree]. There are lots of women standing by themselves and lots of men in groups.

Pak Slamat is one of the men. He is balding, has a moustache, wears a leather jacket and glasses, and is reading from the Koran [Muslim Bible]. He's married, but hasn't told his wife he is here because she wouldn't let him come. [Ehem.] She thinks he has gone somewhere to pray [but he's really here to eat and love or just love].

Buddhist monastic follows Siddhartha's steps

"In all the rooms around here there are couples," he says. "They are small-business people, and, if you ask them, they say it works -- that before business was slow and now it's good. This is the work of Allah, through our traditional ways. I am keen to do the ritual; it's just a matter of finding someone who wants the same thing."

Sacred Buddhist sex? Tantra, Tantric Yoga, Tantric sex, and Tantrikas, (not clothes). Why not dance instead?
The marvels of Buddhist Sewu Temple, Java
Tracing the Buddhist path (The Jakarta Post)
Burmese Buddhists, Muslims brawl in Indonesia

AUDIO (The World)

Echoes of the celestial devis, or Apsaras (Indonesian Bidadari) Angkor Wat (Andreadaddi)

History of infidelity

Pilgrims on stairway to "heaven" (Ali Lutfi)

Like tens of thousands of others, Slamat has come to be blessed in a ritual that dates back hundreds of years.

The ritual's origin is a legend about a young royal, Prince Pangeran Samodro, who was raised in the court of Demak, a Muslim sultanate on Java’s north coast. He fell in love with his stepmother, Nyai Ontrowulan. The two ran off to Gunung Kemukus [this hill, with stairs leading to the shrine], where they were discovered by soldiers from Demak and slain. Their bodies are supposedly in a grave at the shrine.

Ancient romance on walls

According to some versions of the story, the couple didn't finish having sex before they were discovered, so the ritual sex completes their union.

In another version, the ritual helps minimize the shame of their act by offering a more shameful act to [to compare it with? After all, no one brings a stepparent, taking instead an anonymous partner]. Regardless, many believe that coming to Gunung Kemukus provides a blessing that can boost one's fortune -- an incentive that seems to have special appeal for needy workers, like bus drivers, farmers, or small-market traders.

I'd do it, I'd totally do it! How much? lol

Ibu Winda is a grandmother in her early 60s and is dressed in a gold jacket with flowers, a short mini-skirt, and leather jacket. For makeup, she wears bright red lipstick and has powdered her face.

She runs a small food stall in her hometown and has been coming here for ten years. "Ever since I have come here, business has been good and life has been easier," she says. "Praise be to Allah."

I love both of you; that's why it tears me apart! Borobudur (TrevThompson/flickr.com)

At 10:00 pm, it's very dark, and the area around the grave is full of older people -- some women with headscarves [hijabs like they used to wear in the Islamic Republic of Iran], others with barely any clothes on, and a lot of middle-aged men in leather jackets.

Lois, my leather jacket is too tight (Family Guy)

[All this talk of leather must be a reference to a ritualized sexual fetish object picked up from the decadent West.] Everyone is starting to pair up now underneath the trees.

Sexy figurines of Borobudur

This ritual [is Islam but] isn't Islam as most would recognize it. It is a mix of Islam with earlier Hindu, Buddhist, and traditional [animistic] beliefs -- something that is typical in Indonesia, and especially Java.

"Indonesia is amazing because whatever religion comes into Indonesia, it changes its color," says Kunijoro Soeparno, a professor of sociology who’s been researching these traditions for decades.

In to me see for intimacy (Tantric Yoga)

"The Islam is not just Islam like it is in Arab countries. Hinduism is different here to what it is in India. Buddhism is different from China. The Catholic Church is different from in Rome," he says. [It's just like Gilbert said -- Rome, India, Buddhist Asia -- all of the ingredients to eat, pray (ecstatically meditate), and love!] More

The most amazing thing about jungle Borobudur is not its massive size or pyramids, but its many "Time Travel Bells" (stupas, Die Glocke) with Buddhas inside at dawn (TrevThompson).

Buddhism in Indonesia
CC Liu, Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly (Wikipedia edit)

Buddhist monastics on path under a sacred Bodhi tree, Sewu Temple, Indonesia (TJP)

Buddhist Borobudur, Indonesia (TrevThompson)

Hinduism and [Hindu-saturated] Mahayana Buddhism arrived in Indonesia from India [where Indo, or Indra (Sakra) was a prominent Buddhist deity, one important to the Sailendra] in the 4th and 5th century, as trade with India intensified under the south Indian Pallava dynasty [Guide to the Temples of Java (Indonesia), Approach Guides, David Raezer and Jennifer Raezer].

From the 7th century, the powerful Srivijaya naval kingdom flourished as a result of trade and the influences of Hinduism and Buddhism that were imported with it (Indonesia: Peoples and History, Jean Gelman Taylor, 2003, Yale University Press; M.C. Ricklefs, A History of Modern Indonesia since c.1300, 2nd Ed., 1991, MacMillan).

From earthquakey Aceh in the west to Papau (not New Guinea) in the east (wiki)

Between the 8th and 10th centuries, the agricultural Buddhist Sailendra and Hindu Mataram dynasties thrived and declined in inland Java, leaving grand religious monuments such as Sailendra's Borobudur and Mataram's Prambanan. The Hindu Majapahit kingdom was founded in eastern Java in the late 13th century, and under Gajah Mada, its influence stretched over much of Indonesia [Peter Lewis, "The Next Great Empire," Futures 14 (1): 47–61, 1982].

Sewu, 2nd only to Borobudur (will-on-board)

Although Muslim traders first traveled through Southeast Asia early in the Islamic era, the earliest evidence of Islamized populations in Indonesia dates to the 13th century in northern Sumatra (Ricklefs, 1991, pp. 3-14). Other Indonesian areas gradually adopted Islam, and it was the dominant religion in Java and Sumatra by the end of the 16th century... More

Monday, 12 May 2014

Posing nearly naked in Islamic IRAN (video)

I. Rony, Ashley Wells, Seven, Pat Macpherson, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Saeed Kamali Dehghan, The Guardian; FEMEN.org; Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women (facebook)

Facebook Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women

Iranian harlots with totally exposed heads and faces and not a male relative in sight.

Sexism in a matter of point of view. We worship capitalist exploitation, they worship patriarchal Islam. In either case, women suffer just the same (Evans)

US/Israel aching for war on Republic of Iran

TEHRANGELES, California - Western imperial capitalist corruption has arrived in beautiful Islamic Iran with, of course, a Facebook page. Thank you, FBI. Sure, we like it and think it's "beautiful" and "liberating." But we're raised on imperial corruption. We would likely feel this was a tragedy if we were living in a happily modest country on the verge of being attacked by Israel and its Western allies, most notably the warlords of the CIA and Pentagon. (We already half-ruined the country along with England when we deposed one leader and installed another favorable to our exploits). There are more Iranians than Jews in America, most of them in L.A., but one would never know it by exposure to the mainstream media.

("Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi) about The Richest City Under the Sun in the form of a cartoon/graphic novel about a precocious young girl during Iran's Islamic Revolution following British(MI5) and American (CIA) subterfuge

Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society takes off

Topless in New York City

Don't forget to be afraid of Boko Haram today! :) And be terrified of "Kony" enough to support sending US troops into Africa. Heck, why not be afraid of all dark skinned people while you're at it? Terror is the mantra in our US/MIC "War on Fear"
Topless FEMEN protesters say no to Islamic sexist
NY: Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society Book Club goes topless for the love of books and reading
"It's horrific": Muslim girls around the world react to the Nigeria kidnapping Oh, no! Help us, CIA!
Ill-advised selfie leads to American guy's arrest
Wango Tango (Shakira, Paramore, Maroon 5, Ariane Grande...) out competes United We Stand in LA Saturday
Glenn Greenwald: the explosive day we revealed Edward Snowden's identity to the world
North Korea's Kim Jong-un is worth how much?!
Oakland company on verge of revolutionizing solar

Vatican oppresses nuns, who also wear hijabs

Catholic Pope Francis, Vatican CEO (not to be confused with the Eastern orthodox pope), is throwing nuns under the bus for sharing his beliefs

Spread of Buddhism: from its origins in Afghanistan (Gandhara) and India (Magadha) to Iran

Women posting hijab-free selfies

Jezebel, wanton woman, an Eve, a Lilith!

Saeed Kamali Dehghan (Guardian.co.uk)
"Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women" was set up 10 days ago and has since attracted thousands of photos.

Thousands of Iranian [Persian, Ariyan] women are taking off their veils and publishing pictures of themselves online, igniting a debate about the freedom to wear or not wear the hijab [the mandatory headscarf demanded by ultraconservative, puritanical Wahabbi Islam, a fundamentalist and extremist faction sponsored by the U.S. and its tentacles].

Western Globalists created Wahhabi-terrorism to destroy Islam and justify global war

A Facebook page set up by London-based Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad 10 days ago has attracted more than 130,000 likes, with women across Iran sending unveiled pictures taken in parks, at the seaside and in the streets.

"My stealthy freedom while driving in the streets of Tehran," wrote Maryam alongside an image showing her behind the wheel. "I like to feel the wind blowing on my face."

Alinejad is not opposed to the hijab -- her mother is veiled -- but she believes we should have the freedom to choose.

Iranian beauties in L.A. (kcet.org)

Another post showed a mother with her daughter. "The beautiful seaside in Kish [Island]," the younger woman wrote. "We strolled on the rocks and experienced the cool breeze flowing through our hair. Is this a big request?"

A young woman from the city of Fuman, in the northern province of Gilan, sent a picture of her in the woods. "I took this picture stealthily in the spring," she wrote. "It makes me feel happy." Another young woman was pictured unveiled just next to a big billboard in Tehran' Yas sports complex asking women to respect the Islamic hijab.

Alinejad told The Guardian she had been bombarded with messages and pictures since launching Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women. "I've hardly slept in the past three days because of the number of pictures and messages I've received." More

The N.W.O. wants a new world order, which means invading Iran. It's amazing. Look at a map: Iran is squeezed between Iraq and Afghanistan and therefore of strategic importance.

Tuesday, 29 April 2014

Gays can be Thai Buddhist monks? (video)

Ashley Wells, Dhr. Seven, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; LGBTweekly.com

THAILAND - A Thai Buddhist monk who is gay and a former cross-dresser [a third gender kathoey] has gone on public television to say there is nothing wrong with gay people becoming Buddhist monks, causing much controversy in Thailand where [Theravada] Buddhism is the primary religion and has special status, reports GayAsiaNews.com.

“I am who I am, and I’m not going to pretend just to fit in,” Ven. Tanaisawan George Chandhadhammo, 28, told Woody Talk, a popular MCOT talk show. “Gay people can make good monks too,” he said.

"I am who I am" [deal with it, fellow monastics]

His interview had led Thai censors to stop the segment of the popular Thai television talk show from being aired. The interview was not broadcast last month. However, it was finally allowed to air on TV recently, announced bangkok.coconuts.co.

The popular MCOT talk show host, Woody Milintachinda (shown above being splashed with pink liquid), revealed on Facebook that they had to postpone its “Gay Monk” interview segment because censors had objected:

“Apologies to our audience. Woody Talk has to postpone the broadcast of the ‘Gay Monk’ interview because the Censorship Committee is evaluating its appropriateness. The tape contains some hot issues!” the post says.

With 44,000 views, the episode’s teaser provided a few quotes from the young monk [likely NOT a "monk" but only a "novice," who would be restricted by far fewer rules than a fully-ordained Buddhist bhikkhu, as Monastic Disciplinary Code rules do not allow kathoeys or "pandakas" to be fully ordained], who discusses trying to be a gay monastic.

See Thai Buddhism going GAY Catholic? for Wisdom Quarterly analysis and commentary on the issue

The crux of the interview was whether it is appropriate for a man who is openly gay and has strong faith in Buddhism can choose to become a monk.

Ven. Chandhadhammo or George used to be a medical student and dressed like a woman publicly. [Kathoeys or "Lady-Boys" are a common feature of Thai society, who are often flamboyant sex workers/prostitutes or authentic "beauty queens" with entire pageants dedicated to them with parental participation and pride as well as mainstream media coverage.]

Now he practices Buddhism at Vivegvanaram Monastery in Hat Yai, Songkhla province, southern Thailand.

Hat Yai Nai Temple (Wat) is home to the third largest reclining Buddha statue on the planet, an impressive sight that leaves one in awe. People travel from all over Thailand to pay respect to this statue. After the three-month monastic Rains Retreat ends, a big Buddhist festival specific to Southern Thailand called Chak Phra takes place with large floats or "Buddha boat" processions, sports events like a run up Khao Tang Kuan hill, and more extreme events. One of the most extreme festivals in the world is also in the south celebrated among Thai Chinese called the Vegetarian Festival or Nine Emperor [Space] Gods Festival where young pen pierce themselves with bloody swords and hooks in a great S&M-like display magically with no pain. During the Chinese Lunar Festival (as the south has a large Chinese population as well as a significant Muslim population influenced by neighboring Islamic Malaysia), the Thai and Chinese present their offerings to the Moon (Luna, Chandra) or Queen of the Heavens in gratitude for past and future fortunes.

Known for his sharp religious homilies Ven. George is loved and revered by locals in the area. Religion is a very sensitive issue that the Thai media rarely touches and the public outing of Ven. George’s sexual orientation is probably a first for public television.

[The issue is so controversial and potentially damaging to Thai monasticism that it could lead others to drop out or prevent some from joining as it would tarnish the venerable reputation of the institution -- in spite of the fact that insiders may have been aware of such monks in the past within the Sangha in the past. Thailand, like Rome and other Catholic countries, considers this its religion, so young men are expected to ordain to benefit their families. With such external motivations, it is no surprise to anyone that monastics fail to let go of sensuality, money, power, fame, and political influence; instead, they become powerful and often corrupt figures. But because there are some sincere practitioners, saints and ascetics, Thais give reverence and generous support to everyone in Buddhist robes. Kathoey members, far from being "liberal progress" in our Western eyes likely tarnishes the reputation of the institution doing more harm than good. There are many things that prevent one from full admission into the monastic Sangha, sexual orientation being only one. Someone with a skin condition or debt could not get in, in accordance with guidelines laid down by the Buddha.]

Mongkut was the King of Siam in Rogers and Hammerstein's "The King and I"

More than 95 percent of Thailand’s 67 million people are Theravada Buddhists. And although Thailand is a constitutional monarchy [with a beloved monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), 86, who is the longest reigning monarch in the world, an institution which gave rise to the American musical "The King and I" about a royal (Mongkut not Yul Brynner) who was himself a Buddhist monk or novice prior to ascending to the throne], it has a strong Southeast Asian tradition of Buddhist kingship that ties the legitimacy of the state to its protection and support for Buddhism.

Buddhist institutions and clergy are guaranteed special benefits by the government.