Deck 37: Taking Money for Bodily Services Martha C Nussbaum

Question 1

Which of the following is not a source of the stigma attached to sex work that Nussbaum singles out for discussion?

A) The view of prostitutes as threats to the sanctity of marriage
B) The view of prostitutes as dangerously lustful women
C) The idea that women are in need of male domination and control
D) The idea that sex work is a leading source of sexually transmitted infections.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Nussbaum's rejects the "moralistic" objection to prostitution because it

A) relies on ethical standards that are too permissive.
B) relies on a view of sexual morality that many people reasonably reject.
C) is incompatible with feminism.
D) All of the above

Answer 2

B

Question 3

For Nussbaum, gender hierarchy causes stigma

A) through misogynistic social meanings in society at large.
B) through feminist critique.
C) only in societies that lack basic constitutional protections for women.
D) around prostitution but not around other traditionally working-class occupations.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

To the argument that sex work should be legally restricted due to its associated risks, Nussbaum replies that

A) the degree of associated risk is irrelevant to its legality.
B) it should be legally permitted despite being more dangerous than most other risky activities.
C) it lies well within the domain of legally acceptable risky undertakings.
D) it should be legally prohibited because it is more dangerous than most other risky activities.

Question 5

What similarity between sex work and factory work and domestic service does Nussbaum emphasize?

A) All are forms of working-class bodily labor.
B) All are forms of work over which workers have limited control.
C) All are inappropriate candidates for criminalization.
D) All of the above

Question 6

On which of the following grounds does Nussbaum not reject the argument that sex work endangers relationships of intimacy and commitment?

A) We should (and do) reject the large number of arguments for criminalizing other non-ideal activities on a similar basis.
B) Sex work actually tends to enhance relationships of intimacy and commitment.
C) There is no group of women whose prospects for romantic love will be acceptably enhanced by criminalizing sex work.
D) One type of valued relationship does not actually remove the need for another valued type.

Question 7

When a good is "fungible," it

A) cannot be abstracted from a set of related similar goods.
B) consists of equivalent and interchangeable units.
C) consists of unique and non-interchangeable units.
D) is suitable for legal regulation.

Question 8

According to Nussbaum, the truly important issue raised by sex work is the

A) alienation of sex workers from their own sexuality.
B) damage done to intimacy and commitment by the availability of sex for money.
C) threat it poses to monogamous marriage.
D) fact that sex work is not an option readily chosen by women who enjoy many other employment options.

Question 9

Nussbaum's overall stance on the criminalization of sex work can best be summed up as

A) supportive of criminalization.
B) against criminalization.
C) neutral.
D) ambivalent.

Question 10

Nussbaum emphasizes the need for continued attention by international human rights groups on which aspect of sex work?

A) The earning potential of sex workers as compared with other working-class women
B) The impact of sex work on dominant relationship models such as monogamous marriage
C) The presence of coercion in women's choice to pursue prostitution
D) The moral status of sex in the absence of intimacy and mutual personal knowledge

Question 11

Nussbaum regards the view that sex work is immoral as a weak public justification for banning the practice, but as consistent with feminist thought overall.

Question 12

Nussbaum claims that only a small minority of people at any time are reflective feminists.

Question 13

In Nussbaum's view, feminists have reason to reject both sources of the stigma attached to sex work that she discusses.

Question 14

Nussbaum believes that feminist critique is a leading source of the stigma attached to sex work.

Question 15

According to Nussbaum, the stigmatization of prostitution is a significant source of injury to women.

Question 16

Nussbaum concedes that sex work offers women less autonomy over their work than factory work or domestic labor.

Question 17

Nussbaum regards sex work as converting women's sexuality into fungible goods.

Question 18

Nussbaum admits that sex work is shaped by and reinforces male dominance of women, but views this fact alone as an unsound basis for criminalization.

Question 19

Nussbaum argues that sex work should be legally restricted but not entirely criminalized.

Question 20

According to Nussbaum, the stigma around sex work is largely irrational and worthy of repudiation by feminists.

Question 21

How does Nussbaum evaluate Elizabeth Anderson's argument that sex work degrades non-commodified sex? With whose position do you most agree? Explain why.

Question 22

Nussbaum considers seven prominent arguments against legalizing prostitution. Decide which two arguments you consider the strongest. How persuasive are they? Defend your answers.

Question 23

How does Nussbaum believe sex work compares or contrasts with other traditionally working-class labor? What does she think the comparison suggests about the legality of prostitution? Do you agree or disagree? Explain.