It looks like the fears about global warming have gone a bit too far.
On the eve of the Copenhagen climate conference, Lord Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard and the city of Copenhagen sent cards to 160 hotels and the 500 conference attendees.
“Dear hotel owner, we would like to urge you not to arrange contacts between hotel guests and prostitutes.”
For most cities that would sound sensible. However, prostitution is legal in Copenhagen.
The city’s prostitutes are not happy about Copenhagen’s request.
Yet the real story is the argument Copenhagen is making against prostitution.
“Be sustainable: Don’t Buy Sex!”
Then, in small print on the cards, there is a message which is supposed to make sense, I think.
“The City of Copenhagen welcomes delegates of COP15. We urge you to protect our local environment while you fight for the global climate. Support the Copenhagen code of ethics. Don’t buy sex!”
What the hell is unsustainable sex?
I understand the arguments against prostitution. It is immoral or demeaning to women, but unsustainable?
This is pushing the global warming argument too far. What is unsustainable about sex, whether it involves prostitutes or love?
One can make the argument that sex produces children and more people are unsustainable, but prostitution has never been about children. Perhaps Copenhagen is worried about condoms being tossed out of parked cars, but if that is the environmental concern, the mayor should realize that her postcards and mailings probably create more pollution and carbon emissions than a few condoms.
Copenhagen’s prostitutes are not taking this without a fight. They are offering free sex to any delegate to COP15 that has one of the sustainable sex cards from the city and a conference ID badge.
“This is sheer discrimination. Ritt Bjerregaard is abusing her position as lord mayor in using her power to prevent us carrying out our perfectly legal job. I don’t understand how she can be allowed to contact people in this way,” said Susanne Møller, a spokeswoman for Copenhagen’s sex workers.
“As mayor I have a duty over which image of Copenhagen will be shown during the summit, and I think it’s deplorable that you can buy a woman for sex,” responded Mayor Bjerregaard.
Mayor Bjerregaard, that is fine that you think that way, but why not change the law instead of trying to present an argument that sex with a prostitute is bad for the environment?
If the mayor thinks prostitution is immoral, she should stick with that argument and not try to imply that a steamy night of sex is going to contribute to the melting of the polar ice caps.
Copenhagen deserves an award for the worst political argument of the year.
