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The Onion Thinks Sex Trafficking is Hilarious

by generaldecay | September 6, 2009 at 10:32 am

294 views | 36 Recommendations | 9 comments

The shirt says "My friend went to Thailand and all I got was this lousy kidnapped prostitute". Note the helpful disclaimer: "*Prostitute Not Included". Notice that the catalog entry just says "all I got was this lousy prostitute", but the shirt itself refers specifically to a "kidnapped prostitute".

The shirt does appear to be an actual item for sale, rather than a joke. This shirt is available for men; apparently The Onion thinks it's hip for men specifically to joke about kidnapping sex workers. White (or light-skinned, at least) men, if you go by the models on The Onion Store site.

Hey Onion, guess what's not funny? That's right - sex trafficking. Sex trafficking, kidnapping sex workers, selling women = not funny. Making jokes about it is not even ironic. No, it's not satirical either because abuse, violence and rape is not funny.

It's just got absolutely no comedic value at all.

I know the Onion is supposed to be a cutting edge satirical publication but this is just offensive and misogynist.

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Amy Judd

at 13:11 on September 6th, 2009

I don't really like The Onion either, although I know many who do. Perhaps I'm losing my sense of humour?..

generaldecay

at 13:27 on September 6th, 2009

Amy, I think when it comes to pieces such as there, our senses of humour are right on the button!

Thanks for the recommendation and comment.

albertacowpoke

at 15:58 on September 6th, 2009

We all know that men (pedaphiles) go to Thailand and Cambodia for one thing only. I'm glad that Canadian Customs is searching those sickos. The rest is just as unnerving.

Anyways a little comical relief here:

Love is like an onion

First you taste it with delight

and afterward you wonder

whatever made you bite.

StevePhillips

at 09:38 on September 20th, 2009

alertacowpoke, so you really think every man that goes to Thailand or Cambodia is a Pedaphile and is looking for one thing only?!?

My, you really have led a sheltered life. Not every man is like that.

bettermaker (not verified)

at 17:20 on September 6th, 2009

OH please. This is free speech. South Park is just as offensive.

Sputnic

at 12:35 on September 9th, 2009

It is a pretty odd idea of a "joke"

Farang (not verified)

at 06:29 on November 25th, 2009

Clearly you have never spent any time in Thailand. To over-generalize a shirt as promoting sex trafficing is irresponsible. First, stop looking at other cultures through the eyes of western morals. Americans force their values on other nations, usually because they have not been there. Thailand is not in the west, and they don't have the same morals, lifestyle, etc. Sex is a very open thing in Thailand, and many women make a conscious decision to work in the sex trade. An elephant mahoot might make 20 baht a day, and a bargirl can make 50 baht for getting you to buy her ONE bar drink... and she hasn't even done anything sexual! If she chooses to have sex with someone, she can make 1500-4000 baht. Beats the heck out of shoveling elephant dung 8 hours a day for 20 baht, huh? Certainly there is some degree of sex trafficking in Thailand- it is a global problem... but in Bangkok alone there are 12 million residents, and an estimated 2.5 million sex workers. 2.5 million sex workers are NOT being trafficked in one city. They choose to do it, and nobody looks down on them for it. I challenge you to go tto Thailand and see for yourself rather than spouting off about immorality in a land you have never been to.

generaldecay

at 07:46 on November 25th, 2009

I think you've missed the point.

No one is imposing a moral consensus on anyone, no one is 'spouting off' about immorality, no one is deriding sex workers, no one is passing remarks about women who work in the sex industry, no one is claiming that 2.5 million sex workers are being trafficked into Thailand, no one is making assumptions about Thailand's moral values.

The post was arguing that sex trafficking (ANYWHERE) is not a joke. End of.

And for your information, by the way, sex trafficking very seldom involves women who work in the sex industry voluntarily. So why don't YOU read a post properly before 'spouting off' about something that wasn't even mentioned?

Sputnic

at 09:06 on November 25th, 2009

Paddy field workers cannot do that work year round, they face starvation or prostituting themselves for several months a year to feed themselves and their families. Doesnt sound like much of a choice to me.