The Prostitution of Relationships: Why Your Girlfriend or Wife Is a Prostitute
- A controversial new viewpoint suggests that the prostitution of relationships exists on a far broader spectrum than commonly believed. A recent conversation, according to lawyer and writer Chris-Vincent Agyapong, prompted a deep examination of the term “prostitute.” He argues that if we use the dictionary’s strict definition, we must confront a difficult, objective truth. The dictionary defines a prostitute as “a person who has sex for money.” In modern terms, however, money includes far more than cash. A car, a rent payment, a designer handbag, or a monthly allowance all represent tangible monetary value. Therefore, a transaction occurs whenever a person exchanges sex for something of monetary value. This holds true whether a luxurious apartment or a street corner serves as the setting. The fundamental mechanics of the exchange remain identical.
This controversial logic extends even to the institution of marriage. One could argue that traditional marriage has historically functioned as a legally sanctioned contract. A man provides security and resources. In exchange, he receives exclusive sexual access and a family. To claim this is not a transaction ignores its historical economic foundation. The primary distinction between a professional prostitute and a spouse is not the presence of a transaction. Instead, the spouse simply has a single, long-term “client.” The spouse also bundles the exchange with emotional companionship and social legitimacy.
People often lie to themselves by creating convenient categories. Society sanctifies a transaction when emotion and law legitimize it. Conversely, it vilifies the exchange when it is blunt and commercial. Yet, the core reality for many arrangements remains identical. Financial provision and sexual access are deeply interwoven. Of course, relationships built on genuine affection do exist. However, we must be honest enough to admit that a great many relationships do not. A woman who withholds sex because of a partner’s financial failure operates on a professional principle. This stands in stark contrast to the “gratuitous prostitute” who gives sex without expecting gain.
In conclusion, Agyapong believes we must use the dictionary’s definition without hypocrisy. Prostitution is not a binary concept but a spectrum. The motive of financial gain in exchange for intimacy defines it. This is true regardless of the gain’s form. Until we have an honest conversation about these economic realities, we will continue to judge the streetwalker while absolving the “gold-digger.” We fail to see that they are two points on the very same continuum. The refusal to acknowledge this reality comes from a desire to maintain a facade of romantic idealism. We construct an elaborate taxonomy of relationships to disguise their transactional nature. We use terms like “provider” and “trophy wife” as euphemisms. These terms create a false hierarchy. In the end, the core mechanism remains identical: the exchange of intimacy for material gain. The prostitution of relationships is a spectrum, not a binary, he concludes.
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Source: Chris-Vincent Agyapong, Facebook
