--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Where do people get off telling people…" description: "\"Where do people get off telling people what to do? It's their bodies. If you legalized sex work and legally protected the sex workers, you wouldn't see..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/margaret-cho-1136_body_where-do-people-get-off-telling-people-w_3166948.png" --- # Where do people get off telling people what to do? It's… ![“Where do people get off telling people what to do? It's their bodies. If you legalized sex work and legally protected the sex workers, you wouldn't see anything like human trafficking. All of that would be obliterated.” quote by Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/margaret-cho-1136_body_where-do-people-get-off-telling-people-w_3166948.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/margaret-cho-1136_body_where-do-people-get-off-telling-people-w_3166948.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/margaret-cho-1136_body_where-do-people-get-off-telling-people-w_3166948.png) > “Where do people get off telling people what to do? It's their bodies. If you legalized sex work and legally protected the sex workers, you wouldn't see anything like human trafficking. All of that would be obliterated.” [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She argues that criminalizing sex work fuels trafficking; legal protection would reduce exploitation. **In simple terms:** Legalizing sex work could lower trafficking. Key Takeaway Consider decriminalizing sex work. Themes rights sex work human trafficking law policy Mood concerned hopeful Type political advocacy When to use this quote - legislation reform - advocacy - public health campaigns Key Concepts feminism public health criminal justice Questions to Reflect On - How would legal protection change sex workers' safety? - What policies ensure effective enforcement? A Different Perspective Opponents claim it may increase demand for sex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Human trafficking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-trafficking/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Prostitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prostitution/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Sex work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex-work/) [Trafficking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trafficking/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) ## Related quotes > [I think sex work gets over-mystified and overcomplicated because it's about sexuality, and women's sexuality in general. What strikes me when I look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/i-think-sex-work-gets-over-mystified-and-overcomplicated-because-it-s/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Most of the time, people are not actually concerned with prostitution and sex work. They're concerned about seeing people who they think are prostitutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/most-of-the-time-people-are-not-actually-concerned-with-prostitution/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [The biggest difference in what's going on in New Zealand versus the rest of the world, aside from the decriminalization of sex work, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/the-biggest-difference-in-what-s-going-on-in-new-zealand-versus-the/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [I've moved away from writing about and describing actual experiences of sex work, whether mine or anybody else's, because the culture is obsessed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/i-ve-moved-away-from-writing-about-and-describing-actual-experiences/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Once when I told sex workers about my own sex work, it ended up building inappropriate trust with some people. But there have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/once-when-i-told-sex-workers-about-my-own-sex-work-it-ended-up/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [I hesitate talking about a program for change because we're in this moment where no one is listening to sex workers about how things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/i-hesitate-talking-about-a-program-for-change-because-we-re-in-this/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [I think there's so much that's not said about sex in the United States. Even from an educational level. And I do a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/i-think-there-s-so-much-that-s-not-said-about-sex-in-the-united/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [I don't like people telling other people what to do. Sex work for a lot of women is really important, especially in countries where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-don-t-like-people-telling-other-people-what-to-do-sex-work-for-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Anything that is going to be good for sex workers is going to be good for women across the board. Less women in jail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/anything-that-is-going-to-be-good-for-sex-workers-is-going-to-be-good/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Look at how successful the domestic workers movement has been. But it's different when it's your husband hiring someone. Domestic workers quite literally say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/look-at-how-successful-the-domestic-workers-movement-has-been-but-it/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [I think the anti-prostitution feminists need to do some consciousness-raising amongst themselves about their feelings. But that's a different political activity. Asking ourselves, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/i-think-the-anti-prostitution-feminists-need-to-do-some-consciousness/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [Even at legal brothels, sex workers have very little power and control over their workplace. They might have power with their customers on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/even-at-legal-brothels-sex-workers-have-very-little-power-and-control/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [In New Zealand, sex workers are regarded as workers, as people who are members of the community, people who have a stake in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/in-new-zealand-sex-workers-are-regarded-as-workers-as-people-who-are/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [In the current situation with criminalization, we've created situations where sex workers have very little power and control over their lives. Increasing one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/in-the-current-situation-with-criminalization-we-ve-created/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [It's actually not much of a risk to say, "I don't think we should put sex workers in jail." That's a decent, normal thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/it-s-actually-not-much-of-a-risk-to-say-i-don-t-think-we-should-put/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) ## More by Margaret Cho > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I'm super-obsessed with 'Intervention.' I wrote a song about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-m-super-obsessed-with-intervention-i-wrote-a-song-about-it/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I have 3 dogs myself - I actually have a kennel license in order to do so. I love them so much I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-have-3-dogs-myself-i-actually-have-a-kennel-license-in-order-to-do/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I think self-deprecation is such a disease, and I want to cure everybody of it and so that's my contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-think-self-deprecation-is-such-a-disease-and-i-want-to-cure/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I don't like pot anymore -- I forget why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-don-t-like-pot-anymore-i-forget-why/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I'm not a mom, but I think the word 'mother' is about wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-m-not-a-mom-but-i-think-the-word-mother-is-about-wisdom/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [That we are selfish gives us the opportunity to gain the power so that, in time, we might be selfless. To give back what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/that-we-are-selfish-gives-us-the-opportunity-to-gain-the-power-so/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Why can't all different types of women be considered beautiful? Why can't we can't we all be considered possible love interests?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/why-can-t-all-different-types-of-women-be-considered-beautiful-why/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I think that failure is just as important as success. In a way, failure is a kind of success if you can look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-think-that-failure-is-just-as-important-as-success-in-a-way-failure/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I could never make a joke about somebody unless I could say it to their face and they'd laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-could-never-make-a-joke-about-somebody-unless-i-could-say-it-to/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/sometimes-when-we-are-generous-in-small-barely-detectable-ways-it-can/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [ Something as important as marriage equality, which is now a constitutional right \[in the USA\], is something that cannot be denied. It's also very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/something-as-important-as-marriage-equality-which-is-now-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It's not the best between my family and me. There are so many crimes left unpunished, debts unpaid, white elephants in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/it-s-not-the-best-between-my-family-and-me-there-are-so-many-crimes/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It's okay for you to have relationships, but it's not okay to talk about them. It's not okay to be out or to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/it-s-okay-for-you-to-have-relationships-but-it-s-not-okay-to-talk/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [My attitude toward peace does not depend on which war we are discussing. I think that words should do the work of bombs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/my-attitude-toward-peace-does-not-depend-on-which-war-we-are/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) [Explore all 285 Margaret Cho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) ## More Body quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [The very purpose for being in this body, for every one of us, is to live and rejoice in that virgin area, that untouched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-very-purpose-for-being-in-this-body-for-every-one-of-us-is-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) Jennifer Siebel Newsom > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) [Browse all 20,814 Body quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Where do people get off telling people what to do? It's their bodies. If you legalized sex work and legally protected the sex workers, you wouldn't see anything like human trafficking. All of that would be obliterated.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Cho" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/where-do-people-get-off-telling-people-what-to-do-it-s-their-bodies/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Body" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/where-do-people-get-off-telling-people-what-to-do-it-s-their-bodies/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/margaret-cho-1136_body_where-do-people-get-off-telling-people-w_3166948.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/margaret-cho-1136_body_where-do-people-get-off-telling-people-w_3166948.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/margaret-cho-1136_body_where-do-people-get-off-telling-people-w_3166948.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Where do people get off telling people what to do? It's their bodies. If you legalized sex work and legally…” — Margaret Cho", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Margaret Cho", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Where do people get off telling...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/where-do-people-get-off-telling-people-what-to-do-it-s-their-bodies/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/where-do-people-get-off-telling-people-what-to-do-it-s-their-bodies/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```