Here’s where Vogel really screwed himself: treating sex workers as objects for personal amusement while vying for public office—a position in which the elected official is expected to represent ALL constituents, not just those with “traditional” sources of employment—isn’t a good look. It’s dismissive at best and deeply hypocritical at worst. Sex workers are just that: workers. They’re people trying to earn a living by supplying a demand they didn’t create in the first place. Sex workers deserve the same level of courtesy and respect as kindergarten teachers. If you can’t see that—or at least make people think you believe it—then you have no business running for public office. If a politician can’t respect individuals privately, how can they possibly represent the best interests of all people publicly?
Vogel’s comments were more than just gross—they violated basic decency. Unfortunately for him, the internet is forever. “Sorry for the stupid posts” doesn’t exactly scream accountability or demonstrate an understanding of his actions. It just points to regret over getting caught. Withdrawing his candidacy is the inevitable “find out” part of the FAFO equation.
The crux of the issue here isn’t just one politician. Vogel’s actions reflect how society in general treats sex workers. Respect for all people—regardless of their profession or how they earn a living—should be a non-negotiable quality in a public servant. Vogel got caught displaying a sense of entitlement to women’s bodies and breaking them down into a pair of boobs for his own personal amusement. His comments are just one symptom of a society that still has a long way to go.
Constituents can—and should—demand better from their elected officials. If a politician chooses to “fuck around” by being openly disrespectful to members of the public they’re elected to represent, it’s only fair they “find out” by facing the natural consequences of an angry electorate. Bernd Vogel’s little oopsie wasn’t a mere slip of the thumb, and that full-on face-plant will be on his internet record forever. Maybe future German politicians will remember what happened to him before casually commenting on OnlyFans posts from here on out.
