"Zeal" is a positive term, I think. To have zeal for something means to have a passion, a fervor, a tireless devotion to a cause- a powerful enthusiasm. Yet, to be a "zealot" is a negative term- it goes from fervor to militant in the dictionary, from being driven to being a fanatic.

I came to think about this when I was looking at a blog called the Wisdom of Whores. In it, the blogger, Elizabeth , says something in passing:

"It so happens that I’ve just finished Tracy Quan’s giggle-inducing Diary of a Jetsetting Call Girl (she’s especially funny about zealotry within sex worker activism itself; I made a mental note to plan a major cull of my T-shirt collection)."

I looked at the various shirts and things I have. And yep, I'm a zealot about sex positive sex work and expression. My "Hookers for Jesus" shirt, my PIC tote bag, a pin for the sex workers union. Treating sex work as work, destigmatizing sex workers, and challenging the stereotype that men are buyers, women are workers... these things are all very important to me. I try to read, watch and listen to as many sides of the argument as possible, and I'm happy to speak up whenever it's relevant.

Now, I haven't read any Tracy Quan (why read a fictional account when there's so many memoirs out there now anyway?) but I wonder- where's the line between being an activist and a zealot? Who decides? IS being a zealot bad?

I think I need another drink in my Porn Palace cup. :D