A bene placito: Narratives of sex work

Abstract

Sex work is often interpreted through master narratives that see women as victimized and subjected to stigmas and negative attitudes. This paper offers an insight into narratives that challenge or can be seen as an alternative to these narratives. Data are from a sample of 15 interviews with women who show an interest in sex work, conducted in a netnographic context. While widespread master narratives about sex work tend to revolve around the notion of commodification, these alternative narratives present scenarios in which sex work is interpreted as a complex activity of networking and self-promotion. The women’s narratives describe how sex work can have positive implications for the development of careers, social impact and female emancipation, and is morally coherent. Arguably, they can be important in understanding the stories that instigate and sustain sex work.