Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What Is Neoliberalism?
- Sex Work in Sociological Context
- The Neoliberal Turn: Reframing Sex Work
- Governance and Regulation in a Neoliberal Era
- Neoliberalism, Stigma, and the Politics of Respectability
- Digital Economies and the Neoliberalization of Intimacy
- Global Inequalities and Transnational Dimensions
- Resistance and Collective Action
- Conclusion
Introduction
Sex work has long been a subject of sociological inquiry, marked by intense debates around morality, legality, gender, labor, human rights, and the commodification of intimacy. These debates intersect with wider structural forces, including capitalism, patriarchy, and globalization. Within the current epoch of neoliberalism, the analysis of sex work becomes even more urgent. Neoliberalism has profoundly transformed the conditions under which sex work is practiced and understood, shaping new forms of subjectivity, labor, and governance. This article critically examines the relationship between sex work and neoliberalism, highlighting how neoliberal logics have reconfigured cultural narratives, institutional regulations, and everyday lived experiences. It aims to provide undergraduate readers with a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to this complex intersection, grounded in sociological theory and empirical observation.
What Is Neoliberalism?
To grasp how neoliberalism reshapes sex work, it is essential to begin with a sociological definition of neoliberalism. Neoliberalism is not simply a collection of economic policies favoring deregulation and privatization; it is a dominant political rationality and cultural logic that seeks to organize all dimensions of human life according to the principles of the market. Neoliberalism promotes a vision of society where competition, efficiency, and individual entrepreneurship become paramount, while collective welfare, public responsibility, and social solidarity are devalued.
Key Features of Neoliberalism:
- Marketization of Social Life: The market is seen as the most efficient mechanism for organizing all aspects of life, from education to healthcare to personal relationships.
- Privatization and Deregulation: A systematic dismantling of the welfare state and public institutions, replaced by private actors and minimal government oversight.
- Individual Responsibility: The individual is constructed as an autonomous agent responsible for managing their own risks, successes, and failures.
- Flexibilization of Labor: Stable employment is increasingly replaced by short-term, insecure, and contingent work arrangements, often labeled as ‘flexible’ or ‘entrepreneurial.’
These tendencies together foster a society in which individuals are responsibilized, atomized, and compelled to compete in a continuous struggle for survival and legitimacy. Such dynamics are acutely visible in the domain of sex work, where neoliberal transformations intensify existing inequalities while also creating new opportunities for self-expression and resistance.
Sex Work in Sociological Context
Sex work refers to the consensual exchange of sexual services for money or goods. It encompasses a broad spectrum of practices, from street-based work to online content creation, escorting, stripping, and full-service sex work. Sociologists have long studied sex work as a window into broader social processes, including gender relations, class inequality, deviance, and the commodification of intimacy.
Traditional Sociological Approaches:
- Functionalist Views: See sex work as fulfilling certain social functions, such as managing male desire or reducing sexual violence.
- Conflict Theories: Emphasize the role of structural inequality, class conflict, and capitalist exploitation in producing sex work as a form of survival labor.
- Feminist Perspectives: Highly polarized, with some strands viewing sex work as inherently exploitative and patriarchal, while others advocate for sex workers’ autonomy and the recognition of sex work as valid labor.
- Symbolic Interactionism: Explores how sex workers construct meaning, navigate stigma, and engage in impression management.
The Neoliberal Turn: Reframing Sex Work
The rise of neoliberalism has redefined how sex work is understood, both by society at large and by sex workers themselves. It has introduced new narratives of choice, empowerment, and entrepreneurship that often obscure structural coercion. At the same time, neoliberal policies have intensified labor precarity, reduced social protections, and exacerbated marginalization.
Entrepreneurial Subjectivity
A core feature of neoliberalism is the production of the ‘entrepreneurial self’—a subject who internalizes market logic and views themselves as a project to be managed, optimized, and monetized. Sex workers are increasingly expected to embody this entrepreneurial ideal.
- Branding and Self-Management: Sex workers develop and maintain online personas, curate their image, and perform emotional labor to attract and retain clients.
- Platformization: The proliferation of digital platforms like OnlyFans, ManyVids, and social media has enabled many sex workers to operate independently, but it also subjects them to platform rules, algorithmic visibility, and unpredictable income streams.
- Emotional Labor: Sex work often involves significant emotional and affective labor, especially in online contexts where building a parasocial relationship with clients is part of the business model.
Labor Precarity
Neoliberal discourse often valorizes flexibility, but for many sex workers, flexibility translates into insecurity.
- Legal Ambiguity: Many sex workers operate in a gray zone of legality, making them vulnerable to law enforcement, eviction, and exploitation.
- Inconsistent Income: Economic volatility, seasonality, and platform policies can make it difficult for sex workers to achieve financial stability.
- Lack of Institutional Support: The erosion of social safety nets leaves sex workers with limited access to healthcare, housing, and legal protections.
Governance and Regulation in a Neoliberal Era
Neoliberal governance operates through both market mechanisms and punitive control. In the case of sex work, this takes the form of fragmented legal frameworks, selective enforcement, and regulatory regimes that blend market rationality with moral paternalism.
