| Room 519-B | Sexuality and Commerce Wednesday, July 13, 2005 Time: 2:30 PM-4:30 PM |
Males and Females in the Sex Trade: Occupational Equality?
MacIntosh, Josephine *,1, Philips, Rachel , Anderson, Murray , Benoit, Cecilia , 1 University of Victoria Department of Sociology, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
ABSTRACT- Males and Females in the Sex Trade: Occupational Equality? Introduction and objectives: Although studies show that the majority of sex workers are female, males represent an important and sizable minority of those working within the sex industry (estimated to be about 20%). Theoretical and empirical literature on gender and the workplace suggests that, on average, males are routinely granted greater worker control and higher earnings than females, even in traditionally female-dominated occupations. By contrast, sex work may be one of the few service occupations where male advantage is not uniformly evident. Drawing on a mixed method, non-random study (N=116) of active sex workers located in various parts of the sex industry in a medium-sized Canadian city, this paper investigates gender differences and similarities in occupational control, income, work place negotiation, and evaluation of the work. Main body/Results: Few demographic differences were found between male and female sex workers in this sample, including background characteristics such as age, ethnicity, and educational levels. Both genders also reported comparable levels of occupational control. Gender differences were, however, found along a number of key dimensions, including sexual orientation, circumstances for entry into the sex trade, reported income, time spent working, and narratives regarding negotiation for pay and evaluation of work experiences. Males were more likely to belong to sexual minorities, and less likely to cite economic need as a factor in entering the trade. Additionally, male respondents reported lower income, fewer hours spent on the job, and described different work experiences than the female respondents. Conclusions: While males represent a minority of those working in the commercial sex trade in Canada and are similar to female workers in some respects, male sex workers also report a number of unique gender-based differences. This research suggests that males have relatively lower occupational control than what has traditionally been reported in the literature on male privilege in the workplace. That male sex workers tend to earn less than female workers appears to be a function of time spent on the job. Whether or not spending fewer hours working is associated with the tendency for men to enter the sex trade for reasons other than economic need is a topic for discussion and future research. The different work experiences of males and females in the sex trade are highlighted in the narratives regarding negotiation for pay and evaluation of work experiences.
Key words: sex work, gender differences, gender and the workplace, male sex workers