英文摘要 |
Feminists have been disputing the nature of commercial sex acts for nearly four decades. Some radical feminists argue that the existence of commercial sex signifies women's oppression and see prostitution as nothing but selling sex. In contrast, prostitutes' rights groups and pro-sex feminists tend to consider commercial sex acts as work or labour. The latter group, however, fails to elaborate the kinds of labour that are involved in commercial sex. Based on in-depth interviews with Taiwanese sex workers, I argue that sex workers are expected to perform aesthetic labour, alienated sexual labour, and (embodied) emotional labour in order to be recognized(and paid) as professional sex workers. Moreover, I argue that performing sex work involves multi-layered boundary negotiation. Many interviewees exercised 'role distance' when performing sex work and differentiated work sex from their personal sexual intimacy. They expended great effort managing the boundary between sex and work because of the dangers associated with failing to do so. However, the dangers involved did not rule out their enjoying some specific sexual encounters with clients or falling in love with them. |