Sex Work and Feminism: Redefining What it Means to be a Prostitute

When Scarlot Harlot coined the inclusive term sex worker in the 1980s, she intended to (1) eliminate the negative stigma associated with the word prostitute, and (2) align sex workers’ rights to women’s rights. Prostitution is illegal in the U.S, with the exception of certain brothels in Nevada. Due to its illegality and negative moral reputation, prostitutes are stigmatized as being dirty, criminals, drug addicts, and sluts. The word sex work was intended to change the perception of sex workers into strong, powerful, and independent women. Decades later, the role of sex workers in feminism is still being challenged by anti-abolitionist feminist who believe that sex work is inherently coercive, exploitive, and patriarchal. Pro-sex-work feminist, however, have successfully included sex workers in discourse of women’s empowerment through a sex positivist framework. To what extent does the Sex Workers’ Movement align with sex positivism? I conducted a discourse analysis on two sex positivist influencers on Instagram. My research concluded that sex work is being advocated through sex positivism in three main areas: ownership of derogatory terms, sex work as a human right, and sexual safety. Aligning sex work with feminist values give a greater voice and political standing to sex workers’ rights