Black women and sex work: gender, respectability, and sensual critiques of power

Abstract Given the history of sexual exploitation against Black women, sex work has traditionally been viewed as detrimental to their identity. However, sex work has transformed drastically in the past several decades. In response to these changes, this project asks two questions: 1) Given the transformation of sex work, how do people construct meaning around identities within racial capitalism, and 2) given the social sanctions and stigma, what draws advantaged Black women to participate in sex work? I consider these questions through the case of class-advantaged Black women sex workers. Based on 25 interviews taken from a larger sample of 40 Black women sex workers, I argue that for this group, participation in sex work allows for exploration into identity and authenticity while keeping in line with cultural expectations to be hardworking, financially independent, and emotionally supportive to others. Through sex work, they respond to controlling images by reinscribing the Strong Black Woman stereotype to form erotic critiques of power, and by cultivating ambivalence towards sexualized racism. This project responds to drastic societal shifts in intimacy while problematizing the concept of controlling images, highlighting the potential for erotic critiques of power through their deployment.