Sex Worker Activism, Transnationality and the Imperial Gaze in Britain, France, and the United States, 1973–1990

Abstract

This article comprehensively examines the transnational dynamics that characterised sex worker activism in the United States, Britain, and France between 1973 and 1990. Within these years and in each of these countries, sex workers formed formal activist groups and established transnational networks aimed at dismantling the systemic discrimination and criminalisation that sex workers faced. Within existing scholarship, the role of transnationality has yet to be examined. This article addresses this gap by offering a nuanced exploration of how transnationality profoundly shaped sex worker activism during these nascent years. I argue that transnationality was a significant aspect of sex worker activism through the exchange of insights and experiences across borders that emerged as a defining hallmark of their activism. Through transnational networks, sex worker activists formulated and honed their analysis and perspectives and supported each other’s struggles across borders. Moreover, this research delves into the ways the activism of sex workers was also deeply embedded within the geopolitical landscape of the 1970s and 1980s. I critically examine the work of sex worker activists to advance our understanding of the complex interplay between transnational activism, internal dynamics, and the potential pitfalls of well-meaning engagement. By illuminating the diverse perspectives within the movement, shedding light on transnational networks, and scrutinising the subtle manifestations of neo-colonialism, the study enriches our comprehension of this transformative era in sex worker activism.