The Disclosure Dilemma: Stigma and Talking About Sex Work in the Decriminalised Context

Abstract

It is widely understood that sex workers are particularly vulnerable to being impacted by stigma, which has serious consequences. Stigma is thought to be exacerbated by the criminalisation of sex work and means that sex workers often live ‘double lives’ in largely keeping their work a secret from those around them to manage risks. However, very little is known about how stigma operates in a decriminalised context and specifically its impacts on the disclosure dilemma that many sex workers manage. This chapter examines this issue, drawing on in-depth interviews with 20 sex workers in New Zealand. Specifically, this chapter explores participants’ experiences of telling friends and family members about their work, the process of deciding who to tell, and the emotional labour of managing responses to these disclosures. Examining these experiences in the context of decriminalisation, this chapter considers the extent to which this context is helping to foster an environment in which it is safer and more comfortable for sex workers to talk about their work with people in their lives.