Introduction

Recent years have witnessed increasing discussion and debate over the changing nature of sex work. Research into street-based sex work has flourished (McKeganey and Barnard, 1996; Hubbard, 2004a: 2004b; Sanders, 2004), while work on the practices, sexualities and spatialities of indoor sex work is becoming more diverse and voluminous (see, inter alia, Abbot, 2000 on pornography; Rich and Guidroz, 2000 on telephone sex; Smith, 2002 on stripping; Sanders, 2005 on massage parlours). Despite featuring in the literature on sex work, attention to men who sell sexual services has been notably less than that given to female sex workers. Where present, research on the practices of male sex work has focused on three key themes: sexual health, life histories and methods of entry into the sex industry and, more recently, sex work as a form of erotic labour (Aggleton, 1999; Dorais, 2003; Morrison and Whitehead, 2007). Further, most of this research (both in the UK and internationally) is based on studies of street working. Although these are important topics in their own right, this narrow focus overlooks other important aspects of male sex working, for example, that men work in multiple spaces; that sex work constitutes varied types of body work, performance and companionship as well as penetrative services; and crucially, that men are generally absent from sex work policies, which often purport to be gender neutral. As well as this, much of this research focuses on sex work as being harmful to both worker and client, with little consideration of the benefits or indeed the ‘pleasure’ afforded in multiple forms that it can bring to some or even all parties. As one male sex worker, Julian, suggests, sex work is not always intrinsically harmful:

This chapter highlights some of the progress that has been made in research on male sex work, and will explore the diversity of the male scene. In addition to this, the current policy context in England and Wales will be considered in relation to what is known about patterns, places and forms of male sex work.