MALE SEX WORK AND SOCIETY

Edited by Victor Minichiello, PhD
Adjunct Professor, School of Public Health & Human Biosciences
La Trobe University (Australia) &
Section Editor, BMC Public Health

John Scott, PhD
Professor, Faculty of Arts and Science,
University of New England (Australia)

In recent decades, male sex work has emerged as an important area of study, as well as a social activity in its own right. As new ways of thinking and speaking about male sex work have emerged, it is no longer conflated with homosexuality or the female sex industry. Historical and cultural variations in male sex work are now acknowledged, enabling this activity to be understood in complex and dynamic terms, thus challenging older perspectives that view male “prostitution” as deviant and pathological. Previously neglected aspects of male sex work, such as servicing a female clientele (the gigolo) and upper income types of service (escorts), have gained both scholarly and popular attention.

Recent scholarly writing on the male sex industry has largely come from two areas: the social sciences (e.g., psychology and sociology) and the humanities (e.g., history). A range of popular works on male sex work in the visual arts has also emerged, including cinema and literature, most of which has not been accounted for in scholarly writing. For the first time, this work integrates these separate disciplinary approaches in one comprehensive volume.

This book employs an innovative framework that melds scholarly accounts with biographical narratives. The contributors are leading scholars from developed and developing countries—including North and South America, Europe, East Asia and the Subcontinent, Oceania, and Africa. While each addresses the issues from the perspective of their separate fields, their work is integrated through editorial commentary that defines a narrow disciplinary terminology and allows for a thorough understanding of the field.

CONTENTS

• Foreword
• Introduction
• Male Sex Work in Historical Context
  (Socio-Historical focus):
  • Histories in America
  • History in Media and Culture
• Male Sex Work and Public Health
  (Sexual Health Focus)
  • Research/Policy/Community Practice/Epidemiological Trends
• Male Sex Work and Mental Health
  (Psychosocial & Lifestyle Focus)
  • Research/Policy/Community Practice/Resilience
• Male Sex Work Economics
  (Business & Marketing Focus)
  • Advertising of Services
  • Quantitative Analysis
  • Technological Aspects
• Male Sex Work & the Law
  (Criminological Focus)
  • Regulation
  • Reform
• Male Sex Work Locations
  (Social Geography Focus)
  • Geographic Theory and Research
  • Urban Studies Aspects
  • Specialized Areas: Latin America, China, Africa, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Australia
• Afterword
• Appendix
• Index

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Victor Minichiello, PhD, is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Health & Human Biosciences at La Trobe University, Melbourne (Australia), and Section Editor of BMC Public Health. An internationally recognized sexual health and public health researcher, Victor has published over 170 books and journal articles that have a high citation rate. He has published extensively on the male sex industry (over 20 journal papers), including invitations to contribute to four recent international edited books and an encyclopedia on men and masculinities, and is one of the world’s top authorities on the subject. His research has focused on the sexuality issues of a number of marginalized groups, including men who have sex with men, sex workers, and older people.

John Scott, PhD, is Professor, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of New England (Australia). He is an internationally recognized sexual health and public health researcher. Since 2001, John has published one book, one book chapter, and eight peer-reviewed articles on the sex industry in Australia. He also has published two encyclopedia entries on aspects of the sex industry, and has presented numerous seminars and conference papers on the sex industry at national and international forums. His expertise in this area has been recognized by the numerous citations of his work in scholarly publications (50+ citations of his sex industry research since 2005), government reports, and national and international media. His biography is available at https://www.une.edu.au/staff/jscott6.php.