Queering Discourses of Prostitution, Homosexuality, and Age of Consent: How Social Media Troubles Traditional and Contemporary Constructions of Sex Work

Drawing on 55 in-depth interviews with gay, bisexual, and queer men aged 18–30 from major cities across England and Wales, this research examines the experiences of young men who do not solicit “clients” nor identify as “workers”, but occasionally sell sex after being propositioned by users of social networking sites and smartphone apps such as Grindr. This chapter examines the emergence of new forms of sexual exchange which I have called ‘incidental sex work’. I draw on feminist, postmodern, and queer theory to challenge conventional academic understandings and state regulation of sex work. This perspective raises critical questions about the scope of surveillance and the usefulness of sexual identity politics for achieving the stated goals of academics and activists.