Sexuality, social marginalization and wounded masculinity : a male sex worker’s case
| Author | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
LT |
| Date | Issue | Start Page | End Page |
|---|---|---|---|
2011 | 2 (2) | 37 | 54 |
Suvokiant seksualuma kaip socialini darini ir naudojantis seksualinio scenarijaus teorija, šiame straipsnyje gilinamasi i sekso darbuotojo, save vadinancio eskortu, seksualiniu praktiku ypatumus. Siekiama atsakyti i klausima, kokiais kulturiniais, socialiniais ir seksualiniais scenarijais eskortas vadovaujasi seksualiniame darbe ir kaip jo gyvenimo istorija koreliuoja su seksualiniu elgesiu. Straipsnyje remiamasi išsamiu pusiau strukturuotu interviu, imtu iš eskorto, apie darba sekso paslaugu sferoje. Interviu trukme – 3,5 valandos. Pagal amerikieciu tyrinetoju Johno Gagnono ir Williamo Simono seksualinio scenarijaus teorija (1973, 1984), seksualinius scenarijus lemia daug kam bendros konvencijos, padedancios socialiniams veikejams iveiksminti seksualiniu santykiu situacijas. Seksualinio scenarijaus teorija paaiškina asmeniniu ir socialiai kontekstualizuotu reikšmiu santyki, atskirdama intrapsichini, tarpasmenini ir kulturini seksualiniu scenariju lygmenis. Interviu su sekso darbuotoju metu atsiskleide visi trys seksualinio scenarijaus lygmenys. Žema socialine padetis, traumos vaikysteje, išsilavinimo trukumas ir siaura profesiniu galimybiu skale leme butent toki gyvenimo budo pasirinkima. Interviu metu paaiškejo, kad skurde ir varge kuriama tapatybe siekiama paneigti skurdo ir vargo tikrove. Kita vertus, paciu savo darbu eskortas ir patvirtina, ir dekonstruoja tradicini vyriška seksualini scenariju, siejama su nuotykiais, rizika, daugialypiais partneriais. Pats eskorto darbas rizikingas, taciau rizika stengiamasi kuo labiau sumažinti. Informantui svarbu kontroliuoti situacijas, susijusias su klientais: pavyzdžiui, neužsiimama nesaugiu seksu arba seksualiniais aktais, kurie jam nepriimtini. Informantas taip pat griauna moteru ir vyru eskortu kaip psichologiškai pažeistu ar net patologišku asmenu stereotipa. [...]
A great number of men affected by rapid social, economic and political developments suffer severe marginalization due to their age, class, sexuality, disability and ethnicity in Lithuania. ,is paper examines the intersection of social marginalization, sexuality and masculinity. Using a Lithuanian male sex worker’s case, it argues that a dysfunctional family, poor employment and educational history and low socioeconomic status made his choice of sex work the means of survival. Differently from studies conducted in Europe and North America that suggest that enjoyment of sex was, in many cases, a reason for working as an escort, pleasurable sexual interactions with clients were not a critical reason for involvement in escorting in this case. ,e paper is based on an extensive semi-structured interview with a 27-year old male escort. ,e interview demonstrates that the Lithuanian sex worker both confirms and deconstructs the traditional male sexual script of erotic adventures (Gagnon and Simon 1973, 1984). On the one hand, he plays an active role both in sexual and non-sexual encounters and tries to look and act like a real man aspiring to the institutional gender script of hegemonic masculinity. On the other hand, he minimizes the risk in dealing with clients by not engaging in an unsafe sex, declining unwanted sexual practices and rejecting drugs. Besides pleasant memories of his generously paying clients who bolstered his sense of self, the escort is susceptible to societal condemnation, stigma, and self-doubt because he clearly considers his work as a conscious deviation from sexual and gender norms. Othering himself, the respondent expresses a subjective feeling of hopelessness and powerlessness that makes him miserable. Both powerlessness and the lack of imaginable future create a sense of his wounded and injured masculinity.