Different stage, different performance: the protective strategy of role play on emotional health in sex work
An article in Social Science & Medicine Volume 72, Issue 7, April 2011, Pages 1177-1184. This paper uses Arlie Hochschild’s (1983) concept of emotion management and “surface” and “deep acting” to explore how sex workers separate and distance themselves from their public role. Experiences of stigmatisation prevail among sex workers and how stigma is resisted or managed has an impact on their health. In-depth interviews were carried out between August 2006 and April 2007 with 58 sex workers in five cities in New Zealand following decriminalisation of the sex industry. Most participants drew on ideas of professionalism in sustaining a psychological
