12 Organizational Challenges Facing Male Sex Workers in Brazil’s Tourist Zones

Abstract

This chapter examines the organizational challenges facing male sex workers (michês) in Brazil's tourist zones, such as their intense fear of being wrongly categorized as gay and their view of “sex work” as a feminized occupational category. It shows how stigmatization interferes with outreach and organizational efforts directed at male sex workers in ways both similar to and remarkably different from those involving their female counterparts. It cites the introduction of a 6,001 percent annualized inflation rate in Brazil alongside significantly increased numbers of both sex tourists and heterosexually identified sex workers who cater to gay male clients. It considers why male sex workers refuse to become involved in sex workers' rights movements in Brazil and argues that both activists and state officials ignore the heavy toll of stigma and its impact on particular communities at high risk of HIV infection. Finally, it discusses efforts to raise awareness and change risky sexual behaviors among heterosexually identified men who have sex with men.