Women as ‘sex workers,’ men as ‘boyfriends’: Shifting identities in Philippine go‐go bars and their significance in STD/AIDS control

Abstract

Research and intervention programs for AIDS prevention place people within ‘risk groups’ to target specific populations that are believed to be more prone to contract and transmit HIV and other STDs. The ‘sex worker’ is one of these convenient constructions used to label women who exchange sex for money or other material gains. Research presented in this paper examines the activities of female go‐go dancers in the Philippines and their relationships with male customers, showing how women attempt to distance themselves from the stigmatized ‘sex worker’ identity. Health personnel and government officials consider these women to be ‘sex workers,’ yet they do not situate themselves within this category. Their activities also challenge the accepted definition regarding prostitution, as many sexual encounters occur with men they identify as ‘boyfriends.’ In these situations they are less likely to request condom use because of the social and emotional ambiguities concerning their relationships.