The Anthropocene and the Racialization of Sex Work: A Decolonial Perspective from Cape Town

This paper explores the intersection of the “Anthropocene”, race and the sex work industry in Cape Town, South Africa. By centring the voices of marginalized sex workers, who are often racialized, we challenge dominant narratives that stigmatise and exploit this vulnerable population. By drawing on theories of space, place, precarity, alienation, and decoloniality, this paper portrays how environmental factors, institutional structures, and power dynamics shape the lived experiences of racialised sex workers. Sex workers are treated as a homogeneous group; however, this paper suggests that not all of them have uniform experiences of sex work, nor are their motivations for entering sex work the same. The reality is that sex workers are a diverse group with varying backgrounds, motivations, and working conditions, which are further complicated by race, class, and gender (Fife, 2024). Various factors such as climate change, urbanisation, and economic inequality and precarity disproportionately affect marginalised communities, including sex workers, and how they intersect with racial discrimination. As a result, this paper deals with specific institutional structures and power dynamics that perpetuate racial inequalities within the sex work industry. This is done by exploring the ways in which sex workers (could) navigate environmental challenges, such as unsafe working conditions, limited access to healthcare, and discrimination, and how these experiences intersect with broader issues of social justice. The paper proposes that decoloniality can offer practical solutions to empower sex workers to document their own realities and advocate for their rights, such as the decriminalisation of sex work within South Africa. This study contributes to a decolonial understanding of the "Anthropocene" by highlighting the experiences of marginalized communities and challenging dominant narratives that perpetuate injustice. By centring the voices of sex workers, we can foster a more equitable and sustainable future for all.