Bodies of Resistance

Drawing on seven years of field research in the sex industry, this book explores the transformative potential of entrepreneurship. The authors take readers into the worlds of feminist pornography, modern burlesque, escort collectives, erotic domination, and non-profit support organizations to share stories of the women and transgender people using their businesses to challenge dehumanization. In doing so, the book shows how entrepreneurship is not just a tool for economic emancipation, but a vehicle for reclaiming humanity.These insights challenge dominant narratives about sex work, gender, and stigmatized labour, while extending scholarship on entrepreneurship and institutional theory. The authors ultimately show that even in the most constrained and stigmatized environments, people can shape work on their own terms.