A new exhibition titled "Sex Work: A Cultural History" has opened at the Bundeskunsthalle art center in Bonn, Germany. The exhibition examines how sex work has been represented, regulated, and experienced across different societies and historical periods. The curators describe the subject as "terrain permeated by moralizing and highly political discourses." Through art, archival material, legal documents, and contemporary voices, the exhibition shows how sex work has been framed—and at times distorted—in public debate.

One strand of the exhibition focuses on language: A glossary traces the words used to describe sex workers over time and explores what these terms made visible or invisible, and how they shaped ideas about gender, morality, and labor. Co-curator and sex worker activist Ernestine Pastorello states, "Sex work history is challenging to research because what we're called is different in each era, and historical documents often rely on vague euphemisms." She adds that in the 19th century, the term "prostitute" could be used to describe any woman who was "too visible" in the public sphere, regardless of whether she actually sold sex.

The exhibition also demonstrates how sex workers themselves have shaped the language used to describe them. The term "sex work" was coined in the late 1970s by US activist Carol Leigh, who wanted a phrase that described an activity rather than a moral label. Pastorello prefers this term because it infers "nothing more and nothing less than what is actually being discussed"—the exchange of sexual services for money or other goods as a means of financial support. In her view, this provides a clearer basis for discussion than terminology shaped by outdated moral assumptions.

At the same time, critics argue that the term "sex work" can blur important distinctions. Researchers and advocates focusing on trafficking and exploitation, including organizations like the Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women and scholars such as Swedish policy expert Gunilla Ekberg, say it can make it harder to recognize situations where people sell sex not out of genuine choice, but due to poverty, pressure, or a lack of real alternatives. This disagreement highlights how language can clarify some experiences while making others harder to see.

For Pastorello, recognizing sex work as work remains essential for any discussion of rights. While acknowledging that not all people enter the industry of their own volition, she argues that naming it as labor makes it possible to talk about safety, protections, and collective organization. "Characterizing it as work allows us to attack it from a trade-union perspective," she says. "It's just a matter of common respect to acknowledge that we are workers and therefore deserve the same protection and the same rights." She adds that empowerment should not be a condition for recognition: "Our right to do sex work should depend on our labor rights and not on whether it's empowering or not."

Overall, by approaching sex work through culture, language, and lived experience, the exhibition suggests that understanding the subject begins with acknowledging its complexity—and by paying attention to the words societies have used to describe it, and the people those words have often excluded. The exhibition "Sex Work - A Cultural History" runs at the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn through October 25, 2026.

Source: www.dw.com