f Same work, different oppression: Stigma and its consequences for male and transgender sex workers in Portugal

The main social and institutional approaches to prostitution in Portugal conceptualize it as involving female sex workers and male clients and as a form of victimization. This view evidences gender stereotypes, is disempowering, denies rights and stigmatizes sex workers. However, in the case of men, transgender or homosexual in commercial sex, the oppressive mechanisms can multiply and be reinforced due to the stigma associated with being in the wrong body or gay. Thus, to be a man, a transgender or a homosexual prostitute can indicate a double or triple stigma, which stresses gender violence. In this article, based on empirical data, we discuss these issues with reference to the context and reality of sex work in Portugal.