Panel Discussion – Sex Work as ‘Work’: A socio-legal discourse

This event was the second panel discussion under the Labour Law Discussion Series programme. The main objective of the Centre was to encourage the exchange of ideas and information about interdisciplinary understandings of sexual labour. On the face of it, the debate seems to be only about the legal status of sex work. The legal position is not crystal clear. Courts carefully treads the moral, social, and legal tightrope by opining that “voluntary sex work is not illegal,” and that sex workers “should not be arrested or penalized or harassed or victimized.” The goal of this panel discussion was to move beyond this cursory understanding and bring forth the varied perspectives on the idea of sex work as labour and the other associated aspects. The session was moderated by Dr. Sophy K.J. Panelists included the following individuals: 1. Prof. (Dr.) Anuja Agrawal – Professor of Sociology at the Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University 2. Dr. Ashley Tellis – Independent Researcher and LGBT Activist 3. Ms. Tripti Tandon – Advocate at the Supreme Court and HC of Delhi,   Deputy Director of Lawyer’s Collective 4. Ms. Lalita – Outreach worker at Akanksha Samiti