A Male Anthropologist’s Ethical Reckoning in a Feminized Field

Abstract (English)

This paper offers a current reflection on a study I conducted years ago, prompted by a question posed by my adviser: How can a male researcher ethically and effectively conduct anthropological fieldwork in a world shaped by female experience and gendered stigma? This question became more pressing as I navigated my positionality—as both an outsider and a male—while engaging with women whose identities were socially marginalized due to their involvement in sex work.
In anthropology, grappling with fieldwork ethics amid power asymmetries is essential, particularly in contexts marked by
inequality, gendered vulnerability, and historical exploitation. My only credential at the time was that I had long been part of the
community where sex work occurred. Ethical humility, non-intrusive presence, and the patience required by slow research were not things I set out to practice—they emerged organically through the experience itself.
While my approach may not be universal, I found that maintaining respectful physical proximity and offering sincere, expectation-free companionship created the conditions for trust. These relational ethics, rather than methodological rigidity, ultimately enabled the research to unfold with care.