Constructing Identity Through Sex-Consumption: The Consumerist Narratives of Israeli Men Who Pay Women for Sex.

Abstract

This study examined how consumerism shapes the identity construction processes of Israeli men who pay women for sex (MPWS). Using the theoretical framework of symbolic interaction and the theoretical concept of extended self, we explored how Israeli MPWS extend their selves through sex-consumption. To this end, we conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 23 Israeli MPWS. An interpretive epistemology and a constructivist grounded theory methodology guided the data-analysis. We conceptualized three dynamics of self-identity construction processes through sex-consumption: Extending the self through assimilation of products or experiences, Extending the self through the purchasing process, and Extending the self through consuming the imagined. The findings revealed a complex process, whereby MPWS attribute various and contradictory meanings to their possessions, their consumerist experiences, and their purchasing processes. We conclude that consumerism is central to the meanings that MPWS attribute to their engagement in the sex industry. Thus, the theoretical framework of consumerism should be further applied to future studies in this field in order to gain a nuanced and deeper understanding of MPWS and the phenomenon of sex consumption.