Margins within Margins: Intersectionality and the Literary Erasure of Transgender Sex Workers in LGBTQ+ Narratives

Peer-Reviewed
The Criterion

The Criterion: An International Journal in English ISSN: 0976-8165

Open Access

Cultural Studies

Margins within Margins: Intersectionality and the Literary Erasure of Transgender Sex Workers in LGBTQ+ Narratives

Ayushi, Dr. Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhaat
Volume / Issue
Vol. 17, Issue 1 · February 2026

Pages
917-951

Article ID
2026V17N1088

Abstract

This paper explores the intersectionality and literary erasure of transgender sex workers within LGBTQ+ narratives, focusing on the compounded forms of marginalization these individuals face due to the intersections of gender identity, race, class, and sexuality. By analyzing both historical and contemporary representations, it highlights the absence or misrepresentation of transgender sex workers in literature and media, while emphasizing the importance of their inclusion in creating more authentic, diverse, and inclusive narratives. The paper also discusses the role of activism, community organizing, and artistic resistance in reclaiming these narratives and challenges the prevailing stereotypes of transgender sex workers as victims. Finally, it calls for further intersectional research and educational initiatives to improve the visibility and representation of transgender sex workers within both literary and social frameworks, offering a path toward greater empowerment and social justice.

Keywords

transgender sex workersLGBTQ+ narrativesintersectionalityliterary erasurerepresentationmediasocial justice.

Article History

Received
30-01-2026
Accepted
19 February 2026
Published Online
3 February 2026

How to Cite

Ayushi, Dr. Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhaat. “Margins within Margins: Intersectionality and the Literary Erasure of Transgender Sex Workers in LGBTQ+ Narratives.” The Criterion: An International Journal in English, vol. 17, no. 1, Feb. 2026, pp. 917-951. ISSN: 0976-8165. DOI: https://doi.org/10.66376/criterion.v17.n1.61

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