Visions from the Margins: Recentering Sex Work in Colonial Mexico

My research centers in understanding how Spain’s patriarchal culture shaped prostitution in the colony of New Spain, what is today Mexico. I explore the public policies and measurements that were created to control this institution, as well as the role of sex workers in domestic and public life. Prior to obtaining the Tinker Grant, I had conducted a couple of projects that analyzed the representation of prostitutes in hispanic literature during the 16th and 17th centuries. The research that I was able to carry out with the Tinker Grant, gave me a great opportunity to learn how to navigate the archive. I was able to expand my knowledge and get a clear understanding on how prostitution developed in New Spain, and how this institution was regulated.