Existing literature on sex work in India is fragmented documentation as it fails to accommodate an intersectional approach to studying the plight of sex workers. The article aims to contextually analyze sex work in the mainstream discourse on femininity and sexuality, with a special focus on caste hierarchy operating within the Indian socio-political system. The case study of the Perna women highlights the challenge sex work faces as Brahmanical sexual exploitation of Dalit and lower-caste women. The case study aids to establish the theory of discursive micro-casteism, that is, a theoretical understanding of the reasons behind the intersection of caste and prostitution which further marginalizes women in both the political and economic spheres.

Keywords:
Prostitution, Casteism, Sex Industry, Sexuality, Sex Work