The sex-gender device, symbolic violence and female labour exploitation in a multi-level marketing dietary supplement company in Mexico: A long path toward collective organization

Abstract

This study addresses the experiences of women workers in a multi-level marketing (MLM) dietary supplement company in Mexico, using a feminist methodological approach. It analyzes how women predominantly participate in this business model, but face various forms of symbolic violence and labor exploitation. While the literature on MLM companies has focused on labor precariousness and informality, this study highlights the invisibility of power relations and gender inequality underlying these labor dynamics. It is shown that, even in leadership roles, women remain vulnerable to a hierarchical structure influenced by gender stereotypes and a sexist environment. The analysis also proposes strategies to empower workers, emphasizing the importance of sisterhood and collective organization as tools to resist exploitation. Key proposals include the demand for fair labor conditions, formalization of contracts, and access to legal, and emotional and mental health support in cases of workplace harassment and sexual harassment. This study contributes to making visible the structural violence women face in the MLM labor sphere and offers perspectives for improving their working conditions.