Have there been any scholarly studies of cam modeling?

[Starman]

Any Masters or Ph.D. theses or dissertations you know of?

Just curious. And if there are, I'm sure it would be interesting reading.

 

[THE MOLLIE MARIE]

I know we have had several posts from people claiming to be collecting information for such academic purposes, conducting surveys and such, here on the forum. I've never seen any of the final material though.

 

[TokenGesture]

Here's one to get you started -

“I Get Paid to Have Orgasms”: Adult Webcam Models’ Negotiation of Pleasure and Danger

Angela Jones -
Sociology and Anthropology Department and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program
Farmingdale State College, SUNY

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/686758

 

[gddp]

Haven't had a chance to actually read it yet, but with a quick skim I saw that the article linked by @TokenGesture focuses its research on data gathered from ACF (though only from the public section, and with usernames omitted).

 

[Gen]

Haven't had a chance to actually read it yet, but with a quick skim I saw that the article linked by @TokenGesture focuses its research on data gathered from ACF (though only from the public section, and with usernames omitted).

I love that the author gives special thanks at the end but not to the many models of ACF who comprised literally her entire research, lol.

However, I caution against a flippant dismissal of these workers as neoliberal feminists void of progressive political imagination. These women may not be fighting the tyranny of capitalism, but they are on the front lines of the battle for sexual freedom. Isn’t that a progressive feminist political goal? Critiques of neoliberal feminism are often reductive and leave many questions unanswered about the potential benefits of such ideologies for the feminist subjects who adopt them. Yes, the women who work as webcam models could be more critical of their employers and the larger capitalist system that structures their exploitation; they could organize around these issues, but what would come of such activism?

 

[gddp]

I love that the author gives special thanks at the end but not to the many models of ACF who comprised literally her entire research, lol.


View attachment 75481

First of all, I love Peep Show/that gif :0 And I read a bit more since posting: even though Jones notes that the M.O. section was off limits, it seems questionable to base models' perspectives on camming dangers with only the public side's info :/ Seems reasonable to think that serious/sensitive subjects may be discussed differently and/or more in-depth in private...

 

[Mila_]

"the larger capitalist system that structures their exploitation"

I would love it if feminists would stop calling me a victim. Nobody is exploiting me. I am worshipped and thrown money at because I am hot. Who doesn't want this job?

 

[TokenGesture]

One of the authors of this paper posted on ACF early last year seeking assistance -

‘Always hot, always live : Computer-mediated sex work in the era of ‘camming’

Madeline V. Henry and Panteá Farvid

Women’s Studies Journal, Volume 31 Number 2, December 2017 / Women’s Studies Association of New Zealand

http://www.wsanz.org.nz/journal/docs/WSJNZ312HenryFarvid113-128.pdf

 

[Mfc_anon]

Here's one to get you started -

“I Get Paid to Have Orgasms”: Adult Webcam Models’ Negotiation of Pleasure and Danger

Angela Jones -
Sociology and Anthropology Department and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program
Farmingdale State College, SUNY

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/686758

Her main premise is that cam models usually experience real orgasms while prostitutes usually fake it. Also, the safety of being virtual allows the model to focus on her own pleasure instead of the client. Finally there is very little emotional labor in cam modeling since models dont need to fake it and can reject privates. What do you think of her conclusions?

 

[Gen]

Finally there is very little emotional labor in cam modeling since models dont need to fake it and can reject privates.

I disagree on this part. At least for MFC models, where constant communication and the expectation of being genuine are a big part of the typical hustle. For me, even on Streamate, it was necessary to be happy and cheerful pretty much all the time, and with regulars, I listen to their issues, check in with them to see how their day is going, etc. I don’t mind at all but I do think it’s a form of emotional labour.

 

[heybarkeep]

"the larger capitalist system that structures their exploitation"

I would love it if feminists would stop calling me a victim. Nobody is exploiting me. I am worshipped and thrown money at because I am hot. Who doesn't want this job?

Feminists, apparently. The fucked up thing is that plenty of women of similar mind have no problem using their looks or even sex to land far more lucrative and powerful spots than any form of sex work could hope to offer and then still act superior.

I disagree on this part. At least for MFC models, where constant communication and the expectation of being genuine are a big part of the typical hustle. For me, even on Streamate, it was necessary to be happy and cheerful pretty much all the time, and with regulars, I listen to their issues, check in with them to see how their day is going, etc. I don’t mind at all but I do think it’s a form of emotional labour.

I agree with you disagreeing. Easy to overlook many things when pushing an agenda under the guise of education. No need to kid ourselves here. What we really need are honest researchers studying long term effects on the brains of camgirls. Similar to recent studies on wrestlers and football players. I fear what effects repeated exposure to cam rooms can really have on the subjects. May seem harmless now sure but bb and feet could be giving us all brain damage.

 

[Starman]

Great replies! Thanks!

 

[JickyJuly]

It would be fun to follow around the folks who call themselves feminists but subscribe to all sorts of misogyny/misandry with a large horn and honk it every time they say something hateful under the guise of caring. *honks horn several times*