Help me understand the mind of a cam model?

[Cereborn]

Hello, everyone. I just discovered this forum a few days ago, but I have been reading through it and I have seen a lot of very intelligent discussion revolving around life in the camming community. So I thought this might be a good place to approach this subject.

I have developed what you might call an academic interest in the experiences of cam models. I really want to be able to talk to women about their own philosophies for their occupation. But being in the position of a spectator, it is hard to find an appropriate way of talking to models about these things. But then I found this forum, and it seemed like the perfect place.

I'm going to post a few questions, and if anyone has the time and feels comfortable answering them, please just write as little or as much as you'd like. You can also PM me your response if you'd rather not post it in the forum. And if there is anyone who would be kind enough to talk to me at greater length about her experience, then please PM me and I can get into more in-depth discussion. I would be very grateful.

So anyway, a few questions, for anyone who is interested.

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?


If anyone wants to tackle those for me, I would really appreciate it. And as I said before, send me a PM if you are willing to have a longer discussion. Thank you all so much.

 

[GweenBlack]

Welcome to the forum!

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

That IT IS a job! I am one of those girls who joined for the fun when i was 19, no expectations besides "hey bbs i am here to show boobs". After few months on it, noticing that you have to work offline, deal with e-mails, DMCA reports, twitter, snapchat, money, taxes, ethics was surprising. I never thought myself as i person that would work hard in something creativity based, i've been always on the math-science side, so seeing that "to make that video i need to be creative" and how exhausting it was, it really surprised me! (and i loved that, that's why i keep reading and studying more and more to get to the best i can do on my own)

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

I never thought myself as a hot girl, i was always the weirdo on school, i've been rejected a lot of times and only dated one guy here and there. My confidence when i started camming went from "meh" to "I am so beautiful!" and that changed even on my smile. I can tell by pictures that my smile today is more beautiful than it used to be two years ago.


3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

We don't have strip clubs in Brazil and i've never been to one in other countries. So i can't answer this one.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

Yes, but not this banana-crazy feminist i see that find issues in everything. I believe in equality. Not going further because this subject already made me sick and depressed few months ago, i've been avoiding troubles in politics and gender talk.
I think nothing will change, to be honest, people point with the right hand and jerks off with the left.

 

[LilyEvans]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

It blew my mind that it could be so lucrative, especially without constant masturbation or something. It's a lot of hard work either way but it still blows my mind that people use camsites for companionship just as much as sexual gratification. I bought my first ever sex toy (a vibrating dildo that was WAY too big) for camming and I don't think I ended up ever actually using it. I also never expected to form any sort of affection for members, thought it would be a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am sort of thing. But I really do consider a lot of my regular members friends and I think they see me the same way. I get worried when someone I see every night suddenly disappears or tells me about problems in their lives.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

Interestingly, what's changed the most is my attitude towardsother people's bodies. What I mean to say is, before I started camming I thought I was a nice, body-positive person, but I would often find myself thinking, "Oh, she's too skinny, she looks ill," or "Wow, she really is too big to be wear shorts like that." (I know, I'm not proud of that attitude at all.) Since I started camming I have come to appreciate not only other body types, but I have also stopped giving so much of a rat's ass about how other people dress themselves! First of all it's none of my damn business, and I know that pretty much every woman feels uncertain and uncomfortable in her own skin at times. I really don't even find myself having thoughts of that nature at all anymore, which I think is a very good thing. As far as my own body, I feel like now I am a lot more likely to say "fuck it" and go out wearing (opaque) leggings as pants, or shirts cut where my bra is visible, or even going out without a bra (which I NEVER did before camming. Ever.) I do feel a lot more comfortable in my skin most of the time, though I still have moments of insecurity.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

I never have worked in a strip club and haven't really considered it seriously, although I've had passing thoughts about it. I feel much safer being online-- no one can follow me home, no one will recognize me in the grocery store or library (well, probably not), no one knows my family or friends. No one can touch me. Camming is great because I set my own rules, my own hours, I don't have to pay a club fee or whatever, I don't have to pretend I'm comfortable with something I'm not (not that all dancers do, but I have heard horror stories to that tune, sadly.) Oh, and I dance like an awkward newborn baby giraffe. Guys online seem to like it but I feel like I wouldn't cut it in a club-- I'm not ~glamorous~ in any sense of the word. I mean, look at my avatar picture. Not only that but there have literally been mornings when I wake up with a greasy face and no makeup, turned on my webcam, had an orgasm, and came away $200 richer. I love the freedom and flexibility I have as a cam model.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

I do consider myself a feminist. As the future of camming in regards to gender issues...well, that's tough. I do think it will become a lot more socially acceptable for women (and men, actually) to be cam models, but what's problematic for us is that the more mainstream camming becomes...the less lucrative it becomes. Right now the reward is high because the risk is high-- when fewer people are willing to provide a service, that service comes at a premium. But when that service can be gotten anywhere, the price point drops. However, I think anything of that nature that affects camming to such a great extent as to drive camsites out of business is still many years off

On the other hand, my hope is that society will also stop shaming men for looking at porn, and especially for PAYING for porn. I do believe that is a gender issue and I think the more progressive society becomes about those two points, the happier viewers and performers will be all around.

 

[DeezNA]

Preface - I am male cam model. With a penis. And testicles. Hi.


1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

The most surprising thing that I have experienced in my line of work (and it still happens nearly every day) is the level of discomfort that many homosexual males have watching an openly straight male model. I have lost a lot of business by being open and honest with my sexual orientation and it vexes me to this day.

Camming was pretty much exactly what I expected it to be, what broke my expectations more than anything else was that I have been able to do the shows that I am comfortable doing on the site that I am on and *still* get viewers. I figured that after a year or so people would get bored and I would be forced to either do cumshows like everyone else or throw in the towel... and surprisingly things are still holding strong.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

I have no problem with nudity, never really have. I used to go skinny dipping, streaking, etc when I was in high school a lot and I used to do nude modeling for my art classes in college. The only thing I really noticed a difference in is adjusting my appearance for my customer base... i.e. what outfits people prefer, what facial hair/hairstyles are more popular, etc.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

I worked at a strip club in Colorado back when I was 19 for about 2 months. I did not enjoy it. I love dancing, I love performing, the management and co-workers were hell on earth and the pay was just not worth it. The atmosphere was sketchy (just a sketchy part of town), people were grabby, it was just not pleasant. Camming lets me do what I want to do, set my own hours, expand and add other strengths that I have to my shows rather than just hopping on stage and wiggling around. It's entertainment, not exclusively stripping, and I really try to take advantage of that aspect.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

I support equality. Gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc. don't define who a person is. I'm with Gween in not wanting to get into a social ethics discussion, those spiral quickly.

As a male, I hope that there becomes a little more open-mindedness that not all of us just wanna flip the cam on and jack off. All I really can say is that I am disappointed that I am not able to model on sites where my style of camming is more "socially acceptable" and I hope that this can be remedied in the future.

 

[Fay_Galore]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?
How easy is was to get a following compared to traditional modeling. It's really not that different from modeling/performing but strangely enough it's better pay and easier to get people to notice you. (not saying it's an easy job at all, but it took me by surprise how much less effort is was to get some exposure)

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?
I'm really self conscious yes, and I don't 'like' being nude either. camming has not really changed my views.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?
I've done burlesque shows for a couple of years, which is slightly different I guess. Burlesque is awesome but takes an incredible amount of effort and time (hours of glueing rhinestones, practicing choreography, booking gigs) and if you take all those hours into consideration the pay's really bad :lol: so that's something I do for fun, and for camming I don't have to make a new costume évery night or practise a routine, it's a lot more free, which is nice!

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?
I'm not sure if I consider myself a feminist, I'm pro gender equality. I think most girls in the scene are pretty liberal towards this subject. I love how things like slut-shaming and body-shaming is a no-no in the cam scene and girls stick up for each other. Overall this is a massive group of people, mostly women who are very open-minded on gender issues and sexuality. Which I think should be celebrated more! We might not agree on everything, but I think it is amazing that on this subject most of the camperformers and pretty live-and-let-live.

 

[JerryBoBerry]

Preface - I am male cam model. With a penis. And testicles. Hi.

I was chuckling that you had to further clarify with 'And testicles.' Just in case the penis part wasn't clear. :lol:

 

[Emmalie]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

How hot some of the members are. I seriously thought they would all be guys who couldn't get any, but honestly I've had some fun, pleasant C2C with some really hot guys. The guys are much younger than I imagined too. It seems guys 5-10 years younger than me like to hang out with me. There are also some highly educated men that frequent my room. I had this completely false stereotype in my head that was crushed the moment I started.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

I almost feel like camming save my life in this respect. I had always been super modest, and after having a child I didn't even want to look at my body. Now I've taken steps to make myself the best I can be. Now I love showing off my body. I also understand the beauty in sexuality more than I ever have in my life.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

I was a bartender at a strip club for two weeks. I was a great bartender, but management and customers kept trying to pressure me into stripping, and it just wasn't my thing. Most of the girls in the day shift were absolute delights, but the ones in the night shift could get catty. Even when I was a cocktail waitress I felt like I was in immediate danger, so I can't imagine how threatened I would feel with so much contact.

So like Deez mentioned, management tends to be really creepy and pushy. With camming, I never feel pressured to do anything, but I think that is because of past jobs. I feel in control of my own destiny in my cam room.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

I am a feminist, but not a liberal feminist. I don't believe men and women are the same, or will ever be the same. I think that we should be given the same opportunities, but I don't think we should pretend there are no differences in our genders and gender roles. So I'm more of a cultural feminist with hints of social feminism.

 

[SaffronBurke]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

I was and still am pretty surprised at how many people want to know where I live and what my relationship status is. The people who ask this almost always get pissy and leave when I tell them that those are not relevant to my job. Seriously - do you Google every porn star to make sure she's single and/or in your state before you fap to her on a tube site? Didn't think so. I have been everything from married to single while camming, and never has it affected what I will and won't do on cam.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

I hate wearing clothes. I have sensory perception disorder, and having clothes on is uncomfortable and sometimes painful. I've always been inclined to wear as little clothing as possible. If I do a hangout show on cam, you'll see me very overdressed for my typical day lazing around.

I'm far less modest off cam - I flash my friends if they ask, it's not like my tits are sacred. Getting my reduction was a struggle, and the recovery was painful, so I'm proud of them and want to show them off.

Camming has boosted my confidence a bit, I think that it's inevitable.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

Haven't tried it, not sure if I would. I'm not very good at dealing with people in person.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

I consider myself to be very feminist. I am passionate about gender equality all around - women's issues, men's issues, queer and trans issues, they are all vitally important and none should be brushed aside.

I think the future of camsites will be a positive one where gender equality is concerned. Less slut-shaming and assumptions of performers having "daddy issues", fewer members trying to white knight the models and "save them from this terrible job". More acceptance for performers of different genders. I performed on Cam4 a couple times with a friend who was trans, and people were absolutely evil to her - No trolling that I've experienced solo can compare with how hateful some of those people were.

 

[PlayboyMegan]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

All of the fetishes! I didn't even know a quarter of those fetishes existed until I started Camming.
Also, that many guys are not "lonely basement dwellers." Sure, maybe some are, but pretty much every guy likes porn. Generous guys, handsome guys, intelligent guys, good hearted guys. Some models said they started hating all men when they started Camming but it had an opposite effect on me. I was like, "whoa! Look at all of these awesome guys!"...and I ended up in a 2 1/2 year relationship with one.
I didn't have any expectations when I started, really. I had NO clue how anything worked or what to do. I just jumped online with an open mind.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

I'm pretty much a nudist. I love being naked!
I'm also an attention seeking narcissist, so not at all self-conscious in real life. I blame my mom for reading a ton of, "how to give your child a high self-esteem" books lol.
Camming just made me more confident. There were a few things I disliked about my body, such as my butthole. There is literally nothing wrong with my butthole, I'm just a girly girl who views that part as "icky." But I received SO many compliments on my butthole that I just want to spread my cheeks to the world now! Haha
Yes, I do get insulted quite often on cam, but it comes from guys who I don't know, have no reward points or tokens, and probably go around saying, "ur fat" to every model. So I just can't take them seriously.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

I would like to try out dancing.
My only concern is my temper. On cam, I can just ban assholes. In person, I might shove my 8 inch stiletto into their dickhole if they piss me off. I don't let people disrespect me.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

I really don't know if I'm a feminist or not. I believe women should be paid the same amount as men for the same jobs. This does not include independent contractors. For example, if a man who is an interior designer makes more than a female interior designer I don't scream, "inequality!" I just think the man is probably better at his job or markets himself better getting more clientele.
I don't believe in gender roles. Correction, I don't believe gender roles are best suited for everyone.
I'm not what most people would call a "modern day feminist." I enjoy getting free drinks for having tits and having men open the doors for me. And I will NEVER put down a woman for choosing to be a stay at home mom, cook, or clean for her husband. If you enjoy the typical gender roles, that's totally fine, just don't push it on everyone else.
I also believe in men's rights. While I do believe women are often more discriminated against than men, I'm not oblivious to the fact that men have their own issues that need to be addressed, as well. Just because women have more issues, does not mean men should have to take the back seat. We should work on them both at the same time not putting more precedence over the other.
I'm also pro-life and was under the impression that automatically means I can't be a feminist. But apparently there's a whole group of pro-life feminists, so maybe I was wrong about that.
I believe that in general, women and men ARE different. Go research the differences in our brains, there are MANY. With that being said, we are all unique individuals so while I might be able to say, "most women are better at multitasking than men," I realize that there are probably a few men and women that doesn't ring true to.
I'm not sure what you mean by the second question. I don't believe porn hurts or helps gender issues. It's the stupidity of individuals that can't distinguish real life from fantasy.

 

[MayaRae]

So anyway, a few questions, for anyone who is interested.

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

I had no idea in any way what to expect, so the entire thing was strange to me. Although, all the different kinks were extremely strange and new to me. Coming from a little church girl who didn't know what "doggy-style" was, hearing people ask me if i do "anal", or "fist" was shocking enough, never mind some of the other things I heard.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

I come from an extremely modest home. Most of the members of my family are member of the LDS church. My mom once told me I looked like a slut because I wore a tank top. My family is also obsessed with weight and looks. My grandparents used to pay me to lose weight. One dollar for every pound I lost, and for every pound I gained, I owed them a dollar. I was diagnosed with two ED's very young. So I am extremely modest off cam, and I have always been self-conscious. But i love seeing myself as sexy. When I am having a bad self image day, it feels good to be like "Yo.. guys like seeing me naked."

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

I'm a terrible dancer, so I couldn't imagine making money from it.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

I am a feminist. and i'm not sure how to answer your other question.

 

[PlayboyMegan]

Oh, and I just wanted to say that we can't really "help you understand the mind of a camgirl" because we are all SO different! Camming is a job like any other. It doesn't dictate our opinions. Stick around and you'll see some very heated debates between models.

 

[gonegirl4]

1) I didn't expect to love it. I thought that it'd be the perfect job for me because of all the obvious pros (work from home, set own hours, lucrative obviously,) and because the sex industry allows me to utilize my interest and experience in sex and sexuality, but I honestly had no idea I'd enjoy it as much as I do.

2) I'm a very sexual person and it shows through a lot in my personality both at work and not. I've never had to buy clothes or lingerie specifically for camming, the stuff I wear on cam is often stuff I wear out (I wear corsets and thigh high socks almost daily and fishnet stockings in public at least once a week.) Modest is definitely not a word anyone who knows me at all well would use to describe me, I'm pretty sure all of my girlfriends have seen me naked and my starting camming didn't surprise a soul.

3) shifts at strip clubs tend to be longer and are by nature more physically demanding than camming. I try not to bring up my health much, but that is definitely the main thing preventing me from being able to work at a club. I really love strip clubs and have discovered some girls online who are just amazing on a pole and leave me just mesmerized, but since it's an impossibility for me I've never really sat down and thought about whether I'd want to do it if I could.

4) I am, I've never seen a good argument against gender equality. I'd like to think that camming could be enjoyed by more people (as a bisexual girl who loves viewing cams myself I'm always shocked at how few bi and gay girls there are watching.) I also hope that misguided attempts to 'save' sex workers don't ever amount to the end of camming, as taking away our ability to decide and telling us that we just don't know that we're victims is beyond patronizing and inaccurate.

 

[LacieLaPlante]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

Well, I was just surprised you could make money doing it.. I was camming for free for a while. When a dude offered me 20$ to masturbate on skype for 10 minutes, I was BLOWN AWAY when he actually sent the money. I eventually found MFC and was making tons of money very quickly. I thought it was the answer to my dreams. I've owned a webcam since I was 13 and have always spent time in cam chat rooms. Making money off of it just seemed the next great step. Also how great of a friendship I could have with people who are essentially my income.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

I guess I am far less modest than I was before. I feel naked or insecure at the beach. I don't have an issue going without a bra, when I really really hated my breasts when I first started camming. I would open a window and make sure my nipples were hard before i would let anyone see my breasts, since I have puffy nipples.. I thought that puffy nipples were horrible and disgusting. Now I just see them as something different. And that you don't have to be PERFECT, that imperfections are what make you unique.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

Yes I would consider working in a strip club, but I am not confident enough. I can't dance very well, so that would be the main thing that would put me off. Plus, lapdances for people I don't find attractive might grate on me eventually. I find physical touch very personal, I have a hard time letting random people touch me, so I know I'd be uncomfortable touching random people.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

I consider myself an equalist.. which is kinda a feminist, but I often oppose a lot of feminist ideas, Like tumblr feminists drive me crazy. They've got the right idea but they run with it so far that I couldn't imagine myself every aligning my ideas with theirs.

 

[Cereborn]

Thank you, everyone, for responding. This has been great. I know I can't generalise all cam models into one mind, so that's why I hoped to get a bunch of responses.

 

[IsabellaSnow]

1.

I was surprised to find out that what I had originally assumed men would like was not actually what men seem to like. I was also extremely surprised at just how much money you could make.

2.

Before camming I was very comfortable with nudity etc. I wasn't a nudist but I would happily go out in lingerie items. Since starting camming I feel I am more comfortable with nudity because I've realised that certain parts of myself that I was less secure about actually turned out to be parts that guys liked. I'm also more used to nudity.
On that level though I believe I protect my body a lot more than before as I have realised its worth.
Oh and obviously I'm more modest off camera! I mean on camera I dance around naked in front of hundreds of people! It's not a situation I have ever entered in real life!

3.

Yes I would consider working in a strip club but I don't feel I have the type of body that is usually popular in strip clubs. I also cannot pole dance and have never been given an open opportunity to start stripping. The other reason is that a lot of strip clubs around are pretty dodgy and are run by not so nice men and personally I really can't be fucked with all that.

4.

I do consider myself a feminist. I believe in equal rights all the way, not just in laws but in how we treat each other. I believe that no person in the world should suffer instant prejudice/ill treatment for race, sex or looks.

I think that women are more sexualised than they have ever been, yet we are also the freest we've ever been. Though fashions have changed and the media dictates a lot of the trends we follow, since women have had more power most have chosen to be openly sexual in one way or another. I don't understand why some women believe that to be a feminist you need to cover up and not allow men to see you in a sexual way when this is exactly what men chose to happen when women were oppressed, and still choose to happen in countries where women still face oppression.

 

[Cereborn]

1.

I was surprised to find out that what I had originally assumed men would like was not actually what men seem to like.

Would you mind saying a little more about this? What had you assumed men would like?

 

[PrincessPerversion]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

I really thought it would be more like "TITS OR GTFO" and it's actually the opposite. I get on and only being a couple months in, if my handful of regulars are on, it's like coming home (literally). What shocked me the most is how much a lot of them want to talk to me. When I join a private, I think time is money and want to make it worth their time, but the other night 10/15 minutes I spent with someone who just wanted to know what makes me tick so that he can come back regularly. I multitasked while in the private but nevertheless, some of my regular group make my day! It's better than I thought it would be.


2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

I do consider myself very self-conscious. I love playing exhibitionist when it's a positive experience and personalities coincide. Outside of camming, I'm very normal. I log on to TinyChat and people watch, fully clothed. "Can you twerk?" Or multiple questions like that, I reply "Nope, I'm boring...Sorry!" My feelings about my body have improved tenfold. When my divorce started, I decided to care about me and I had some drastic results. I went from being a victim of adultery (multiple times by my husband) and losing my comfortable lifestyle with multiple incomes to an independent, adored woman. I am proud... Now to tone it all. :lol:

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

I'm kidding, mostly. I do well for myself in this setting because my personality and creativity can outshine the mere physical aspects of me. There are perfect, absolutely gorgeous models doing camwork... I'm a mother of 3 that works 50+ hours a week and can't get a second job out of the house because I'll have to displace my children for that time frame too. With this, very late at night... I can cam from my bedroom on the other side of the house a few nights a week.

“You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there's still going to be somebody who hates peaches.” ― Dita Von Teese

And if they feel that way, they can leave or I can ban them but inevitably... I'm safe in my bubble.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Mine isn't strong one way or another. I don't feel repressed because I don't allow myself to be.

 

[VeronicaChaos]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?
How varied it can be. How camming is, so much of the time, exactly what you make of it. I've had so many different styles over the years, and the job has changed so much as I have. There's no "right" or "wrong" way to do it, and I think it's really awesome that I can adjust my room to fit my personality, and the things I want to express. Sometimes I do feel stuck, but then I remember that I really can do anything I want, and any feelings of being "stuck" are personal and in my head.

I also was surprised that I was able to make news via my camming style. I never thought that I'd be having a "squee!" moment with my mom telling me how she read articles about me and my career. That was really cool. If you had told me a few years ago that doing this job would attract the attention of one of my favorite websites I wouldn't have believed it.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?
I've been getting naked at parties since I was a teenager, and I used to be a stripper, so nudity's never been an issue for me. I think I may be slightly more self-conscious due to constantly seeing my body on the screen, but I'm far from having self-esteem problems. I'm simply more aware that I should work out more. The plus side of this is that I take better care of my appearance and do work out occasionally, have skin regiments, get haircuts at actual places vs. doing it myself, etc. It's nice to put effort into my appearance for a change. I don't have a great track record of being good at that. :lol:

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?
I stripped for 3 years before camming, and I would never go back to stripping. I worked at a lot of clubs, and there's a reason strip club management has a bad reputation. I also wasn't very good at stripping, I'm pretty awkward in real life so showing off from home is ideal. I make more money camming by far. Stripping really sucked the soul out of me, and the level of contact was never one I was comfortable with.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?
Feminist, equalist, whatever. I've seen what happens to a sex industry when society is progressive, having danced in Portland, and it does hurt the money potential quite a bit. There are more girls doing it, and when sex is less taboo, less men will pay for it. I think the industry will change a lot, and we're already seeing this with the influx of "art" cam models being successful.

I think the future of camsites is that it will someday be another form of mainstream entertainment. I think live TV will someday be replaced by camsites, in the same way that youtube/netflix is replacing television.

 

[AnnaSnow]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?
I think I surprised myself in how shy I was starting out. My first time on cam as soon as somebody said Hi to me in chat I chickened out and shut the camera off. After that I did A LOT of research and I would say the experience did match my expectations once I got past that initial shyness.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?
I am more modest off camera in the sense that when on camera I am usually semi if not all the way nude. Off camera I am usually wearing clothes since I think it would make my roommates uncomfortable otherwise
As for the second part of this question; I think the way I view my body has improved from camming I appreciate myself and my body type a lot more. I also appreciate other body types more as well and am way less judgemental about anyone.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?
I have never been a stripper and there are no strip clubs where I am. I have considered it when I lived elsewhere but I think I would be too uncomfortable if it ever came down to it.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?
I believe in gender equality so by definition I suppose I am a feminist. I would rather not go into the politics of the subject. I don't think that as society becomes more progressive that pornography use will change much so I also don't think that the future will be changing much for camming.

 

[IsabellaSnow]

1.

I was surprised to find out that what I had originally assumed men would like was not actually what men seem to like.

Would you mind saying a little more about this? What had you assumed men would like?

Oh just angles and stuff. For example I'd previously always thought the whole spread legs looking up was an extremely unflattering angle, yet apparently guys love it, same with loads of other "looking up" angles. I also think the media and society has tuned a lot of women into believing that if men have the choice they would rather watch a really toned skinny girl with big perky tits and a conventionally beautiful face. Working on MFC actually gave me a lot of faith back into the world because I realised that actually though undoubtably a lot of girls who are very popular are skinny and toned/have lovely perky breasts and gorgeous faces, there are also lots of girls who though definitely very attractive, they have much more "normal" looking features and physiques who do extremely well, and girls who by media standards would have a lot more luck modelling than I would were lower on the page than me.

 

[KatVonnegut]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

I'm still really new, but I've been a premium for a while doing my share of perving and taking notes from other models. The most surprising thing is how accepting everyone is. I'm a soft-core model, and I thought that would be met with hesitation and disdain. There's definitley people who come into my room and say "how much pussy bb" but me and my regs will just snicker to ourselves in our own little worlds and continue having a lovely time. I can be myself no matter what that means, being sexy, goofy, book wormish, intelligent and geeky, or whatever. It's really just... fun. If you get the right vibe in your room it can be more fun than going out with friends.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

I love getting naked. Loooooooove it. That's not to say I'm always 100% body confident. No, I definitley have my insecurities. A lot of them, actually. But that's not going to stop me from going skinny dipping, or nude sun bathing, or streaking. Me and my real life girlfriends also just like to hangout and get naked. It's a nice way to remind us that our bodies are ours, and they're beautiful and we need not be ashamed of them.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

I love strippers. I love going to the strippers, I love tipping the strippers, I love going up to them after and telling them how much I love them. But no, I don't think I could ever be a stripper. There's some kind of appealing hush-hush to being a cam girl. I don't ever have to worry about my dad coming into the room while I'm showing my bewbs and I don't need to worry about people I don't particularly care for talking about what I do. And I also prefer the control and freedom of having an internet room instead of a real room. If someone's pissing me off and making me feel uncomfortable, I just hit BAN and *poof* problem gone.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

I really just wanted to answer this question on this little questionairre because I was reading a lot of the answers and girls were hesitant to declare that they were feminist.
YES I AM A FEMINIST!
And I can guarantee that 99% of girls who say "I don't know if I'm a feminist..." are feminist. Feminist doesn't mean extremism and getting all anti-man-hating-spit-fire-out-of-mouth-crazy, feminism is accepting women and men in all of their differences and seeing them as equals. They deserve the same respect, treatment, status, and pay.
I feel like feminism leaves a bad taste in people's mouths because they just focus on the extremist reactions they sometimes see. I'm so blessed to be a woman, and I love all other women and definitley get a sense of woman sister-hood pride. (That's also what makes camming so great, is a lot of other camgirls share that sense of pride and state of mind.)

 

[IsabellaSnow]

Oh a little bump on the whole camgirls/feminism thing:

Like I mentioned before about men watching women on cam with perfectly ordinarily lovely bodies rather than super toned, always on a diet/in the gym (or just have rare genetics and are at a certain stage in life). One thing with cam modelling with promotes and supports feminism is that when you cam you are ALLOWED to have a "non perfect" body and be seen as sexy. This is something I rarely ever see coming from tv, films, magazines, porn etc. All those women tend to not only conform to a certain standard, then they are also made up in a certain way then airbrushed, photoshopped, given clever angles and lighting etc to make them conform even more. It's really no different to when women wore corsets. They were not allowed to show their body in a free way of their own choosing and allow their bodies to just be how they were. They had to conform to certain body standards that were fashionable at the time. What we see in the media every day is the same.

If you're a cam model you're pretty much saying hell to all that and letting yourself be beautiful in the way that you want to be beautiful rather than having others dictate to you what they want. You are essentially completely free. If someone doesn't like it they can leave and find someone else.

I know that in real life standards I am considered beautiful. That's not me being vain, it's me not being completely dense.
If I were to become famous and did some kind of modelling/nudity though in the medias eyes it would be a spectacle. People would be going on and on about it because I do not have a conventional body shape. Some comments would be positive, some negative.
I'm not overweight, I'm right in the middle of the healthy weight category, and am below the average size in the UK, but I'm very curvy, big boobs, bum, thighs and chub on my belly! This is a shape that is rarely shown and is currently being sneaked in occasionally as a big talking point.

What would be some kind of media spectacle in this current day and age is a regular occurrence in the camming world. Women of all shapes and sizes dancing around (often like total loons!) being sexy as hell and being appreciated for what they are.

In a lot of cases I would say porn can be detrimental to feminism, the reason being is that most porn is made by men and sold by men portraying usually young and naive girls as "filthy sluts" and sex objects. Camming on the other hand is porn made by and controlled by each individual. If they want to have their image sold as a filthy slut then that's their choice.
In my opinion any situation that a woman is completely in control of her body, her space and her sexuality, especially where lots of men can see it happening and respect her for her sexuality (as most camgirls demand nothing less) how could it possibly be anything but positive towards feminism?

 

[Ambers Troll]

 

[Yarrow]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

The most surprising thing has been learning about all the fetishes I never knew existed. Learning about peoples kinks has been fun for me even if I don't feel I am super kinky myself. My experience has mostly matched my expectations when I started out and continues to. I had researched camming for a few months prior and knew my bush would get me some poor remarks, and that my lack of public cum shows (I do them in private) would also make things harder for me in the beginning. They are still issues, but I feel like people find me everyday that like those two things or come to appreciate them.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

I have no issues with nudity at all. I could care less as long as it is not around unwilling parties. I am a pretty modest person in day to day life but to me being nude on cam is no big deal. I have a lot of experience in arts and entertainment so my threshold for potentially extreme things is pretty high. Not that I think I am extreme, but others pushing themselves further with sex and nudity does not bother me unless people are getting hurt or don't want to be there.

As a teen I hated my figure like a lot of young girls, but in my early twenties I realized how hard on myself I was being. It still took a while for that to fully sink in, but for the most part I am very happy with my body and happy that it works most of the time. I also realized how much of a judgmental asshat I could be about others bodies --- I can relate to what Lily wrote. I think previous life stuff and camming has rid me (mostly) of my body shamming dark side. On occasion it appears and then I slap myself in the face.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

I had seriously considered working at a strip club for years- I think right when I turned 18 until I started camming. I love going to certain strip clubs as a patron, but I know what the girls have to put up with, some clubs it is worse than others- so I never took the plunge. Not to mention I would probably have to shave, I would be worried about being followed home, getting ripped off, or the girls and guys I call 'gropers'. Now I can dance all I want online :-D

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

I don't consider myself a feminist. I am not sure what the real term would be for it- but I feel like men, women, half man/women, and anything in between deserves equal rights, pay, treatment. I don't really think feminism addresses this fully. Of course I want better treatment for everyone, but I don't want to have to look at someones gender to do it.

As for the future of cam sites, I think they will get better in regards to production value and more mainstream- but not in the sense that a ton more people with attempt and stick with camming as a profession- just that you can talk about it openly with your friends without feeling like people will judge you so much, maybe cam ladies/and gents will be regular fixtures on page 6, haha. I feel there is a cap on how much of the population is comfortable and capable of entertaining on a continuous bases, while being (mostly) naked on the internet.

 

[KatVonnegut]

If you're a cam model you're pretty much saying hell to all that and letting yourself be beautiful in the way that you want to be beautiful rather than having others dictate to you what they want. You are essentially completely free. If someone doesn't like it they can leave and find someone else.

This whole post was so on point Isabella! ray:

 

[Ann_Sulu]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?

Camming surprised me by making me more comfortable with myself in general. When I started I was a sort of hermit person who hated socializing, because generally it seemed like people disagreed with my views anyway so f*ck em. People on the internet however, know they are more anon and will more likely speak how they actually feel rather than speak how they think they should feel. The people of the internet and I get along way better for that reason alone XD.

I started off rather overweight as a camgirl which made me feel better with myself when I lost weight through exercise I often did and do on cam. Also, I felt more comfortable with my body, because like Isabella said...men don't have only one type they're interested in, and I soon was able to learn that. ^.^

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?

Nudity has never been an issue with me. When I was younger I (quite frankly) tended to dress pretty slutty. Nowadays, it's whatever is comfortable and if it shows off anything terrific. Right now I'm in a baggy sweater and pj pants mmmmm bb....

I've never minded how others dress, and have always remained pretty neutral when it comes to nudity. If the person is hot great, if not then meh either way we're all naked under our clothes right?

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?

No I wouldn't work in any social sex work setting offline, because I feel it would be too much stress for me social anxiety-wise. I just quit working retail on the side, and constantly would have anxiety attacks where I'd have to calm down quickly after a customer would ask me something like where the toilet paper was. I can handle being social offline in small doses, but not hrs lol.

If this weren't the case it's possible, but I still figure I'd lean more towards camming for convenience sake if nothing else. I mean really I think most choose stripping over camming mainly because of the online permanence, but well....I've been outed and don't care anymore. I'd have more of a likelihood of being stalked daily from a club I'd think...so still I'd go with camming.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?

I like to think of men and women as equals yes. I think camsites can help definitely. Some may disagree, but I figure people talking more openly on these sites will further outcomes for gender equality, and other general "how to human lessons". I think many members do find it nice to sometimes to be able to approach someone who is comfortable with their sexuality, and such about issues rather than just anyone they might run into. It of course is best to know the camgirl well before asking certain things so as not to offend, but still it at least I'm sure it's more in their comfort zone to talk about such things online rather than in person.

As for camming in the future...I think it'll always be there. If nothing else maybe for the exotic aspect of being able to view someone nude live on the other side of the planet...or for people to lazy to leave the house to socialize lol :hello2: I don't see it going away any time soon that's for sure.

 

[Gen]

I love discussions :mrgreen:

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?
Definitely that there was more of a social, friendly aspect to it rather than just sexy stuff all the time. I started out doing phone sex (which I am not good at, at all) so I was used to more of a constant sexual-ness. But I really love about camming that you can just hang out and goof off with members, and have a good time. (I like the sexy stuff too, but it's fun to have both!)

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?
I've always been really comfortable with nudity, I dress more modestly now that I used to but that's mostly out of preference I guess. I'm nude all the time at home :lol:
I guess, body image - camming has shown me how many guys are attracted to my body type, and not just in a fetishistic way or as a novelty, but just that there are a variety of guys (many of whom are attractive, cool dudes) that find me attractive. So that's cool. It's definitely interesting to cam as a BBW though because your body in itself becomes the fetish - not that you're doing anything fetish-y or trying to cater to it, but just by virtue of having this body, you're fetishized by a lot of people. Which isn't good or bad, it's just interesting to me. (I'm sure there are loads of other types of models who feel this way, too!) I've done well by catering to that and it can be a lot of fun, although sometimes I wish I had more of a broad appeal. But - on that note - I am sometimes shocked at how many guys like me and tip or get shows/videos from me, who also are regulars of girls who are NOTHING like me. My very first regular, who is still around now, is also a regular of some super petite Dom girls (total opposite of me). I find that kind of cool. Like, I am personally attracted to loads of different "types" of guys, so it only makes sense that the same would be true for them, but I guess sometimes you think that guys only like a certain kind of girl, and I like when that stereotype is broken.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?
I did as a waitress for about five seconds. (I have had many waitressing jobs, none of which have stuck, because I am an absolutely terrible waitress :lol: ). Stripping isn't really an option for BBW girls up here, but even if it was, I am about as good at dancing as I am at waitressing, so I don't think I'd get hired anyways. I don't have any issues with in-person stuff or anything like that, just not meant to be a stripper. Which is too bad, because I like the shoes.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?
Yeah, I do. I think camming will continue to become more socially acceptable and it will increase the number of girls signing up, maybe lowering the ~taboo aspect a bit, making it a more saturated market. More than that, I wonder how changing technology will affect camming over the next decade or so. Personally I like the amateur vibe of girl in front of a webcam in her bedroom, but I always wonder if it'll be like movies with a slow escalation from that to like, high-tech productions and stuff. I feel like we kind of see this already when guys are like "ugh I'm so bored of all the shows on MFC, it's so repetitive" (I am fascinated by the need for new, novel ideas constantly on MFC especially). So I wonder how that will affect it. But with regards to gender issues, in my experience, I've found camming generally pretty well received, compared to other forms of sex work, so I think that'll just keep increasing and more people will try it.

 

[Cereborn]

Personally I like the amateur vibe of girl in front of a webcam in her bedroom, but I always wonder if it'll be like movies with a slow escalation from that to like, high-tech productions and stuff. I feel like we kind of see this already when guys are like "ugh I'm so bored of all the shows on MFC, it's so repetitive" (I am fascinated by the need for new, novel ideas constantly on MFC especially).

I find it funny that you say that, because I feel the opposite way. My first experience with camsites was Janessa Brazil. She's sweet, and I love her, but her shows were very formulaic. Talk for half an hour, strip naked, do a straightforward masturbation show, log off. When I came to MFC I was amazed at how much more fun everything is. Each model puts her own stamp on her show, and it creates a nice atmosphere to hang out. Sad that some people are complaining about being repetitive, because I've never gotten bored.

And thank you for responding.

 

[Ava Nicole]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?
Non-Nude models surprised me the most and just the idea that if you know how to sell it, you can make money off of doing -anything-. I think I thought when I started that you have to do certain things, like masturbate, if you want to be successful, when really the truth is, if you want to be successful, the real key to getting there is just working - a lot. I also really didn't realize that regulars would be so important; that they would become friends, even. The reality of camming is far better than anything I guessed a few years ago.

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?
I have always been pretty open with my sexuality/body although I can be kind of modest in other ways. When I am doing really well on cam, it reflects back on everything in my life, and yes, even how I view myself. It's actually quite awesome. Success breeds self confidence, which in turn helps achieve even more success.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?
I don't want to be a stripper. Besides the fact I pretty much have two left feet, I prefer the comfort of my own home where if a stranger is harassing me I can simply block them or close out of the screen. I have done other types of adult work (mainly fetish porn) and I prefer camming as it gives me the most flexibility and is the most lucrative (for me).

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?
I am a feminist, I believe in equality and I don't believe in sex shaming. I think even compared to 5 years ago, you are more likely to find a young adult woman who would consider camming, although I certainly don't have statistics to back me up. I think it has more to do with young people just really being in tune with technology and what can be done with it, more so than a change in attitude towards the sex industry (and I know of cam girls that don't consider it sex work for various reasons). I am not sure that society will ever be progressive enough that choosing to do sex work or camming is something people are casual about. It will always inherently carry a lot of risks (privacy invasions, personal safety, STDs, etc.) and even a change in attitude won't really change that. It seems like the girls who are successful in this industry carry certain personality traits that make them street savvy and head smart and overall, a lot less vulnerable to manipulation and attacks. I just don't see that changing - so there will always be girls who start out strong and burn out easily, no matter what our culture thinks of sex work.

 

[MintyFlowers]

1) What was the strangest / most surprising thing about the job when you started working? Did the experience match your expectations?
How fun and empowering it can be. Plus, I never expected to make so many friends within the cam community with both ladies and members. It's been unreal and I'm so grateful for some of the amazing people I have met. I never though I'd be glad to start sex work (coming from a very conservative background).

2) What is your attitude toward nudity in your regular life? Do you find that you are more modest / self-conscious when off camera? Has the way you view your body changed significantly as a result of camming?
I'm very covered up in person lol. I've always worn layers upon layers. Camming hasn't changed the way I dress but I am more sex positive.
Camming has actually made me feel a lot more confident in my body because I see it more and got used to it.

3) Have you ever worked / would you ever consider working in a strip club? If no, what is the main thing about that job that puts you off? If you have worked both jobs, what are the biggest differences between stripping and camming?
No. I don't particularly enjoy being within a touching distance with anyone (even friends, I love my friends but it takes me a while before I even feel comfortable with lady friends linking arms with me and etc). Space bubble is a big priority for me. Also, I'm just.. soooooooooooooo awkward one-on-one.

4) Do you consider yourself a feminist? What do you think the future of cam sites is as society becomes more progressive in gender issues?
Yes. I think for many decades to come, sex work will still be held in a negative light. Even within many sects of feminism, there are many feminists view sex work with disdain... even amongst sex workers, there are instances where some sex workers shame others who do different services. However, as it becomes more mainstream because certain states are making laws that target prostitution, I expect to see a rise in new camgirls because they have less choices, and as it becomes more mainstream, I think we should expect to see more new faces but a higher turn over rate.