The future of sex work?
Much of our daily life has been revolutionized by the introduction of the internet. I have not watched a cable television program in forever, and have opted instead for the luxury and convenience of streaming services and vlogs on YouTube as my main source of entertainment. Many other people have adopted the same mindset and have looked towards the opportunities the world wide web produces to pass time. The digitized nature of the world has opened the opportunity for new professions and jobs to emerge along with the demand for specific and targeted content. Examples of this include cam models and more recently, video game streamers, both of whom use video streaming as a way to market and promote themselves while engaging in laborious activities to achieve social and economic success. Though they seem like two distinct and separate forms of self broadcasting, a new article discusses how they’re not as different as one initially assumes.
parallel labors of video game live streaming and webcam modeling: The future of sex work?
Bo Ruberg’s article ‘Live play, live sex: The parallel labors of video game live streaming and webcam modeling’ provides a straightforward and reader-friendly analysis on the similarities between the two forms of self- broadcasting: webcam modeling and video game streaming. Ruberg achieves this by watching ten instructional (almost self-help) YouTube videos on conversations; five from male streamers who usually perform on the popular platform Twitch; and five self-branded female webcam models, whose platforms vary. Ruberg acknowledges the gender difference between selecting predominantly female cam models and predominantly male streamers, arguing that choosing his sample this way pays notion to the real stereotypes each self-broadcasting has (i.e. that cam models are mostly women, and streamers are mostly male). Yet, Ruberg shows that even with this stereotype in place, these forms of self-broadcasting are not as different or separate as one would assume. In fact, they share so many similarities that the line between camming and streaming becomes “blurry.”
Similarities:
Both camming and streaming involve the process of positioning oneself in front of a camera in an intimate (or private-like) space, and performing an action for viewers to watch and participate in (through the acts of likes, donations, tips, etc).
Camming and streaming both take place on digital platforms designated to the activity. For streaming, this is mostly Twitch, but for camming it is different as there are numerous platforms to choose from. The two mentioned were MyFreeCams and Chaturbate.
Both stress the importance of having the right technology to do the job effectively. Poor quality items translate into poor quality content, which leads to poor reception. Cam models and streamers have to invest in their setup—and thus invest in themselves—to ensure viewers get high quality.
Both employ forms of monetization. As mentioned earlier, viewers can tip and donate to performers with the expectation that something—a shoutout, acknowledgment, or performance of a requested act—is given in return. In some cases, individuals may set themselves a daily goal, and stay online until they reach their goal.
Both engage in considerable labor physically and emotionally. Cam models and streamers might be situated in front of a camera for hours on end, exposing their private lives publicly in an attempt to draw in people’s interest. In addition, because of the competitiveness self-broadcasting brings, cam models and streamers alike are encouraged to be different then what is already available for other viewers. Their personality and “aura” must be at the forefront, and they must have a certain likability to themselves that needs to be upheld all the time. This type of emotional labor is seen constantly in sex work, and serves the purpose of creating a relationship between creator and consumer.
It’s more than just the content viewers see: cam models and streamers have to create a persona online through social media, and curate a fanbase that they can move over to their respective sites.
Differences
Ruberg observed that cam girls had more choice when it comes to picking what platform they want to use. This is not inherently positive, however, as different camming sites have different logistics and can end up alienating you from success due to rating systems. In this sense, cam models have the additional role of finding a platform that works favorably for them and does not hurt their chances of success.
Cam models face the stigma of online sex work, and have the stress of whether or not close or former peers will find out what they’re really doing. In order to be successful, the YouTube videos Ruberg watched suggest that cam models need to push these feelings aside, providing more emotional labor for them.
Whereas cam models are very open about the discussion of money, streamers are not. The majority of the videos Ruberg watched from streamers did not discuss money, while cam models divulged their own personal experiences on how much they’ve made during their time, and also talked about the highs and lows.
The Future
A stepping stone for the future of sex work?
Though this is a great stepping stone for arguing how sex work is legitimate work due the qualities it shares with other self-broadcasting like streaming, Ruberg’s discussion does leave out some demographics that does not encompass sex work as a whole. The impact of race requires further discussion including specific focus on the experiences Black, Asian, and Latinx streamers/cam models face. The conclusion also alludes to the fact that camming and streaming are not so different, yet I feel like this analysis underestimates the emotional labor aspect.
Emotional labor is something everyone does in one form or another; in some ways, it’s innate. Yet, there is a strikingly big difference between camming and streaming, and that is the undertone of sex. Though the qualities possessed in the individuals are similar, the type of physical labor differences vastly. Streamers are typically playing a videogame and participating in discourse surrounding gaming culture. Cam models however are tasked with carrying out intimate, almost 1-on-1 services with consumers where sex/nudity is the luxury, the commodity, and the topic of conversation. Cam models and streamers might possess the same qualities that legitimize what they’re doing as real work, but what they do when they do it separates them.
Written by Destiny Maldonado
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