Introduction
Mass media are powerful instruments for forming, influencing, and manipulating the consumers’ views on the covered subjects. The audience should be conscious of that fact and be critical of the presented content, especially regarding such important topics as sexuality. In this case, some mass media can be utilized as a good source of sex education, while others may project harmful and unhealthy ideas. The present analysis aims to see how modern popular media perceive sexuality and whether their coverage is appropriate, correct, and unbiased.
Summary of the Article
I chose the article “Men Who Pay for OnlyFans Share Their Reasons for Doing it” from Men’s Health as my research material. As its name suggests, it is dedicated to the exploration of reasons why some men like OnlyFans and are ready to pay for the content available there. Apart from the most obvious answer of being aroused, some subscribers shared several more specific motives.
The first group addressed the problem of exploitation in porn. They wanted to support content-makers directly without worrying that their money would go to “sleazy porn producers” (Men Who Pay for OnlyFans Share Their Reasons for Doing it, 2021, para. 2). Another group admitted they liked the “personalized, one-to-one interaction”, while some other subscribers enjoyed watching women they “know in person” (Men Who Pay for OnlyFans Share Their Reasons for Doing it, 2021, para. 4, 5). The men also highlighted two negative aspects of paying for OnlyFans’s content. They mentioned the possibility of creators being “leechers” and “the softer nature of the content” (Men Who Pay for OnlyFans Share Their Reasons for Doing it, 2021, para.6, 7). In short, this short article explained why some men prefer platforms, such as OnlyFans, while looking for sexual content.
Analysis of Sexual Representation in the Article
This short article may be valuable material for research as it reveals the male consumers’ general attitude towards webcamming. According to Henry and Farvid (2017), webcam models are “people who use webcams to stream themselves stripping and/or performing autoerotic stimulation and/or penetration via sex toys” (p. 119). The scholars consider it “technologically-mediated sex work” and believe there is a need for further research on this topic (Henry & Farvid, 2017, p. 123). In brief, camming is a new form of sex work that is still understudied.
The first thing I wanted to note is the perception of webcamming platforms, such as OnlyFans, presented in this article. Even though it is not inherently sex-related, the popularity of its adult content made its name “synonymous with pornography” (Waterson, 2021, para.1). The answers given in the article only prove this viewpoint on the platform, as no one commented on the creators sharing other kinds of content. All the men assumed the question was about adult content, which was probably true, though, which serves as proof of the platform’s notorious reputation.
Secondly, the author presented camming in a rather positive way even though the topic is still quite controversial. There are two main issues connected to it that I want to point out in my analysis. The first one is the risk of fully substituting the genuine intimacy with interaction with models. The second problem is the moral aspect of paying for receiving personalized sexual pleasure.
The first group of risks concerns the sex content consumers themselves. Albright and Parvez’s studies of effects of pornography consumption revealed that male porn users had consequent problems with their relationships as it “reduced their interest in actual sex” (as cited in French & Hamilton, 2017, p. 21). However, webcamming provides the subscribers not only with sexual content itself but also with the interaction with the models. Heather Berg, a professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies at Washington University, states that “clients are often quite lonely,” and they seek “interaction that feel authentic” (as cited in Barrett-Ibarria, 2020, para. 13). Therefore, the problem of porn consumption substituting actual sexual experience is only amplified in webcamming, where the viewers also seek emotional intimacy that can replace the real communication.
Another problematic aspect of camming is the perception of the models’ sexuality as a good that can be bought or, in other words – their objectification. One may argue that there is still no consensus on this problem. The supporters of camming are certain that creating sexual content is no different from providing any other general services, and there is nothing bad in giving the desired performance and being paid for that. Some of them, including Rubin and Willis, add that such activity is not only harmless for the models but can also be a source of “empowerment” for them (as cited in Jones, 2016, p. 227). Nevertheless, this phenomenon is harshly criticized by radical feminists who believe that presenting one’s sexuality as a good for buying dehumanizes the models and can cause great psychological damage. For instance, some former cam models admitted that camming demanded a lot of “emotional and physical energy”, “put a strain on their relationships”, was a source of harassment, cyberstalking, and “constant body shaming” (Barrett-Ibarria, 2020, para.16-17). Thus, webcamming comprises both benefits and dangers for the models, but the latter does not seem to concern the editors of Men’s Health.
Conclusion
In conclusion, camming is still a relatively new web phenomenon, and its moral and social aspects, as well as possible consequences both for models and for consumers, require further research. However, the analyzed article demonstrates it positively without mentioning potential risks and questioning the moral side of paying for a personalized sexual experience. I believe that editors of a popular magazine cannot afford to be so careless in covering such an important topic as sexuality. They should make sure that the ideas they project are safe, healthy, and not offensive in any way.
References
Barrett-Ibarria, S. (2020). Cam girl reality: An enticing illusion leaves many models poor and defeated. The Guardian. Web.
French, I.M., & Hamilton, L.D. (2017). Male-centric and female-centric pornography consumption: Relationship with sex life and attitudes in young adults, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 44(1), 73-86. Web.
Henry, M.V., & Farvid, P. (2017). ‘Always hot, always live’: Computer-mediated sex work in the era of ‘camming’, Women Studies Journal, 31(2), 113-128.
Jones, A. (2016). “I get paid to have orgasms”: Adult webcam models’ negotiation of pleasure and danger. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 42(1), 227-256
Men who pay for OnlyFans share their reasons for doing it. (2021). Men’s health. Web.
Waterson, J. (2021). OnlyFans to ban adult material after pressure from payment processors. The Guardian. Web.