On Ethical Camming by Mia Saldarriaga
The following excerpt comes from the essay “Ethical Camming Inspires a Cultural Revolution,” originally published by XBIZ on 10 July 2017.
For too long, the focus of mainstream media attention on adult camming has been restricted to analysis of the webcam model profession in contrast to practices associated with more traditional forms of sex work, like prostitution, that have no relevant connection to camming. You might remember an interview published a few years ago by the TV channel Caracol of a model who unfortunately went silent when asked about prostitution because she was so astonished by the question from the interviewer that she was at a loss for words to reply as strongly as she could have … and that speaks to a larger disconnect between professional cam models and misguided media members.
As a woman who has worked personally at every level of the adult camming business, I can proudly say that the outsiders who like to insult us when it is convenient for them are factually wrong about their assumptions. It’s intellectually lazy to decry web modeling as “exploitation” just because it fits the click-bait trends your lightweight news site happens to be following at any given moment without any understanding of the realities that male and female models actually experience each day of their careers. Modeling online has become a regular job for thousands of entertainers and it provides a safe, enjoyable revenue stream for many who prefer to work at home, setting their own schedules and establishing their own brand by turning their passion for people into a path towards successful self-employment.
On ethical camming — “[There’s] a larger disconnect between professional cam models and misguided media members.”
Society would prefer to affirm this strange notion that models must have been coerced or exploited, often labeling them “artists without self-esteem.” This is a very dangerous narrative with no basis in reality. In fact the opposite is almost always true. In nearly every case it is the model exploiting society, by profiting from the inhibitions, stigmas and social taboos that society puts in place. That is the strange irony of becoming a successful cam model. On the one hand you would prefer to be openly accepted by society as a productive member who pays taxes, supports a family and brings joy to people – yet on the other hand, it is precisely that lack of acceptance that transforms the mundane acts of sex we have all experienced many times in our lives into a lucrative form of entertainment on a global scale.
Keep in mind, while models appear to show it all in front of a camera and are seen by millions of people around the world, they are never touched by even a single viewer. They can restrict access by using advanced geo-targeting tools that make their shows unavailable in their local area or any other specific locations they want to exclude. They have access to all the buttons; they run the show, develop a loyal audience of followers and become advocates of a better sex-positive society by educating society, one viewer after another.
On ethical camming — “Being an agent of ethical social change requires constant attention and diligence. Illustrating proper behavior does not mean punishing or excluding someone who espouses misguided viewpoints.”
In fact, societal advances are undeniably fostered by online cam culture. Does anyone really think gay marriage, trans rights, LGBQT advocacy and so many other issues of sexual orientation and identity would have evolved at their current pace without thousands of cam models and millions of members helping to redefine what is “normal” or “acceptable” for the larger global community? When a viewer meets a trans cam model or pops into a gay chat room and discovers that the people in there are nice, or that they actually have a lot in common with them, or that their own gay tendencies or trans identities are perfectly natural — they learn they aren’t alone. Together we change things for the better…
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Reprinted from XBIZ. Read the full article here.
Mia Saldarriaga is an accomplished cam model, brand ambassador and entrepreneur who has ascended the ranks of Colombian camming powerhouse JuanBustos.com to become its COO. She contributes regularly to XBIZ Cam World with her candor and wit.
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