I have learnt through my time spent with the webcam girl, and from research for my dissertation that there are a number of themes that run through this line of work. I have determined these through the following headings:
Scopophilia
Voyeurism
Exhibitionism/Performativity
Masks of femininity/Simulation
Narcissism
Standards
Therapy
.. and finally to include my view of the profession that I want to promote:
Celebration of female sexual desire
To encompass the entirety of the work I think a good start to finding the right quotes/statements is to choose ones that represent these themes. Hopefully this will ensure that I am painting the right picture of webcamming and that the audience will be considerate to the sensitivity of the profession. This will hopefully show that I am not promoting the profession but also not denying women of their choice to take part.
“Everyone has their price” represents peoples standards of “taste” and “decency”. Pierre Bourdieu states that “Taste classifies, and it classifies the classifier” (The Field of Cultural Production. Pierre Bourdieu. P16). Meaning that peoples tastes are due to their upbringing and class. This statement I think represents that.
“Wouldn’t you want to be a Russian courtesan for an hour?” represents exhibitionism and love of performance.
“You wouldn’t wanna marry me, but why would I marry you.” represents the celebration of female sexual desire because it shows a defiance to constructed ideals, it is confrontational towards the preconceptions people have when they think that webcam girls will never be able to marry/ have long relationships etc. (this being a “negative”) because it reveals the fact that some woman don’t necessarily want to be married/ have long relationships. They choose instead to have cyber relations and indulge their sexual fantasies through webcamming. I think this quote also show I am not promoting the roffession, because in majority a lot of people do want to settle down with a life partner, and therefore shows this profession is not for everybody.
When I carry on with this project in future forward, I will need to select and choose quotes/statements which represents the other themes:
“They tell me I am beautiful, even when I look rough and I love them for it.” This raises the question of “Do we love someone or do we love something about this someone that reminds us of (an aspect of) ourselves?” (Narcissism, A critical Reader. Anastasios Gaitanidis with Polona Curk. p5).This quote represents the narcissism observed during my sessions with the webcam girl. I am aware this puts a positive stance on narcissism however when I think of how most woman my age compare themselves to media portrayed perfection, and how “kitty Devine’ is so sexually confident and accepting of her own body, it comforts me into thinking this is acceptable. However I’m not sure I am going to use this quote as is, but tweak it a little so it isn’t as long and wordy.
Maybe- “I can be what they want me to be. Unattractive is a feeling I do not posses.” OR “I can be what you want me to be. Unattractive is a feeling I do not posses.” That would also represent simulation/ masks of femininity as well as narcism. Jean Baudrillard states, “Whoever fakes an illness can simply stay in bed and make everyone believe he is ill. Whoever simulates an illness produces in himself some of the symptoms.” (Jean Baudrillard (1995) and the quote I have fabricated proves this theory. For when she is pretending to be something she is not, and wearing a mask so to speak, feelings of confidence and self admiration become present in her ‘real self’ and therefore what she is pretending to be produces symptoms in her reality. I predict this quote will spark off a fair bit of debate. I was indecisive whether or not to speak directly to the audience in this, but as I am counting them as a voyuer, I think I will.
“I often just chat about whatever is going on with me, because they just want some company.” This represents the therapy that is exchanged. She opens up and often drops the facade of “kitty devine” and talks about her personal life. They benefit by listening and feeling like they are in company.. and vice versa. However again I don’t think I want to use this quote because of similar reasons to before.
Maybe- “I’m all ears.. Or shall I just talk?”
Bibliography
Pierre Bourdieu (1993). The Field of Cultural Production: Essays on Art and Literature. Columbia Univeristy: Columbia University Press. p16.
Anastasios Gaitanidis and Polona Curk (2007). Narcissim, A Critical Reader. London: Karnac Books Ltd. p5.
Jean Baudrillard (1995). Simulacra & Simulation. Michigan: University of Michigan press. p3.
lilyvanlennep 