Diary of a Cam Model Enthusiast?

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The Bullshit Behind Measure B & Mandated Condoms in Porn

The more I read about Measure B, the more pissed off I get! 

A bit about the "Yes on Measure B" campaign: 

Measure B calls for a mandate of condoms and barriers in pornographic films in California. The Aids Healthcare Foundation (AFH) is behind this wasteful campaign. (Um...can you say "product placement?") I know what you may be thinking- "Condoms are a great idea! AHF is only trying to reduce the spread of HIV!" Let's explore. Let's also keep in mind that there has not been a single case of HIV in the heterosexual porn industry in over 8 years. Yes, that's right. Now, are you wondering about the gay porn industry? Well, Measure B would barely apply to that industry, even though that's where the real problem (in terms of HIV) lies. Um...what? By the way, Michael Weinstein of AHF is gay, just sayin. Allow me to be a bit more clear: although B WOULD apply to gay porn shot in LA county, the majority of gay porn is shot in San Francisco. Let's continue to investigate.

Vote Yes on B? You mean vote yes for a waste of tax payer money? Vote Yes to support AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), who has spent 4 million dollars on this ridiculous, wasteful campaign in order to put condoms on a few hundred porn performers? Yes, brilliant. This measure is bullshit, and what this whole scare-tactic campaign doesn't tell you is that your tax dollars will be paying for this. That LA county will lose thousands of jobs, that the porn industry will continue to move out of California to Nevada and Arizona. Just what California needs...to lose more money! Think about what you're voting for before you vote, get all of the facts. Research the rates of HIV in the general population, it was WAAAAAAAY higher than in the heterosexual porn industry (Measure B does not target the gay porn industry, ironically); hasn't been a case of HIV in the straight industry in over 8 years. It seems to me that AIDS Healthcare Foundation has better things to be spending their money on, rather than going on a witch hunt against porn performers. Last thing anyone needs is MORE government regulation on our genitals. 

This measure also has serious implications for webcam performers; even husbands and wives (or partners) working in THE PRIVACY OF THEIR OWN HOME. The cops would have the right to knock on their door and arrest them for not using condoms while on webcam. More government regulation...more and more...who the fuck is actually supporting this? I hope to live in California once I'm done with my degree. The day that a cop knocks on my door and asks to inspect my genitals is the day that I COMPLETELY lose my mind. Might as well just put a chastity belt on me. While we're at it, let's take away my right to terminate a pregnancy! I'd like to just hand my pussy over to the government. They obviously know better than I do. 

Now let's talk about the claims by Mike South; that 100 percent of performers will be treated for chlamydia every year. Where did he pull this number from? Out of his ass, thin air? No empirical support or real numbers to back this up. Frightening.

Let's explore just a bit more! AIDS Healthcare Foundation has  poured millions of dollars into advertisement for this wasteful campaign. They paid for billboards in LA county, and these billboards state "PORNOGRAPHERS SAY NO ON B." Um....yea? Way to go AHF, state the obvious. Yes, you read correctly: AHF PAID FOR BILLBOARDS THAT STATE PORNOGRAPHERS SAY NO ON B. Well, of course they do. Pornographers and performers don't want to lose their jobs. They don't want to be forced to work with condoms, gloves, and dental dams. They don't want to have to move out of their state. AHF had to release a statement explaining their billboard (since it makes no fucking sense, and appears to campaign for the opposing side). What was behind this billboard campaign? SHAMING. AHF wants you to know that only "yucki" evil pornographers would vote No on Measure B. So, AHF is taking an already stigmatized group of people (sex workers) and setting up billboards to further shame them. It's like we are back in the 1950s; I'm waiting for AHF to start busting out racial slurs. Fortunately, you can't shame those who are proud of their work! Their ridiculous billboard bullshit backfired, see here:  

Vote No On Measure B Porn Star Photo Campaign 

Yup, pornographers and performers DO say No to B, and won't be shamed. 

For more information on how Measure B will ruin the industry and crash California's economy, see the following:  http://fscblogger.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/video-call-to-action-from-hall-of-fame-adult-actor-steven-st-croix/

If you would like your pornography without a side of condoms & dental dams, Vote NO on Measure B on November 6.

 

 

 

 

A Must-Read For All Webcam Performers & Fans

The following is a submission written by Gabriela, a woman who has been working as a webcam performer for over 2 years. There's a few things that she needs you to know...

Hey dolls! Ok, here's the deal; I fuck on camera. I strip, masturbate, talk dirty, and show you my feet (commonly referred to as "feets") on camera,  all in exchange for your hard earned money. I have catered to your needs, your fantasies, and done some freaky ass shit for you! I have amazing fans/regulars, and I am so blessed to have some of you. You have bought my school books, listened to me when I'm drunk and rambling about my latest break up; you have paid my rent. Unfortunately, for every 1 guy who is an amazing client, there are at least 30 morons. The following is a list for the morons, or perhaps the guys that are new to the world of webcam companionship. Okay...ready?  

• My name is not bb. This one deserves some repeating...MY NAME IS NOT BB. If you're too fucking lazy to type the two extra letters that make up the word "baby," you're probably too lazy to be a good client. So, fuck off. 
• I don't care how "hot" you are. I don't care how young you are. I definitely don't care how big your cock is. I do not want to give you a free show. Do YOU work for free??? No? Okay....then why the fuck do you expect me to?
• I am not an escort or a prostitute. This is NOT a put-down to other sex workers; I have many escort friends. However, I don't fool around in person for money. Just because I fuck on camera for you does not mean that I can be bought. Once again...I don't give a fuck how hot you are. Got it? Good :)
• My rate is what it is. This is not a negotiation. This is not a flea market. If you can't afford my rate, go elsewhere. Simple. I don't need your business or your bullshit.
• Just because you can't afford my rate does not make me a bitch or slut. It just makes you poor, or cheap. Don't take your issues out on me. YOU messaged ME...remember? I'm not the one frantically messaging you trying to get a show. 
• If I say that I don't do xyz...THEN I DON'T DO IT. Get over it. I will not compromise my boundaries for you. You cannot buy my self respect. 
• Learn to spell. Self explanatory. 
• Don't assume that I'm dumb just because I'm a sex worker. 
• Why are you Skype calling me without first messaging me? Do you seriously think that I'm here 24/7, at your disposal? How delusional are you? 
• I just told you that I'm not currently doing private shows...can you read?
• Don't try to guilt me about only doing shows for money. No...I don't want to just "play for free" once in a while. You're not special, you don't make me want to work for free. 
• Respect my time, and I will respect yours. 
• If I say I'm only doing solo shows tonight, then fucking listen to me. NO, I can't call some random neighbor or stranger in. What the fuck is wrong with you?
• NO I WILL NOT FUCK MY DOG. NO, NOT EVEN FOR $600. 
• NO, I WILL NOT TAKE A SHIT ON CAMERA. DUDE...WTF?

As I previously stated, I love my fans. Nonetheless, there's a lot of idiots out there. Cheers!  

-Gabriela xxx 

UPDATE: I posted this article on the evening of 10/2, and found the following clip on Youtube the next morning! Unfortunately, I did not make this clip (if only...to be that brilliant!), but it is HYSTERICAL. If you enjoyed this article, you must watch this clip. Watch out...you may piss yourself laughing. Oh...and you know there's someone out there who's DYING to pay to see you piss. BB BB BB BB!  

A Day in the Life of a Cam Girl 

American Courtesans

Heels. The most beautiful vintage heels I'd ever seen! At least 7 or 8 pairs all lined up in a row, adorned with jewels, cherries, lace and leather. Would Kristin think I was a total freak if I started caressing them and trying them on? Probably, so I refrained. It wasn’t easy, but I managed. I peered around her hotel room, taking in my surroundings. When I used the bathroom, I took note of the pale pink lingerie hanging from the hook on the bathroom door. This woman is glamor all the way, and I was a bit intoxicated by the glitz.

I met Kristin DiAngelo for the first time on Saturday night. I was invited to her hotel room to watch her new documentary, American Courtesans, with my friend (and one of several courtesans in the film), Gina Robinson. Kristin answered the door in jeans, a casual top, and blond hair tied up with very little make-up on; a sharp contrast to the woman in the photos, but beautiful in her simplicity. Petite, with a porcelain doll's face and a soft feminine voice, Kristin has just finished production of her first documentary. It was Gina's first time seeing the finished product, and Kristin's first time receiving feedback from one of the women in the film. The energy and anxiety in the room were palpable. This was probably the closest that I'd ever get to being in a hospital delivery room, waiting on the new baby. Except this baby won't come out screaming and covered in mucus (gross!) It will come out as an unexpected tornado that ravages the public's preconceived notions about sex workers. If it's not already obvious, let me go ahead and say that I loved the film, and believe that a project such as this is a leap in the right direction for sex worker advocacy. 

Watch the trailer here: American Courtesans

The film features several courtesans who candidly tell various parts of their stories, all the way from childhood to present day. The first thing that stood out to me was the lack of narration. I waited 3 minutes...7 minutes...10 minutes. It's not that the film needed a narrator, but every damn documentary has one! So, where is s/he?! Perhaps this was just a long introduction to the film. Somewhere around the 30 minute mark (yeah I know, sometimes it takes me a while) I realized that the women telling their stories WERE the narrators. The scenes switched from one woman to another, all telling different stories, but the transitions were seamless. The stories were chronological, and the longer I watched, the more each woman's story came together. I was very impressed with the film's editing. Each woman spoke, IN HER OWN WORDS, something that sex workers rarely get the chance to do. It’s unconventional, and it works.

This film is not here to convince America that being a sex worker is the best job ever. The stories are not sugar coated, no one is pretending that being a hooker was/is their dream job. The film does not have some phony overly sex-positive agenda, nor does it have an anti-prostitution agenda hidden amidst the stories. That's the beauty in this film- the only agenda is to give these women a voice. Their stories uncut, including the beatings, violence, pimps, drugs, arrests, and exploitation. The courtesans also talk of their triumphs, friendship, families, sexual exploration, and freedom that they found in sex work. Like anything else in life, there's the good, the bad, and the horrific. Many of the women are still in the sex industry, and some have retired or pursued other avenues. The sincerity of their stories is what makes this film so beautiful, and at times heartbreaking, to watch. 

I chatted with Kristin for a while after we watched the film. I asked her why she decided to opt out of a narrator, and she said "I didn't want anyone else to tell our story." She explained that none of it was scripted; the women simply got together and talked to one another for hours, and from that footage, American Courtesans was created. I also appreciated that not only were the women interviewed, but their mothers, husbands, children, and siblings were as well. Wait, hookers have families?! *sarcasm*

The most noteworthy scene in the film was after Kristin recalled an incident of violence during her days as a street worker. Speaking through tears, she states that she's making this film so that no one ever has to go through this again. Several of the women tell stories of abuse, rape, and intimidation at the hands of cops, johns, and pimps. Although at times it may be painful to hear these stories, they NEED to be heard. The general public needs to realize that this will continue to happen until prostitution is decriminalized, until people (including law enforcement) start giving a shit about the lives of sex workers. Norma Jean Almodovar speaks to this in the film, and I would have liked to see more of Norma in the film. If there's anyone who can speak from a place of knowledge and experience about sex work and activism, it's Norma Jean. While the film was not meant to be political in nature, I would have appreciated more emphasis on the harms of keeping prostitution criminalized; on the fact that law enforcement labels prostitutes as “non-persons,” leaving them as unworthy of investigation or assistance. Isn’t EVERYONE entitled to help from law enforcement? Gina Robinson, escort of almost 30 years, is quickly becoming one of this generation’s powerful sex worker activists, stating "it's my responsibility to change the system for the next generation." Exactly, and that's why we do this work.

My advice to you is to get yourself to the NYC or LA to a private screening if you're able to. Details are here RSVP

Thank you to Gina Robinson for inviting me to spend the weekend in NYC with her, and to Kristin DiAngelo for welcoming me into her hotel to see the film. Also, thank you to Kristin for making this film, and for working so damn hard! It's ladies like the two of you, and the other courtesans who I hope to meet one day, who inspire me to continue with my work.

Thank you to all of the other incredible women in this film: Gina DePalma, Tamsen Crown, Pearl Callahan, Erin Marxxx, Emma Dupree, Juliet Capulet, Skylar Cruz, and Hilary Holiday. I hope to meet every one of you in the future.

Liberty, Vanity, Iniquity: Discovering My Power in the Surreal, Glamorous World of High End Escorting

I am such a lucky blogger! I get the BEST guest entries for my blog! This is an article written by Nomi DeGuerre, a former high end escort. It's a fantastic piece and needs no other introduction! Enjoy, and many thanks to Nomi xoxo

Escorting is a lot like working in the world of covert operations: you spend most of your time trying to decode cryptic signals from an elusive  man who's convinced himself that he's James Bond and  therefore can charm any lady faster than you can say "Octopussy".  Spy and sex worker alike assume secret identities. After zeroing in on our targets, the diversionary tactics of negotiation, conversation, misdirection, and  seduction are employed for the pursuit of information and financial transaction. If the mission is successful,  everybody gets what they needed, walk away satisfied, and vanish into the veiled miasma of the pre-dawn stillness, emerging later, on another secret mission. 

A lot of people probably are probably aghast at my comparison. Prostitution is viewed by many as a sleazy dangerous vortex that sucks ladies, gentlemen, and transgenders into a  void blackness replete with drugs, STD's, violence, jail, and certain premature death. I will admit that in some cases, it is. Sex trafficking does exist, and society has done such a great job of disenfranchising sex workers from poor areas, that the aforementioned is a self fulfilling prophecy and fate. perhaps there needs to be more compassion and concrete, practical solutions to help these workers into a more stable situation, rather than harsh sex trafficking laws and fraudulent false prophets who claim to rescue street girls through exploiting the name of Jesus Christ. 

Escorting is a real job. It involves negotiation skills, diplomacy, quick wit, ability to upselll, resourcefulness. It's a profession that at it's higher levels demands far more than just showing up and performing a sex act. There are standards to adhere to in appearance, deportment, and sexual prowess.  Intelligence and listening skills are a must. Being able to rapidly adapt and survive in any situation that gets sprung on you is the best quality a sex worker could possess or develop. Aspiring to be the best hour or so of a client's life no matter how well you're being tipped ...these traits are way more useful over time than fake tits.

I speak from experience. I worked as a high  end escort from 2007 to 2009. Those were the halcyon days before the economty tanked, the worlds of porn actress and career escort hadt 'totally converged yet, and Craigslist hadn't fucked up fair wages for all of us by posting ads by girls who weren't farsighted  enough to realize that they were reinforcing a lot of negative stereotypes by willingly selling themselves for so cheap and driving down wages AND expectations  industry wide. When i answered the ad in the paper, I truly had no idea what to expect. A booker interviewed me, hired me,  and i was going to see clients an hour later.

First lesson I learned:EVERYBODY GOT THEIR SOMETHIN'. I might not have boobs, but I was blessed with legs that can strangle a giraffe, and an ass that stops traffic.I eschewed low cut tops and stuck to very expensive mini dresses and five inch stiletto heels.  I learned to stand up straight, walk like a supermodel, and whenever i needed to distract a client, crossing my legs usually worked just as well as cleavage in the face. if you lack something, figure out what you have that is worthy  of being cultivated.

Second lesson I learned: Men are not nearly as picky as women when it comes to body perception. I was usually the only nude woman in the room and a real naked woman sitting there  is worth more than a picture of some bikini model who exists by Photoshop.. Being naked in stiletto heels six to seven times a night will rid anybody of self consciousness AND fear of  public speaking.

Third lesson I learned: Conversation needs to be as stimulating as the service... The better I listened to verbal and non verbal cues, the information  i picked up, More INFO= enabled me to customize the experience for the customer, make him super happy, and i was more effective in my strategies to get better tips...meaning less arguing, and upped the odds of repeat clientele. At one point 80% of my VIP list were devoted regulars

Fourth lesson I learned: Know who is worth the time and who isn't. Certain types loved me. A few hated me so deeply at hello that i basically cut my losses and politely thanked them for their time. Wasting time on jerks who were out to project their own hidden issues on me didn't strike me as smart. especially when their bullshit cut into a later appointment with a great guy who paid well.  Some mysteries were not meant to be taught to Fools.

Fifth lesson I learned: Most guys aren't these evil bastards that women tend to make them out to be. However, take most of the things men tell you with a grain of salt. What a man says and what a man does are two  very different matters.

Sixth lesson learned:  If you worked for the right agency, had a dedicated booker for shows, and played your cards right, the earning potential was virtually limitless. Sure, there were power games and more drama than Lindsay Lohan and Courtney Love starring in a Mexican telenovela that was directed by John Waters. In the sex industry, that's inevitable. Not to mention annoying...I just wanted to go to work, be charming and sexy for the clients, make my money,  then settle up with my agency and driver and go home. Wisdom truly was learning what to overlook!
 
The agency had very strict rules about appearance and behavior. The girls who met the standards got rewarded by being sent to better clients. The girls who  didn't spent a lot of time in the back office. They were the ones who bitched about how they were treated by the agency and the clients. I'm not trying to be a snob, but if a girl wants to be sent to Raffles L'Ermitage or  The Fairmont Hotel, she better look like she belongs there. Spandex dresses and stripper platforms  are not going to get you past the concierge. My agency didn't really like me, but I never lost a show at a fancy hotel or wealthy neighborhood due to my wardrobe. Overall, clients treated me a lot better than most, and that's because i arrived looking like I was worth paying a thousand dollars to. I used to joke that i had the best job in the world: I got to play dress-up every night, I met interesting and attractive men and women in very cool locations, and i was being paid to spout random trivia, flirt, and make my clients see  God. It was the only time I truly fit into a work environment and was able to rise in the ranks to where i had almost total control of my working conditions.my co-workers, and clients. My innate ability to not piss people off yielded considerable dividends....although there was the one time i practically had an orgasm pissing one asshole off....A very high profile movie producer said to me , " You seem...overeducated for this line of work."  I smiled real pretty, and replied with lightning speed: "I didn't make $150,000 in the last six months by being a dumbass." Perhaps my flippant candor directed at a clearly backhanded compliment offended his gargantuan ego. My appointment with him didn't end quite as he had intended. He thought he was  calling some dumb blond hooker who couldn't see through his patronizing bullshit  and was desperate enough to do anything he wanted for the minimum fee. With sadistic glee,I quickly disabused him of that notion. When he tried to electronically lock me inside his mansion, my overeducated ass was able to deprogram his ENTIRE home security system and walk out of his house through the fortress-like gate, singing AMG's  " Bitch Betta Have My Money"   under my breath, two thousand dollars cash in my purse, having kept my clothes on...the entire time.

When the average man hears a story about prostitution, in most cases, he's bombarded by messages about how she's a helpless victim controlled by the psychotic whims of a crack crazed pimp. How she was abused by her daddy (reported in that unctuous faux empathy tone of voice that always used to piss me off.  How her desire for sex is so overpowering that no man will ever satisfy her and she needs as many men a day as she can fuck. How she has been so downtrodden and desperate, that she'll take any trick that she finds on the street, and will give him all she's got, for half her rate and no condom...maybe a hit of smack or coke. With all the hyperbole and exposure of the most extreme cases, it's no wonder lots of folks make stupid assumptions about who we are and what we're about. Ladies And Gentlemen: Don't let the door hit your Ass-umptions on the way out.

I really enjoyed my time as an escort. And I've been privileged to meet other ladies who have also worked in the sex industry by volition rather than desperation, who have been empowered by the experience instead of beaten down. As a society, let's work to erase the stigma of sex work, deactivate archaic laws that only isolate those who need support and guidance most, mentor those who are new to this world, and have prostitution, porn and exotic dancing treated exactly like what they are:  a job that one can take pride in.. No more, no less, no regrets. Thank you for opening your mind. That's where all positive change starts, babydoll...

Consent is SEXY, Creeps Be Warned. Snap That Photo & Risk Losing A Nut

Twitter is a great place to find douchbaggery of all shapes and sizes. What’s great about Twitter is that the stupidity has to be condensed into 140 characters, so people tend to show their true colors rather quickly. There’s no time for pleasantries on Twitter, but there’s always time for boobs and booties. Oh, did I mention that nothing is censored on Twitter? Perhaps this is why I have heard it referred to as “Twatter” (BRILLIANT!) It’s a great way for porn performers and other types of sex workers to promote themselves without having to be all lame and PG-13 about it (ahem, Facebook sucks, ahem). Of course, this also makes Twitter/Twatter a breeding ground for the sort of buffoonery that I saw today.

Some roided out muscle head twatted a picture of his (supposed) girlfriend’s crotch. He was quite proud of the fact that he got to take this “creep shot” (yes, he really called it that) without her noticing, and even tweeted it to CreepShots.com. I’d never had the pleasure of seeing this website, so I checked it out. Basically, it’s a collection of candid pictures that guys snap of unsuspecting women, usually in public. That’s right, taking pictures of their asses, tits, (and probably every other body part that one can imagine) without their consent. The website even has a list of helpful tips for the aspiring creeper, such as:

“Closer the better.  Far away CreepShots are just annoying.  If you are too scared or lazy to walk over and get a closer shot, then maybe creeping is not for you.”

“An almost fail-safe way to get a good creep of a moving subject is to take a video instead, then do a screen-capture pic from the video.  It works amazingly well and is a great way to avoid the blurry pic.”

Creep Shot Tips 

My opinion on the matter: Completely fucked up. I would love to hear what others think of this. I am well versed in the world of internet pornography, fetish, and a whole bunch of creeptastic stuff. I understand that this is a fetish for some people, and am not at all opposed to the idea of a website such as this one existing, where the women actually DO consent to the pictures. The people who frequent the website do not need to know that they aren’t ACTUAL “creep shots,” and will likely be able to happily jerk away. I will compare this to staged rape scenes in pornography; they depict rape, and this type of porn isn’t for everybody. Many people find the concept to be repulsive. Personally, I don’t want to get my rocks off to a fake rape, but there are some people who enjoy this type of pornography and I am not going to judge them. As long as all of the performers have given consent, then why not? Sex sells, even fucked up weirdo fetish sex (actually, ESPECIALLY that type!) That’s part of what is so fantastic about pornography- creativity, expression, exploration, and performer consent. It can make for some great art. Yes, I just called pornography art. Get over it.

So, back to the creepy bullshit. I think that Creepshots.com is vile. CONSENT IS SEXY. CONSENT GETS ME OFF!!! I took it upon myself to tweet the roided out muscle head who posted the picture of his girlfriend, at which point he told me to “cry a fucking river” and insinuated that my own Twitter avatar was slutty, so apparently I had no right to judge him. Interesting logic on his part, or rather, just complete and utter stupidity. Oh, and the best part was that he called me a “prude.” Me, a prude? Please take a moment to laugh hysterically, and then resume reading.

Ok back to the creep show. Another creeper ran to his rescue, and pointed out the obvious- that if the girlfriend had consented to the photo, it wouldn’t be a “CreepShot.” Oh…I see. So, the consent would have been an immediate turn-off. Wow, good to know.

Thoughts?

Note to self- turn around more frequently when I am walking around in public. If someone is going to take a shot of my ass, I better be getting paid for it. If I run into a “creeper,” I’m going to punch him in his delicate man parts.