Monger Subculture of Consumption: Presenting a Heteromasculine Self in the Virtual World

• In Event: 512 - Section on Sex and Gender Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 08. Masculinities, Online Communities and Media

Abstract

In many Western nations, men who pay for sex are often framed as deviants or losers. However, a subset of johns, who prefer the term ‘monger,’ have recast the pejorative nomenclature surrounding their practice. Instead, for this population, liaisons with sex workers constitute a form of gendered performance and the primary means through which they construct their sexual and social identity. This project frames monger culture as both a virtual subculture, and a subculture of consumption, constructed around heteromasculine performances of sexuality. The rise of the internet has not only increased the visibility of this subculture, but made it possible for participants to interact to a greater degree than ever before. Utilizing these internet resources—such as blogs, forums and discussion boards developed for the support and advancement of monger subculture—I will conduct a ‘virtual’ ethnography of monger subculture to understand the way subcultural ideology is communicated, and how members’ policing of subcultural boundaries affects other participants’ presentation of self. Additionally, this paper explores the ways in which monger subculture both challenges and embraces traditional heteromasculine gender roles as part of its subcultural identity.

Author

• Lachelle M. Jennings, University of California-San Diego