The Pleasures of Fetishization: BBW Adult Webcam Performers, Empowerment, and Pleasure

• In Event: 1569 - Sexual Body Politics (Cosponsored with Section on Body and Embodiment)

Abstract

The adult webcam industry is a new form of interactive online sex work. In camming, performers broadcast erotic shows on the Internet. Unlike traditional pornography, these shows are live and interactive. The global adult webcam industry features diverse online sex workers from a wide range of nations. While the industry is dominated by cis women, there are performers of all genders, races, nationalities, socio-economic backgrounds, and body types who work in the industry. This paper specifically focuses on “BBW” performers. Performers who are BBW or big, beautiful, women intentionally brand themselves as BBW in order to appeal to customers who love fat bodies. Performing online and branding themselves as BBW is a political action that empowers many BBW performers. Specifically, in this paper I push back against feminist critiques that focus only on fat bodies in pornography as fetishization. In my work I posit that the process of fetishization often produces positive outcomes for the fetishized person. In this case, beyond the economic rewards, because fat women are too often seen as not attractive, unhealthy, and asexual, the process of fetsihization produces feelings of empowerment and helps bolster their self-concept. Scholars and activists are took quick to negatively frame sexual desire for fat bodies as fetishization. Doing so, not only reifies anti-fat discourses, but it also misses what I am calling the pleasures of fetishization.

Author

• Angela Jones, State University of New York-Farmingdale