Featured: Sex Work Documentaries

I love watching documentaries, and I love learning about sex and tech. The way the way we relate to sexuality in the modern world is so different to how many of us were socialised; and it fascinates me that sex work is always on the cutting edge whenever new developments are made.

I reviewed a couple of recent (ish) documentaries about contemporary sex work for Slutty Girl Problems, and they are some of my favourite investigations of the theme I've seen so far. As with any media, it's tough for filmmakers to come at the subject without a specific angle in mind, but a semi-critical mind can still learn about the situation at hand without getting too swept away by the ethos behind the film. Tl;dr, I loved both of these films despite the few caveats that I felt would have made it more balanced.

Hot Girls Wanted

Full disclosure: I don't watch porn. All my knowledge about adult films comes from reading academic texts or articles, and documentaries like this. Hot Girls Wanted focuses on the 'amateur' side of porn, involving the oft-exploited 'barely legal' trope in which freshly eighteen-aged girls and up get into cheaply-produced porn in an attempt to gain autonomy.

Because it’s such a competitive industry, new girls enter the scene at a rate that renders everyone in it easy to replace. John Anthony, a male performer with five years in the adult industry, estimates that most newbies last three months, with a maximum shelf-life of a year – that is, if they market themselves correctly. If not, they’re often obligated to do increasingly niche shoots (like bondage) in order to make gigs. The exchange of a sexual performance for money inevitably leads to some girls being obligated to submit to certain acts just to make a living. Although Ava Green, one of the older girls in the industry, likens this to any other kind of work (in which you often do things you don’t want to just to keep your job), when linked to sexuality it problematizes the issue of consent. The fact remains that the industry is made primarily for and by men, so the autonomy that the girls seek is often a shallow illusion. An absence of a “no” or the feeling of being financially coerced into an agreement is not full, enthusiastic consent, and this can make it an emotionally-compromising way to earn money.

Despite a few rough moments (which are very well edited to not be super explicit or triggering), I genuinely loved the documentary and would recommend it to anyone interested in the contemporary porn industry. Check out my critique here.

Cam Girlz

As the name implies, Cam Girlz investigates the world of professional webcam-based sex work, on which the featured cammers all rely for the bulk of their income. The film is beautiful and cinematic and the girls are gorgeous, engaging, and so talented -- they sing, play instruments, mime, practise ventriloquism, pole dance, and generally seem to have the best time on cam. After the other British-based documentaries I had previously watched, this was a refreshing take on the empowering potential of webcam work. As a cam girl, you are your own boss; you are in control of what you do and when, and this really puts the proverbial cards firmly in the performer's hands. Furthermore, what constantly struck me throughout this film was the importance of creativity in webcam work. To keep their audience engaged (and thus earn money), the girls are constantly pushing themselves to be good entertainers and conversationalists, making the job far more difficult than just looking pretty to get strangers to give you money.

However, I did feel like the film focused on the positive aspects of camming without too much attention given to some of the downsides.

The documentary does provide a really fresh perspective on female sexuality, economic freedom, creativity, and self-expression on the internet. While it was nice to see a film focusing on the sex industry without demeaning or pitying those who participate in it, I did feel that the emphasis was primarily on the positive aspects of camming, as opposed to a fully-balanced outlook. A few of the girls mention the judgement and harassment they receive from those who know what they do, and Pinkie Pixi in particular seems to despair at the blows to her self-esteem she endures when she doesn’t make enough money. “You’re selling yourself. You are the product,” she says. It’s easy to feel bad when you don’t make your target, because when the product is you and nobody’s buying, “it inherently suggests that there’s something wrong with you.” The harsh reality is, as Rosie says, that even if you do the best thing and just be yourself, you’ll eventually realize that not everybody will like you.

This film was beautifully shot and edited, and made me very happy to stare at and learn stuff about the cam world. Read the full review here.

Interview with Megan from Organic Machine!

Megan La Mer

Recently, we were lucky enough to try out some of Johannesburg-based manufacturer Organic Machine's gorgeous sensual products. We loved the brand so much, we just had to find out more. I chatted with company founder Megan La Mer about how she navigates the market for handmade, cruelty-free beauty goods in South Africa, as well as her own beauty regime.*

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Obviously, you live your brand, blogging about all your personal beauty tips and health tricks. However, we're curious to know whether there any skincare products that you still buy mainstream?

Since I do not yet do a day cream nor serums, I do use these from other brands (namely Nimue and Dermafix). I also regularly try out other companies products to see how mine compare to theirs, and am always very happy when I find mine offer better results. I also try them out to get ideas for what to do next and I'll continue to use serums with hyaluronic acids as that is something I don't intend to add to my products at any point, but they do offer necessary skin benefits. I also go for monthly facials that I highly recommend everyone does. If the 21st century has taught us anything it's that machines are amazing and they can do wonderful things for us. Also, with all the toxins we are exposed to daily, going for deep cleanses with intensive products administered by a professional is in my opinion an indispensable part of any beauty regime.

You mention on your website that the product line began when you were ten years old, trying to make your own lotions via a family recipe. What made you want to branch out into sensual products?

I believe it started with making an edible body butter I found in a book, and then evolved from there.

The Organic Machine lubricants contain coconut-oil. Most mainstream sources claim that oil-based lubes are harmful, especially to the vulva. How did you ensure that your products would be safe to use by everyone?


An example of a custom gift-set

I have seen more people recommend it than not, and the main concern is that because it's anti-bacterial it may upset you internal ecosystem, but for the same reason it can help should there be any infections. The other concern is of course that it cannot be used with latex condoms (which I do warn about on the label), but for people that do not use them it is a lovely lube as it does not need to be applied multiple times. It also gives just enough glide, with just enough traction (as I personally don't like the feeling of excessive slipperiness). I felt it safe enough to use (only organic, virgin, cold-pressed oil though) and have had no negative response. Other ingredients deemed safe for use, such as glycerine, have had many negative results with women. So, as with anything, if it doesn't work for you, discontinue use as soon as possible. Thus far it has not happened with coconut oil.

What is your personal favourite out of the sensual range, and why?

I love the Glide and Love Butter. The Glide is sadly not ideal to use in winter as the coconut oil hardens, but such is the way of using natural ingredients. I feel the Love Butter scent still needs a bit of tweaking until it can blow my mind away, as I use aphrodisiac oils, but am not the greatest fan of their scent. I have however found a way around this and will have a different scent in my future batches. I love that it melts so quickly with body heat, making it a mess-free romantic addition. However I sadly feel it's a product used too infrequently as too few people massage each other.

South Africa is often stereotyped as being a "conservative" society, and our braai-culture isn't often conducive to a cruelty-free lifestyle! How have you found the market reception of your handmade, vegan, organic products, as well as the philosophy behind them?

The reception has honestly been amazing and I was blown away to have Weleda stock me 3 months after launching. While there may still be many conservatives, I have been kept very busy. I also find that more of my clients are based in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Many people are becoming aware that their products contain toxins and they want to steer away from that, regardless of what dietary practices they follow.

Clearly, you work hard to promote your business! Even online health stop Faithful to Nature stock your goodies now. What do you hope is in the future for Organic Machine?

Whenever I tell myself I don't want to expand my range any further, I get more ideas for products. I brought out 7 recently, and have another 5 in the pipeline. Currently Organic Machine is my main creative outlet, and I really enjoy making gorgeous gift sets and bespoke pieces for special occasions and people. I plan on distributing through boutique sex shops and have lovely ideas for gorgeous displays that will show off the glow in the dark packaging beautifully. I doubt I'll ever want to become as big as The Body Shop, for example, as I honestly do radiate love and healing as I make the products and I do believe that makes a difference, and I don't think that will be achievable with mass-production.

I was chatting to my husband this weekend and I said how I've been feeling less passionate about my products than I was in the past. I realised it was because I took the beeswax out. Bees are integral to my life and are the reason my husband and I are together, along with my two most beloveds. Bees have inspired me from a young age and I recently became a beekeeper myself. So, for me to be true to myself, my love and making superior products, several will no longer be vegan, but instead Beegan. Most of my products will remain vegan, but the sensual range will not.

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* Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.

I loved learning more about all the time that goes into these personalised products, and highly recommend the whole sensual line. Even as a vegan myself, I don't have any problems with ethically-sourced bee products, as the monetary incentive does (unfortunately) have an impact on the continued health of the species. And we need bees to grow food to live! I will still continue supporting Organic Machine, even with the added beeswax.

If you'd like to check out Megan's work for yourself, visit her at the links below.

♡ Website ♡ Facebook ♡

 

What I've Been Reading - April

I love to read -- always have, probably always will. And I also enjoy learning new things about the stuff I'm into. Recently, I've been a bit slow in my reading -- too much else to do! But I still enjoy taking the time to catch up on a book while I eat, as anti-social as that's considered, so I've made my way through a few.

The Ethical Slut: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships and Other Adventures by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy

In my last little series of mini-reviews, I spoke about I Am Not A Slut, which I felt had a strong argument that the word "slut" when applied to a person is disparaging no matter how one uses it. I thought that The Ethical Slut would serve as a counterpoint to this, arguing for the reclamation of the often still harmful word. It turned out I was sort of correct, but mostly not.

The Ethical Slut is a revised version of the original 1997 publication, with the second edition having appeared in 2009. It is sort of a lifestyle guide to sharing your life with multiple partners, which the two authors didn't want to limit to the term "polyamory," due to the multiple types of relationships discussed therein. The duo instead reclaim the term "slut" as an all-round expression of joyful, pleasurable sexuality that precludes infidelity -- ie, being an ethical slut. The book discusses a wide variety of multi-person relationships, covering asexual sluts, single sluts, heartbroken sluts, and closeted sluts. And wow, I have never written that word so often in a single sentence. Basically, Easton and Hardy are comprehensive in their interrogation of multi-person relationships, exhibiting a sensitivity to issues of age, gender, and sexuality that would allow people of most backgrounds to feel included in this lifestyle guide.

Apparently, the third edition of the book is due to be released this year, and I would be curious to see what changes. I'm guessing there will be a huge emphasis on online platforms for meeting people, and how technology has impacted our social spheres in general.

The Licorice Box by Harper Valentine

I spent a great deal of my free time ploughing through this ebook for a Pleasure Panel review, and although it was a good distraction when I had a few minutes, I found this particular piece of erotica too long and poorly-written to really recommend to any discerning reader.

You can read my full review here, but tl;dr the constant textual errors were frustrating (people are described as having a "casual manor" and often dis-guard their clothing), the characters were decidedly unethical and I couldn't let go of the bad parenting choices depicted in the book. Yeah, it's erotica, it's meant to be based in fantasy -- this is why we read sexy fiction, after all; we want to feel like we're being transported to a world where anything could happen. But this particular fictional universe was grounded in London, with the hints of real consequences that should make the characters reconsider their absolutely awful life choices. Like, oh, cheating on your girlfriend with your daughter's sixteen-year-old best friend and not using protection even though pregnancy is a thing that can clearly happen. I don't want to be too judgemental -- hey, YKINMY, and it's fictional, after all -- but I did have a few rants to friends about the more disturbing aspects of the book. However, I'm always keen for a little trashy reading -- it may be a fault of mine -- and while I didn't actively enjoy the book, I did read it pretty consistently.
 

The Intimate Adventures of a London Call-Girl by Belle de Jour

This was a bit of a pop-culture classic, as I understand it, causing a bit of scandal when it emerged onto the literary scene. Belle de Jour's thoughtful memoirs of her experiences as an escort to make money after completing her university degree is funny, self-deprecating, and even heartfelt at times. De Jour's prose is dry and factual, claiming to be based on her own diary; lending a further feel of authenticity to the events described. I admire her no-nonsense approach to the subject -- she consistently presents an unsentimental reflection on her experiences. I particularly liked how she refuses to romanticise her sessions with clients, her often unglamorous lifestyle, or the humdrum activities of her life outside sex-work. It's more likely that she will wax lyrical about really fancy underwear than the people with whom she has sex. After all, it's a job -- it can't always be interesting. Naturally, there are a few odd experiences that stand out as remarkable, like the client whose urethra appeared to sprout from the side of his penile shaft, or the one who demanded she remove all his clothing entirely with her teeth and was so bored by watching her perform this challenging task that he didn't feel like having sex afterwards.

She also describes the difficulties of personal romantic relationships in her line of work -- the cute boys who she can't bear to tell and the ones that know. She writes about the ways in which they navigate her job and their personal intimacy in the same unemotional tone that runs throughout the book, yet this is still performed sensitively, communicating the emotional hardship undertaken by all parties.

Review: Svakom Billy

Hey, Minerva here. So I was gifted with the Svakom Billy via Emmeline Peaches' holiday giveaway.

When it arrived I was already pretty damn impressed with it and its packaging I can only describe as svelte. A sleek, white, non-descript box with not much more than a silver Svakom sweep across it. There's only one tiny little drawing under the 'waterproof' point to indicate what's inside. So if you're the shy human, it's already exciting.

Then the unboxing. Dramatic as always, I sent step-by-steps to K as I went through it. It felt like getting a Christmas present; this gorgeous violet thing nestled in black foam next to its inconspicuous white USB charger. It doesn't look like much; a fairly standard vibrator, albeit longer than I'm used to. It is beautiful, and so soft to touch. The silicone is extremely luxurious and absolutely no dust or debris sticks to it. It's a dream to clean, especially being 100% waterproof.

Inside the box are a couple of booklets, one for the settings, one for the warranty (yeah, you get a warranty with this baby). It's an extremely easy to understand device: up means more, down means less, and double tap means switch from regular vibrations to the pattern setting. There are five patterns, and five vibration strengths, which makes this a very ranged toy. Glory. The control pad is also in the optimal position for you to handle the toy and manage its settings with zero difficulty.

It also comes with a bag! A perfect, private, clean bag! This was extremely exciting to me, who usually wraps her toys in those silk scarves and puts them in drawstring bags to keep clean and separate. It's also handy because I just put it in the bag while charging and it can sit way out in the open next to my laptop and nobody's any the wiser. Cunning plan Svakom! It only takes one hour to charge fully, and is good to go for 2 straight hours after that.

Anyway, enough about appearance and the really impressive delivery and packaging.

It was an unexpectedly powerful and versatile vibrator. With the perfect curve. Due to its length and curve, it can pretty much reach anywhere you would like it to, and you have complete control over your entire experience. The tip is nice and solid, so can provide some really great tickling on the lowest setting, and then can give you some very strong, targeted attention to any sensitive spot you can imagine. I found the highest setting to be too powerful for somewhere as sensitive as the clitoris, but angle it length-ways, and the soft curve of the shaft provides some pretty awesome sensations and fits itself perfectly with your body. The length means it can reach all sorts of spaces, so you get some very exciting multiple-stimulation going on. I enjoyed it most as an external vibrator, since I favour clitoral stimulation over penetrative. However, of course the amazing Billy is there for humans who favour G-spot action too.

The Billy was designed and has achieved its relative fame as a G-spot vibrator, and it does not disappoint. The curve once again helps in giving you complete control over the pressure it puts on your vaginal wall, and the area it focuses on. With the slightly bulbous solid head, you have complete control over where it is and how much power it puts, plus it doesn't feel weird or too big in your vaginal opening, to be quite frank. It's an absolute dream come true for control freaks like me. The vibration is an extremely satisfying, deep rumble. It's not too loud, although the highest setting is quite enthusiastic. It can be covered up by some low music easily, if you need to.

The Billy is possibly the best toy I've ever used, even with its fairly humble looks. I like to think of it as that guy who goes to the fancy club dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with features you can never quite remember, but then you go and talk to him for a bit, and find out he's actually Indiana Jones.