My research interviewing a wide range of sex workers finds that more people are involved in the industry, including marginalized people who are finding it a literal lifeline in tough economic times. Demand for amateur, non-studio-based porn has grown, expanding online pornographic industries like camming , in which performers interact with viewers. Online sex workers post content on specialized hosting sites. Other websites connect phone sex workers with new customers. Some sites facilitate sugaring relationships , in which one person gives another money over time in exchange for a relationship lasting beyond a one-time encounter.
On other sites, people can even sell used panties. Especially during a global pandemic with more people out of work and searching for job opportunities, the modern sex industry is incorporating many new providers, customers and job possibilities.
Sex work has become more appealing to more laborers across social classes. In particular, online sex work has become more popular because it offers physical safety to those working fully online and minimizes risk to those laboring offline, has minimal requirements for employment and offers the potential for decent wages and autonomy. These conditions create better work experiences.
Online sex work is a better option than the poorly remunerated work available to some people. Many sex workers, especially those from marginalized groups, have told me they found it difficult or impossible to get or keep jobs in other industries, making sex work their only option to earn a living. People with disabilities and chronic illnesses who participated in my research on the camming industry highlighted online sex work as flexible labor.
In my field, researchers assign first-name aliases to those we interview. The sexual gig economy can be a refuge from the discrimination some people face in the nonsexual labor market. Not all sex workers come from marginalized social positions.
