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Date of Award

Spring 2024

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department or Program Affiliation

Anthropology

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Anthropology

First Advisor

Yu, Yeon Jung

Second Advisor

Pine, Judith M. S.

Third Advisor

Bruna, Sean

Fourth Advisor

Nelson, Alex J.

Abstract

This thesis explores the experiences of transgender women engaged in virtual sex work through a qualitative approach. The study aims to investigate the business strategies, personal relationships, experiences of stigma, and the triumphs of being a transgender woman engaged in digital sex work. The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how transgender women navigate performing their transgender identities while simultaneously challenging societal expectations of being a transgender woman and digital sex worker. This thesis found that transgender women have claimed a temporary venue, where their performance is performative as they emerge as their authentic selves in a digital space. This qualitative study involved in-depth semi-structed interviews with 11 adult, transgender women engaged in digital sex work, based in the United States. Participants discuss their experiences running their own businesses, the decisions made to create and manage their work, their relationships with their family, friends, romantic partners, and sex work community, their experiences with stigma and the steps they take to avoid discrimination, and the enjoyment of being a sex worker.

Overall, this thesis contributes to a more nuanced understanding of transgender experiences as gig-economy employees in a digital sex workspace. This work emphasizes that the strategies transgender women use demonstrate that sex work is an active and difficult job that requires skills that have to be learned through experience. It is also important to recognize transgender women’s abilities to run their business while actively resisting transphobic attitudes and behaviors.

Type

Text

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

1439295131

Subject – LCSH

Transgender women; Sex workers; Sex work; Webcam models; Gig economy

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

masters theses

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

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