I'm a Camgirl

My name is Dahlia Dee.
I'm 19 years old, and I have a full-time job that would probably shock your grandma.

I'm a camgirl.

For those unfamiliar, a camgirl is the digital era's version of a prostitute—the escort of the virtual age. Men (and sometimes women) come to me for companionship, consolation, conversation, and most of all, sex.

In exchange, I broaden my horizons. I get to interact on a very intimate level with people from all over the world. And, of course, I make money—a pretty good amount of it, at that.

But it’s not all peaches and cream. It’s not as simple as taking off your shirt and suddenly having the financial world as your oyster.

Camming is deceptively hard.

It really is a full-time job.

Being a camgirl means:

• Promoting and marketing your business.
• Creating a name for yourself.
• Finding your niche in a vast and competitive industry.

And, most importantly, you are the product. You’re the showgirl, the bread and butter.

Websites promise "$10,000 a week from home in just a few hours a day!"—luring thousands of young girls into showing themselves, only to be deeply disappointed by the reality. The truth?

It takes years to build the fan base that generates that kind of income. It requires hours upon hours of grueling labor:

• Replying to thousands of messages from needy clients who live in a fantasy where they’re your only priority.
• Maintaining your body, hair, face, and image to stay presentable, fashionable, and relevant.

In this business, there’s no time for a sick day if you want to make real money. Even when you’re not live on camera, you’re still working. Camming is a 24/7 job.

A day in my life

• 8:00 AM: I wake up and head straight to the gym for a two-hour workout.
• 10:00 AM: I shower and get to work. My Skype account goes on, and I monitor my Twitter while putting on my face for the day.
• 3 hours later: Hair, makeup, and body maintenance are done, all while updating social media and responding to impatient clients.
• I take around 30 promo photos to upload throughout the day, keeping my profiles fresh and relevant.
• I update Twitter: "Hey guys, getting ready to sign on—come join me!"

Finally, my real workday begins.

The reality of camming

From the outside, it might look like an easy job—just girls sitting around looking pretty. But in reality, camgirls deal with a lot:

• Trolls: Freeloading clients who join chats just to make our day hell. They taunt us, insult our looks, or attack anything they can. After spending hours on appearance, those remarks cut deep.
• Anti-porn advocates: People who think camgirls are degraded, wasted potential. In truth, many of us are intelligent, business-oriented individuals.

Even on good days, we’re navigating unflattering camera angles, adjusting to infinite fetishes, and pretending to be whatever a client desires:

• A dominatrix.
• A submissive slave.
• Years younger or older than my real age.

Some fetishes are dark and difficult, but we accommodate them. For instance, isn’t it better for a pedophile to act out their fantasies with a legally aged camgirl than turn to something illegal and harmful?

The upsides

It’s not all darkness and despair. Some days are amazing. A sweet regular might tip “just because.” A new client could turn out to have an awesome personality. Or an anonymous follower might buy you something thoughtful from your wishlist.

Like any job, camming has its ups and downs—and that’s what makes it fun. I truly adore my job.

I love:

• Meeting new people and encouraging their sexual release.
• Showing off the body I’ve worked so hard on.
• The endless stream of compliments.
• The friendships and connections I’ve made, even with coworkers from across the globe.

My best friend is a camgirl who lives thousands of miles away.

What I want people to understand

Sex workers are people too.

We work our 9-5 jobs like anyone else—and often much more than that. We deserve love, respect, admiration, and praise, just like anyone else.

Camming isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Sure, it’s a fantastic job, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But it takes a certain mindset and a strong work ethic. It’s not for everyone.

It’s not just about sitting there and looking pretty.

You can find me on Twitter at @xoDahliaDee for more info, or visit my website at www.ladahlia.com.