Digital intimacy

1. Material Culture

The whole sex industry has always been something that has reached out to me and interested me, but this kind of came out of COVID-19. I work as a topless waitress, and I lost some hours, and I found OnlyFans through Instagram.

I always wanted to do it before, but I had a partner. I was a little nervous with the idea of it, but once you see the money come in, you start to get used to it.

I create a persona when I’m on camera, so that’s why I use the name ‘Kiki’. Obviously I embody it a little bit, and that’s what got me into it to begin with, but you’ve got to fake it until you make it, I guess.

I started to build a new friendship group out of it and it’s really just so normal now. Sometimes it’s so normal I’ll mention it in day-to-day conversation to random people and I have to stop myself and say ‘maybe that’s a bit inappropriate, talking about sex’.

The videos I perform would be technically classed as acting. But aside from that, the good thing about OnlyFans is people can talk to me and they can figure out what I’m doing behind the scenes.

The range of people who purchase content is massive. It’s either people I went to school with or older people who don’t have many relationships themselves, or normal, married men.

It’s a great way to sell sex because it’s a worldwide platform and the way you can do it, you can chat to people one-on-one and there’s no real lack of intimacy. I mean, everyone is sexting these days.

Above, clockwise from top left:
Each livestream is an opportunity to explore a new identity;
Kiki says there is no intimacy lost through online platforms;
once the livestream is over, the physical elements of the Kiki persona are packed away again;
there is very little hardware required. Ample courage, on the other hand, is a must;
a costume for every occasion; toys of the trade.