An investigation into South Africans performing online erotic labour, experiences of their labour and their experiences and negotiations of stigmatisation

dc.contributor.advisorSeedat, Fatima
dc.contributor.authorMegannon, Tegwyn
dc.date.accessioned2025-09-11T13:44:24Z
dc.date.available2025-09-11T13:44:24Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.updated2025-09-11T13:29:48Z
dc.description.abstractThe lived experiences of online erotic labourers, in South Africa, is investigated in this dissertation. To investigate the experiences of digital labour and stigma, five South Africans who have performed erotic labour participated in semi-structured interviews. A qualitative research design, grounded in critical theory, was used to develop a rich understanding of online erotic labour. Sex work and erotic labour has been conceptualised through a sex work inclusionary feminist academic lens and analysis was done using reflexive thematic analysis technique. Findings revealed that experiences of erotic labour are significantly influenced by the type of digital platform used to sell labour. These experiences were found to be located within the broader context of platform mediated gig work, and I investigated how platform capitalism affects workers' experiences of precarity. Congruent with other non- stigmatised gig workers, findings show that performing online erotic labour is subject to general forms of income insecurity and economic liability. However, the stigmatised nature of erotic labour creates a unique kind of precarity that is not endemic to all forms of platform mediated gig work. The findings detail how this stigma is navigated and how my participants create positive meanings in their lives related to their erotic labour.
dc.identifier.apacitationMegannon, T. (2025). <i>An investigation into South Africans performing online erotic labour, experiences of their labour and their experiences and negotiations of stigmatisation</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,African Studies. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41775en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationMegannon, Tegwyn. <i>"An investigation into South Africans performing online erotic labour, experiences of their labour and their experiences and negotiations of stigmatisation."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,African Studies, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41775en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMegannon, T. 2025. An investigation into South Africans performing online erotic labour, experiences of their labour and their experiences and negotiations of stigmatisation. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,African Studies. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41775en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Megannon, Tegwyn AB - The lived experiences of online erotic labourers, in South Africa, is investigated in this dissertation. To investigate the experiences of digital labour and stigma, five South Africans who have performed erotic labour participated in semi-structured interviews. A qualitative research design, grounded in critical theory, was used to develop a rich understanding of online erotic labour. Sex work and erotic labour has been conceptualised through a sex work inclusionary feminist academic lens and analysis was done using reflexive thematic analysis technique. Findings revealed that experiences of erotic labour are significantly influenced by the type of digital platform used to sell labour. These experiences were found to be located within the broader context of platform mediated gig work, and I investigated how platform capitalism affects workers' experiences of precarity. Congruent with other non- stigmatised gig workers, findings show that performing online erotic labour is subject to general forms of income insecurity and economic liability. However, the stigmatised nature of erotic labour creates a unique kind of precarity that is not endemic to all forms of platform mediated gig work. The findings detail how this stigma is navigated and how my participants create positive meanings in their lives related to their erotic labour. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Labour KW - South Africans KW - Erotic labour LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - An investigation into South Africans performing online erotic labour, experiences of their labour and their experiences and negotiations of stigmatisation TI - An investigation into South Africans performing online erotic labour, experiences of their labour and their experiences and negotiations of stigmatisation UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41775 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/41775
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationMegannon T. An investigation into South Africans performing online erotic labour, experiences of their labour and their experiences and negotiations of stigmatisation. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,African Studies, 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41775en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentAfrican Studies
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanities
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectLabour
dc.subjectSouth Africans
dc.subjectErotic labour
dc.titleAn investigation into South Africans performing online erotic labour, experiences of their labour and their experiences and negotiations of stigmatisation
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
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