Why do dommes seem to embrace the title SWer? I think they should distance from it

I could be way off, but the sentiment I get is that dommes consider themselves Sex Workers. I get this sense from some twitter accounts where they use that term for themselves.

I don't think they should try to make the correlation. Sex Workers are escorts. There is no sex in BDSM. Maybe only in rare or certain session types, but I think dommes should consider themselves more like performance artists.

You really don't want to lump yourselves in with the d sucking girls and Motel 6 renters.

Do you really want to be considered a SWer once cash goes away?

Domina M posted her thoughts on this topic here:

http://domina.ms/~domroot/thebuzz/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=4227#Post4227

Of course there is.

Sex isn't only intercourse. There's a huge bandwidth of sexual arousing activties involved in a BDSM session. And, as she is earning money by doing sex related stuff -> it's sex work.

Well yeah, I just didn't want to ruin the fantasy for some other guys on here who feel very submissive and devoted to some dommes. On the other hand, that same domme they see and beg for her approval while in chastity and don't cum during session.... well, let's just say she may have her tits out and gets me to cum with a Hitachi while using a strapon.

I genuinely admire your chutzpah; most people would bother to understand what "sex workers" are, before arguing that dommes are not sex workers. Sometimes you just have to unfetter yourself from convention

I'd say the salient points for me are, in order:

• By any reasonable definition of sex work I've seen, pro dommes are definitely sex workers. They are not escorts or prostitutes (or strippers or FBSM providers or sugarbabies, for that matter)
  
• To the public, pro dommes are definitely sex workers, and probably prostitutes. The latter is an (incorrect) perception, but public perception is important
• Legislation aimed at sex workers absolutely impacts pro dommes, very negatively at times
  
• Given that pro dommes ARE sex workers, and that they're also perceived by the public as being sex workers, and that they are impacted by sexworker legislation, "hang together or we shall all hang separately" most certainly applies

This is actually a pretty thorough argument.

I would say that your points are very solid, swordfish. I have personally always had an issue with the term "sex worker" to describe all the workers in the adult industry. Erotic worker or adult industry worker are much more fitting terms that could include dancers, Dommes, escorts, erotic massage, etc. When the term sex is used it confuses the public and certainly doesn't help educate.

We are (adult workers) all in this together as you aptly mention and I do champion causes that support us a group and fight those that are harmful, but I don't refer to myself as a sex worker - not because of any whoreocracy but because I believe the term confuses.

This is a very solid and I agree entirely.

It's also worth noting that the term "sex worker" has been in use since the seventies and has always included workers who do not offer full service, such as dommes and strippers. It was designed as an umbrella term.

My personal, maybe not terribly nice opinion is that dommes who don't consider themselves sex workers are a bit delusional.

We clients and customers of adult workers need to be in there with you! At least to the extent we can do so without losing our own jobs, etc.

Anyway! Interesting take on the term "sex worker" itself

Right? That's what I thought

I 100% agree with you on the delusion but want to say that I never heard people refer to Pro Dommes as sex workers (or very many Dommes embrace the term) until after FOSTA passed. It was at that time that the entire community of SWs seemed to finally came together to deal with their similar issues instead of trying to separate themselves from other sub-groups.

I know that is not a 100% true statement that nobody accepted the term until then as I remember women like Domina Elle trying to fight for SW rights well before that time. However, I also know the push back she got whenever she would talk to Dommes about being in the same class as strippers or escorts.

I've heard people -- including most dommes -- refer to dommes as sex workers for the entirety 11 year career. I do think we did it much less often on client-facing social media and websites before SESTA/FOSTA hit.

Your experience in relation to private conversation definitely outweighs mine, so I take your word for it over my impressions from online discussions.

Social media was the first place I ever heard a Dominatrix referred to as a sex worker. It became even more prevent after FOSTA/SESTA.