There's More to This Cam Girl than Meets the Eye

In both literature and film, portrayal of women who work in the sex industry are usually defined by their profession. This aspect of their lives eclipses all else and becomes their defining feature, with their portrayal usually falling into two categories: the good-natured tart with a heart, or the helpless, hopeless victim drawn into prostitution due to lack of opportunities, and with little hope of escape.

 However, Anne Freeman’s Lexie in Me That You See, defies these stereotypes. She is a fully formed character with a whole life outside her chosen profession of Camgirl and is very much the driver of her destiny.

With her complicated relationship about to run its course and the prospect of impending unemployment, barista and wannabe writer, Lexi, finds an unconventional solution to all her problems. A chance meeting with a long-lost friend from her past sees Lexi enter the world of webcamming. Lucrative, empowering and even fun, Lexi’s new career sees her level up her life in many unexpected ways, but it comes at a price.

The Me That You See gives an intriguing insight into the world of webcamming and the lives of the camgirls. The organisation Lexi works for is owned and run by a businesswoman, and the camgirls get to set the “Menu” of services they choose to provide. Working from their secret location, the camgirls choose who can and cannot enter their chatrooms and can rid themselves of troublesome customers at the click of a button.

However, cam life is not without its pitfalls, as novice, Lexi, soon discovers. As the cracks begin to show in her carefully curated life, Lexi is forced to face some hard truths and make some life-changing decisions.

The Me That You See is a fun, insightful and thought-provoking read. I love how Anne portrays sex work as a legitimate option, and not the last resort of desperate and fallen women. The cam girls are professional, funny, intelligent women, as opposed to the hopeless victims sex workers are often portrayed as in fiction. Similarly, I enjoyed that Lexi was not co-opted into a caring role within her relationship, and that she maintained her personal freedom and interests outside of it.

As in her first novel, Anne Freeman shows us women seeking their own fulfillment and not being engulfed by the roles society designates them to play. She shows us that this is possible, and that we can all find a better way.

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