Naked on the Internet: Hookups, Downloads, and Cashing in on Internet Sexploration (Paperback)

by Audacia Ray (Author) "When I Googled the combination "women + computers," many of the results that popped up were organizations and groups designed to support and encourage women..." (more)
Key Phrases: sex bloggers, alt porn, sex blogging, Furry Girl, Dawn Marie, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Few things are more misunderstood and cause more fear and suspicion than the combination of female sexuality and the Internet. Naked on the Internet explores how women use cyberspace, personally and professionally, to learn about themselves, connect with others, and make a living. Author Audacia Ray then goes further, examining the Internet as a valuable — though often problematic — sexual space.

Ray combines her insider's knowledge with the voices of a variety of women whose firsthand experiences include camming, chatting, and making websites; dating, hooking up, and forming friendships; sex and relationship blogging; and making porn and doing other forms of sex work. She also examines the power of sexual health and online support communities and the technology that enables physical sexual encounters.

Naked on the Internet is a guide to the ways women use, experience, and cash in on the Internet, as well as a critical analysis of the empowering and oppressive aspects of women's online experiences.

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: Seal Press (May 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580052096
• ISBN-13: 978-1580052092
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #413,244 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Insightful Exploration of The Many Ways Women Get Naked, Get Off, Get Paid and Get Informed Online, May 17, 2007

By	Rachel Kramer Bussel "Cupcakes Take the Cake ... (New York City) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

First off, I blurbed this book and have known Audacia for several years, and have been thrilled to see her career advance and grow. That being said, I expected Naked on the Internet to be about, well, getting naked on the internet. And it is...but it's also so much more. Instead of simply going the salacious route, Audacia Ray takes the knowledge she's gained from modeling online, doing sex work, blogging, editing a print mag about sex workers ($pread) and being an activist and used it to write a book that helps illuminate both the everyday (online dating, health information) and the fringes (people who not just get naked, but have, solicit, and sell sex of various kinds on the internet, for money).

She talks to women running their own businesses as well as women who've met lovers, friends, dates, and tricks online. She dishes the good, the bad, the ugly, the sexy, and the so-so, and offers resources where readers can find more information. If you're someone who already has their hands (or other body parts) in the world of online communication, this book will likely offer a sense of camaraderie, advice, questions to ask yourself and warnings. If you're someone who likes to look at and/or interact with naked women on the internet, I think this book will be especially illuminating, because the women she profiles share their real stories about everything from billing issues to safety concerns to staking their claim in what's often known as male territory. This is a behind-the-scenes look at the girl you might be talking to in a chatroom or negotiating with on Craigslist. Ray uses her insight to explore many topics that often go unreported or overlooked, and in the process humanizes women who are naked, literally and figuratively, on the internet. I thought I was pretty well-versed in the world of alternasex and I still found many new sites to bookmark and ideas to consider in terms of promoting my erotic work online.

Also, the cover is totally genius. It makes me want to grab that girl's ass. But in addition to its hotness, it's also smart and subversive, just like this book. Read it with a computer and internet connection handy, because you'll definitely want to look up plenty of the women quoted inside, and you likely won't be able to wait until you're done.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting , August 28, 2007

By	J. Aragon "Feminist Educator" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was trying to be witty, but opted for a one word title for the review. This book was really interesting. The author did some painstaking research to give a solid, historical background to what essentially was a part memoir and social history of sexploration on the internet from her viewpoint.

The audience for this book is wide: lay audience and university audience. This book would be really useful in a Media Studies/Communication course, Human Sexuality, Women's Studies, Technology and the like.

I read the book in one sitting this late morning/afternoon. One of the better parts of the book was the useful array of urls.

Her writing is clean and well-organized and I found myself engrossed. I was by a computer the entire time, when I read the book. I looked up some of the websites like Old Boys Network and their links, for instance.

If you're interested in sexploration on line, this book is definitely the book to read.

7 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From the Hubby, May 25, 2007

By	Rob McConnell "Hubby" (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

My wife Dawn Marie from Dawn Marie's Dream was interviewed for this book and I just read the section containing information about her. I have to say I was very pleased with what I read. It was well balanced and thoughtful. It's obvious that Ms. Ray did her homework and writes objectively of the Online Internet Adult scene.

If you participate in or are just interested in the Internet Adult community I recommend this book which covers almost every facet the scene.