Shownotes
This week, we hear from Carta Monir, a cartoonist, zine-maker, and content-creator. She talks to us about her creative process, her journey learning to love her body as a trans woman, and her experience filming porn during a pandemic.
Carta Monir's Links:
Print Studio Website: diskettepress.com
Website: cartamonir.itch.io
OnlyFans: @carta
Patreon: patreon.com/carta
A Sex Worker's Guide to the Galaxy's Links:
Twitter: @SexyGalaxyPod
Patreon: Patreon.com/SexyGalaxyPod
Transcripts
Parker
Welcome to a sex workers Guide to the Galaxy where the answer to life, the universe and everything is sex workers. I'm your host, Parker Westwood. You can find the show on Twitter at sexy Galaxy pod. You can also find us on Patreon at patreon.com/sexy Galaxy pod. Yeah, please support the show in any way that you're able and listening does indeed count. So, thank you. So, this week, we get to talk to Carta Monir. I was introduced to Carta by a mutual friend of ours. Shout out to Willa. And when I reached out Carta gave it an enthusiastic response like yes, I would love to be on the podcast, and sent a zine for me to check out beforehand and I just fell in love upon reading this zine. Carta is a trans woman, content creator and cartoonist, and zine maker pornographer, just multifaceted, incredibly talented human being and I'm so excited to share this interview with you all. We talk a lot about the content platforms and writing and artwork, and identity and it's just it's really rich, and there's lots of information for sex workers and non sex workers alike. So I hope you all enjoy it. And I will let's just get to it, shall we? Alright, everybody, I'm really excited to be here with Carta Monir. Carta, so why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself.
Carta Monir
Hi, I'm Carta Monir and I live in Ann Arbor, Michigan and I'm a I usually say cartoonist, but I guess like in the context of this podcast I should lead with I'm ,I'm a pornog-, pornographer. I have an OnlyFans and publisher and let's say zine maker.
Parker
Excellent. And how I guess I feel like this is a complicated question for all of us, but how did you get started in sex work?
Carta Monir
So, it's something like I had always been extremely drawn to and I mean, part of that is being trans, I guess. But it's something I've always been interested in and when lockdown started my spouse who I had floated the idea of making an OnlyFans to a couple of times, and each time they had been like maybe less than enthusiastic about the idea. When lockdown started, my spouse said to me, I think the world needs it.
Parker
Oh,
Carta Monir
It was a very sweet so with their with, their, blessing, I finally launched and OnlyFans and was very excited about it. Because usually when I'm when I'm not in lockdown, like, I'm very promiscuous, and I hook up a lot and you know, like, sex is a big part of my life. And when it looked like that wasn't going to be there for you know, the indefinite long term
Parker
Yeah,
Carta Monir
this outlet was like, not a perfect substitute, but at least something you know, a way for me to express my, my, sexuality. It also earned money,
Parker
yeah
Carta Monir
which, which I do need.
Parker
Let us not forget the money.
Carta Monir
Right, I don't want to sound completely altruistic. It, it, makes me money, which is very good and important.
Parker
In this capitalist society we live in we do need money.
Carta Monir
We do.
Parker
Um cool. I'm, I would like to talk to you more about your OnlyFans but I also feel like I don't want to stray too far from the zine or your artistry. So, I think I'm gonna just like dive into that first.
Carta Monir
Sure.
Parker
I was just like, how am I supposed to dive into both of these areas of your life and not just miss them completely and so, this is my awkward way of doing that. Um,
Carta Monir
No, this is this is working.
Parker
Okay, great. I'm so happy for that. Um, so did you. I've read your zine. Everyone out there needs to read your zine. It's called Napkin I'm sure there are more of them, but I've read the one called Napkin and you, you, have some like visual, you have some photos, you have some visual things. Did you identify as a writer or an artist first and kind of how has that identity evolved for you?
Carta Monir
Oh, interesting question. I guess, I identified, or I would, you know, introduce myself as a cartoonist, which is sort of necessarily like a, a mix of the two. I consider myself a writer first, I guess, because I think most of what I do boils down to writing, like, if not for writing, I wouldn't have the majority of what I do. I'm not like an illustrator. With a capital I, you know, like, there are people who are really, really technically incredible at just drawing, and like, I'm okay at drawing, but I don't feel like that's me. You know. I feel like the weight I do is carried by my writing. I used to do a lot more comics and I still do comics to some degree but I would say that I fell more in love with traditional like zine making. There's like a big, queer history of making zines that are a combination of photos and text and illustrations. Especially adjacent to pornography. There's like a really interesting history and so I really wanted to experiment with, with, that kind of form more. So, I've done I've done a few things like that, more recently, the most successful of which is Napkin.
Parker
Would you mind telling our listeners a bit about Napkin and maybe about your studio, just to give them an idea of the content and kind of what? Yeah, what you do as a zine maker?
Carta Monir
Yeah, I'll start with the studio, I guess. Currently, I rent a garage. It's like a one and a half car garage, detached from a house that is owned by a very sweet man in, in, Ann Arbor. The garage, I think used to be someone's workshop. It has a workbench. It has like a very dad-feel like when we moved into it, there was like, a toolbox and like a space heater and like, you know, it just felt like oh, you know, like, you need to get away from the wife, you go work and in the workshop. And we sort of moved in and renovated a little bit like we put down a rubber floor and stuff like that and we have a bunch of printing equipment. So, we have a risograph machine, which is like, it's about the size of an office copier.
Parker
Cool.
Carta Monir
We have an office copier, like a traditional black and white Xerox type machine.
Parker
Yes.
Carta Monir
And then a whole bunch of other machines are like we have a big cutting machine, we have machines for binding books, and like high powered staplers and things like that. Lots of different colors of ink for printing. And then most recently, I was able to purchase some collating machines, that's where you take the individual pages of the book, which are all in, you know, you have like a huge stack of paper, and they're all page 13, or whatever and you need to take them and sort of sort them into the correct order for the book. These machines do that automatically. So, it's a huge time saver.
Parker
Oh, that's amazing.
Carta Monir
And I also got a booklet maker, which folds and staples, the book itself. So, I'm very excited about this stuff. It's like really a dream for me to have I love machines and so like it's a dream for me to have this workshop full of stuff. So, Napkin, which is also called thank you for having sex with Carta Monir was printed using the risograph. It is a collection of writing about sex, some pictures, some like screenshots of, of, my Twitter, you know, sort of comparable ephemera, and then the sort of like, heart of the book is a collection of comment cards that I had sexual partners fill out immediately after we'd had sex and those are really sort of the the hook of the zine but also the writing really you know, fleshes it out in and expands on them was my was my concept with that.
Parker
I'd have to agree it was, it is the hook but your writing certainly expands on what we see in these like photos of the, or copies of the cards. I guess like how did the review card thing come about? And did you know it was going to end up in a zine when you started it?
Carta Monir
So, I, I did think that it was going to be a zine. When I started, the review card thing happened because I thought it would be funny, I guess, like, I was hooking up with so many people. And this was a new thing, like my spouse, and I stopped being monogamous after eight continuous years of monogamy.
Parker
Wow.
Carta Monir
And like, that sounds dramatic, but it wasn't, it's like, we're both trans and like, we both came out after we got married. And like, it just felt like, yeah, you know, like this, this seems like something we could try and like, it's worked out really well for both of us. So, you know, it was like, an explosion of sexual activity all of a sudden and I always like to write about the important things that are going on in my life. So, I knew that I would want to write about the sex I was having but I also wanted the people I was having sex with to have at least some voice. I didn't want it to just be like, me writing over and over, like, Oh, I'm so good at sex, take my word for it, you know. I wanted the other people to have input and I also thought it would be funny, you know, like, there are those cards in in restaurants or at hotels that are like, how are we doing? You know, like, circle 1 to 5 or whatever?
Parker
Yes,
Carta Monir
And I was like, I want to make one of those. So, I designed these comment cards and printed out a whole bunch of them and then I had this stack of them. And I started giving them to people after we'd, would, hooked up and I would tell them like this is going to end up in a zine. I don't know exactly what form it's going to take, but like this will be published. So, you know, please don't sign it or whatever. A couple people did sign it, and I had to blur out their names. But like, yeah, so people knew that, that I would be printing them. No one refused. If someone had, it wouldn't have been a big deal. I would have probably made a note of it, you know, like, oh, so many, you know, X people refuse.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
But no, everyone was, was, very, I think, entertained by the idea. Originally, my concept for napkin was that it would just be the comment cards, like, just sort of a bound collection, like almost like recipe cards.
Parker
Oh, yeah.
Carta Monir
But the more I collected them, the more I was, like, well, I want to write about this too. Like, I want to talk about these experiences I'm having, and I want to talk about like, you know, faking an orgasm with a beautiful woman, and you know, just like these things that I will think of every time I see these cards that I want to, to share, you know,
Parker
I'm so glad you did because it, it, really rounds out the experience for the reader. Like, I get a better understanding of what was happening, like what happened prior to this person filling out the card. And yeah, it really it really gives me more or like me as a reader more of an experience of what both you and your partner were experiencing, which is pretty cool.
Carta Monir
That makes me happy. Yeah, I when I was laying it out at the end, and I experimented with the idea well what if it was just cards, it felt like I don't know, like, I didn't want it to be bragging without the cards, you know, like Oh, I'm good at sex, take my word for it and just presenting a bunch of cards also felt like very shallow. Like look at this like tally of people I've fucked, and I didn't want it to be like that. So yeah, I think the writing really, really, helps create like a more interesting work of art.
Parker
Yeah, I agree. There's, there's, also you talk a lot not just about your sexual experiences but like your internal experiences with like body dysmorphia, and dissociation and, and, your journey with a genetic illness and like getting on HRT like it's a there's it's juicy. There's a lot of stuff. It's impressive, but I was wondering if you'd be willing to talk a little bit more about how your relationship with your body and sex has changed since starting hormones.
Carta Monir
Yeah, absolutely. I would say like, I have finally been able to not hate my body. If that makes sense,
Parker
Oh yes.
Carta Monir
Yeah, when, when I would have sex, even good sex before I came out or before I had done anything to, you know, transition, I would get tripped up by how much I didn't want to be in the body that I was inhabiting, you know, like, I would be excited about my partner, I would be excited about the fact that I was having sex with someone I was attracted to. But my own body would be like, it's like, when you're watching porn, and like, one of the people, like the person who you're least attracted to is like, extremely unattractive to you. You know,
Parker
Yes.
Carta Monir
it was like that, you know, except me. I was like, no one wants to see this, you know, this hairy guy, you know, like, I, I want to see a beautiful woman there, you know, like, if nothing else, a hairless twink and like I was not that.
Parker
yeah
Carta Monir
So, I would say that since getting on HRT, since learning to change my body, even in in impermanent ways that make me happy, you know, like learning more effective ways of shaving or getting laser hair removal or anything like that. I've felt much more ownership and control over my body instead of being something that is like an unchanging humiliation that I have to learn to live with. It's something that I can be proud of, because I put work into it, like,
Parker
yeah,
Carta Monir
oh, this is my body and like, people are attracted to my body because of the things I've done and not like, despite how much I don't like it,
Parker
That makes so much sense.
Carta Monir
It's helped me feel really much more embodied and like, it also just helps me believe my partner when they say that they're attracted to me. Because before I would be like, well, that's impossible. And with the benefit of hindsight, you know, like, I wasn't ugly, but I felt ugly, you know, like, it was just like, it was wrong for me. So, yeah, at this point, I'm much more able, you know, like, everyone, I have my off days where I don't feel so sexy or whatever but it feels different when I don't feel so sexy in the moment, but I know like, even when I'm not at my sexiest, I'm still like, a woman, you know, a woman who, who has value and, and, who is attractive to so many people in the way that I want to be you know.
Parker
absolutely. And the way you describe so much of your journey in the in the zine is fantastic. So, every I'm just telling all my listeners, go get the zine and read it. There'll be a link in the show notes. But speaking of you being an incredibly attractive woman who many people are attracted to, let's talk about your OnlyFans. How was that for a transition?
Carta Monir
That was really good. That was excellent, good segue.
Parker
Working on it. So, since you've started your OnlyFans, and you got your, your partner's blessing, what are some important lessons you've learned about being an online content creator?
Carta Monir
to build up at least a couple:Parker
Cool.
Carta Monir
Which was very useful.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
reds of videos and, you know,:Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
that's helpful. For the the people who I would say like for more experienced buyers, they understand that there is a huge quantity over quality problem, because you could post one picture every day or the same picture every day, you know.
Parker
Oh, yeah.
Carta Monir
Whatever. But yeah, I think I think it helps draw people in just like knowing that. There's something I also try and post on Twitter or retweet something at least once a day. I don't always do it, but it helps like draw in new potential customers. And, likewise, I really hate this website. But I do post on Reddit. Occasionally.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
definitely gets me people. It's hateful, and humiliating and just like the worst, like, if you've never had to post pornography on Reddit, in the hopes of getting paid, let me tell you, because Reddit is set up to be user-managed communities. It means that whoever is managing this community of people who post porn, so it could be anybody. It's just someone who likes porn. It's like never a sex worker. It's always some guy who likes tit pics or whatever.
Parker
Yes.
Carta Monir
And since that person is just the person who like started this community or whatever, they get to set all of the rules and frequently the rules are extremely unfriendly to sex workers. Reddit advertises porn, that is given by people who expect no compensation and what that generally means is stolen porn. But even in the case of not stolen like, one of the most popular subreddits is called Gone Wild. It has over 3 million subscribers and I got banned from Gone Wild, because my bio on Reddit has a .com, link in it, they are so against the idea that anyone posting their nudes there could ever benefit financially, that they'll ban you even for having a website link in your bio, which is unrelated to what you post.
Parker
That's such bullshit.
Carta Monir
It's terrible. So yeah, Reddit sucks. And also, Reddit makes it really difficult not to interact with just like the worst people like on Twitter, you can block them on Reddit, you have to play by their rules and interact with them and yeah, it sucks and also like, as a trans performer, a lot of the Redits that I post in have especially humiliating rules about needing to be passable.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
Things like that. Which I hate as a matter of principle, like it disgusts me.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
And also, I really want to take those nerds money.
Parker
Yeah. And so like, the whole passable thing is so subjective and offensive, like,
Carta Monir
Oh, it's terrible. Yeah, it's, I mean, it's, it's garbage and like, what it ends up meaning is like, if you look at any of those, you know, like, r slash traps is like the the top like trans feminine subreddit to post in if you make porn, and like, if you look at like, what's trending there on any given day, it's like, a white skinny girl. It always is,
Parker
Oh it's awful right.
Carta Monir
Everything you know, like, that's what is prioritized by rules about passability and like,
Parker
Oh yeah.
Carta Monir
So, it's very frustrating,
Parker
it's still it's all hinged on the same exact beauty standards that like everyone else is held to and they're just, they're still unattainable.
Carta Monir
Yeah, absolutely.
Parker
That's a good segue into one of the questions I have here is, as a transgender content creator, how do you navigate this like tagging of content? When there are some of these like tags that are outdated or offensive or share?
Carta Monir
Sure.
Parker
How do you how do you navigate that?
Carta Monir
So well, I will post in a subreddit called r slash traps. I personally, don't feel comfortable posting in, you know, anything with the word shemale or tranny, or I also don't post in femboy, not because I don't think femboy is, like more offensive or whatever. I just feel like it's inaccurate in my case. When it comes to tagging my own content, I do use clips, I It's like manyvids, or AP clips or whatever. I never use slurs in my content, just because like, I don't want to encourage anyone to use them for me. I also work with and film content with other trans people and I would get really angry if somebody called one of my costars a tranny,
Parker
Yeah, right.
Carta Monir
or whatever. And I, I don't know, like, I know that I'm going to have an audience of chasers inevitably, but like, I would like to sort of do my due diligence in avoiding the people who feel empowered to use the worst slurs.
Parker
Yes.
Carta Monir
It's part of why I also don't advertise along racial lines. Like, I am not white. But I also don't want an audience of people who feel empowered to say disgusting, racist things.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
So, I sort of let them figure that out themselves.
Parker
That's a good way to do it.
Carta Monir
Yeah.
Parker
Yeah, I guess how would you or how do you approach like, when if someone were to approach you using like, TS or that sort of vernacular?
Carta Monir
Sure.
Parker
And they're like it because I've seen it where these guys just like, don't know, they just they haven't,
Carta Monir
Right, right,
Parker
had any like, this is what's, this is what's correct today. Like, that was fine
Carta Monir
Right,
Parker
when you were 20, but it's not anymore.
Carta Monir
Right, right right right.
Parker
How do you handle that situation?
Carta Monir
So, it's context dependent. If they're paying me if it's on OnlyFans, and they DM me, and they say, you are a beautiful transgender or something like that. I will say, thank you. I prefer, you know, like, it's important that you call me a trans woman and not a transgender because a lot of people don't like that. Especially when they're, I get a lot of people DMing me and asking, like, how can I find a beautiful trans, in my area to hookup with and I'm like, well, I mean, step one would be don't call her a beautiful trans. If it's on Twitter, um, I generally don't respond to any reply except for from Mutual's, or from people who have given me substantial amounts of money.
Parker
Yes. It's a good rule to follow.
Carta Monir
Yeah. And then same on Reddit, like, people will say all kinds of things on Reddit and generally, the only things that I reply to are innocuous comments, like, I wish I could join you. And then once in a while, I'll respond like, yes. Or comments with a direct question from another trans person about my piercings or the hormones that I'm on.
Parker
Yes,
Carta Monir
Um, I get a lot of what is that kind of piercing called, you know, and then that's like such an inoffensive question. I'm happy to answer.
Parker
Absolutely.
Carta Monir
And I don't feel that I need to be paid for my answer.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
But yeah, for most other stuff, you know, if people want to talk to me and be engaged with, they should subscribe to my OnlyFans because there it's like, I'm happy to respond to DMS, you know, like I, I, don't mind at all. I'm happy to respond to whatever they want to say. They're paying me to do that. That's part of the setup there. But yeah, otherwise I just don't engage really.
Parker
Yeah,
Carta Monir
and I'll block if if something is so disgusting to me, that I I just like don't want to engage with that at all.
Parker
Yeah, where it's like, blatant that they just aren't concerned with what's offensive or not like, it's pretty obvious from some people. Yeah.
Carta Monir
Yes, yes. Like, I really don't mind. I should be careful how I phrased this, in this context where I am not face to face with them, and they are approaching me over the internet ,and also paying me money. I don't mind earnest mistakes,
Parker
Right.
Carta Monir
I do mind earnest mistakes, if it's in person, you know, please don't approach me and ask me how to find a beautiful transgender. But online, I'm you know, I'll talk to them about whatever, as long as they're paying, and I feel like that's just part of it. Like, a lot of the people who subscribe to my OnlyFans want to have conversations that are unrelated to sex and like, that's, that's part of it and I don't have any problem with that.
Parker
Same I actually really love that. Yeah, it makes makes me feel valued as a as a person, and not just for my body, although like, both of our bodies are incredible. So that's cool, too. But,
Carta Monir
I agree. Thank you.
Parker
So, you were you mentioned other content platforms? Can we just talk a minute about like, what you think about the other platforms, how they differ? Just kind of,
Carta Monir
Yeah.
Parker
give an overview for people who may not really know anything about these platforms?
Carta Monir
Yeah, absolutely. So starting with OnlyFans, OnlyFans is, it if you've never used it, it is a subscription-based platform, similar to Patreon, where your fans, I guess, let's say, your fans will pay a set fee per month, you don't have tiered pricing, there's like one fee gets them into all of your content, unless you have it specifically locked, you know, with an added fee on top of that. And the thing about OnlyFans that makes it extremely popular is that they only take 20% and it's a flat 20% across the board, your subscription fees, your tips, if you have like messages that people have to pay to unlock, if you have videos that people have to pay to unlock 20% all the way across. And if you know anything about online, like sex platforms, you know, the 20% is relatively very low. Manyvids, which is the most popular indie clip site that I use, takes 40%. In some cases, they take less like they have sort of an OnlyFans competitor thing that they launched, that I don't think very many people are using that was also 20%. But if you sell a clip on manyvids, which is what people use it for,
Parker
yeah,
Carta Monir
they take 40%. AP clips takes I think 35%. And then camming sites like Chatterbait can take up to 50%.
Parker
That's so bananas to me, it's just I thought 20% was a huge cut. Until I learned,
Carta Monir
I still think it's a huge cut.
Parker
Yeah, especially because they're not updated. They just like don't do anything to make it easier for us to make them more money. Yeah,
Carta Monir
Right. Yeah, OnlyFans is not a well-designed or well-maintained website. And it's like, it became extremely popular and so now there's like a base of users there. So, people keep using it. Like I've tried using other websites that have better designs but if you don't have users who are going to pay, you know, tokens or money or whatever, then it's pointless.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
You know, I made an AVN Star's for example. I have sold one video clip on that.
Parker
Oh, wow.
Carta Monir
in like months and months, and it's like, same with like, you know, I tried out several other alternative websites and like, OnlyFans has the, the, name recognition and the base.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
From a user perspective. I can't blame people for not wanting to not give their credit card information to yet another subscription platform.
Parker
Yeah, and then on our end having to upload to so many different subscription platforms.
Carta Monir
Right, I was doing that for a while like I made accounts on like, just for fans and AVN Stars, and this website called Foxy that I really liked. I really liked the design of Foxy, but nobody uses it. I got like 20 people to use my referral code to sign up to Foxy and I have made $0 Because none of them have made any money on Foxy. Like, it's an interesting way for me to see if anybody is succeeding at Foxy the answer is no.
Parker
Damn. I mean, the name is cute.
Carta Monir
Yeah the name is cute it Like honestly, I wish Foxy succeeded because they were an OnlyFans type site. But they also sold clips and they still took only 20% across the board. So, like as a clip host they are such a better deal than manyvids or a AP clips but nobody uses them. Even when I put like clips on Foxy on sale. You know, like, this is the cheapest you could get them anywhere. Please buy them. Nobody.
Parker
Nobody's there.
Carta Monir
bought them right, people would rather buy them on the platform. They are already a part of
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
Which makes sense. I understand why but like, OnlyFans sucks so bad.
Parker
I know I just wish they could like start a petition to get them to do a few of the things they need to do to make it a better platform for us. Since we're, we're, all making them so much money.
Carta Monir
We're making them so much money. Yeah. I mean, like OnlyFans. You can see like, if you look at their Twitter account, and the, the, pages that they promote, they really want like, if they could wave a wand and make something happen, they want to be like, paid YouTube. That's what they want. Like the people who they promote are like wind surfers, and chefs and comedians and pranksters and
Parker
Yes.
Carta Monir
influencers. Nobody who sells nudes.
Parker
Yes.
Carta Monir
And usually the pages they promote, if you like, click through. It's like someone who's uploaded two posts and has five followers but they're still being promoted by OnlyFans because they are one of the few people who's not a sex worker,
Parker
Yeah,
Carta Monir
using the site
Parker
Yeah, they're like when we say behind the scenes content, we don't mean your tits. We mean a makeup tutorial.
Carta Monir
Right.
Parker
Yeah. And it's like, that's not what is happening, though.
Carta Monir
It's not and like, I honestly don't know why someone would want to use OnlyFans not for porn, because Patreon doesn't take 20%.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
Like, there's no reason to.
Parker
Yeah, and it's tiered like the Patreon, the Patreon model is far, far better designed for what they're trying, well, what the, it seems like they're trying to do.
Carta Monir
Right, exactly. Yeah, OnlyFans is designed for selling porn.
Parker
Yeah,
Carta Monir
Very clearly but it's so embarrassed of it. And I mean, I assume that anyone listening to this podcast understands these things. But I'm going to give a quick summary just in case. In case you're asking yourself, why don't online sex workers make their own websites? Good question.
Parker
Do tell.
Carta Monir
Here's why. You may have heard of something called SESTA FOSTA which is sort of like a broad series of laws that were passed in the United States. God how many years ago now was it?
Parker
I think it was three, three years ago now.
Carta Monir
Yeah.
Parker
April of:Carta Monir
Yeah, three years ago now and they were ostensibly passed to combat human trafficking but the impact is that credit card providers no longer wanted to accept payments for any kind of online sex or pornography or anything. Because they all of a sudden would be legally liable if something related, potentially to trafficking slipped through.
Parker
Yeah, and not just credit card processors, but also like, so like sites, websites, anyone.
Carta Monir
Right. Yes. Right. Yeah. Um, so that immediately meant that in order to sell pornography online, you would have to go through what are called high risk payment processors. Those are payment processors that are used when you sell firearms, or like online gambling, or vapes, and now also porn.
Parker
Wow.
Carta Monir
and high-risk payment processors are not accessible to like a person, they're made for companies to interact with. They have high fees, and they're difficult to set up and expensive to get started and so that created this kind of like middleman market of sites like OnlyFans who generously only take 20%. Because they have assumed the sort of headache and the risk of platforming, pornography and accepting payments for it and it's the same with sites like manyvids and, you know, Chatterbait, etc, etc. It's not to say that those sites didn't exist before, SESTA FOSTA, but SESTA FOSTA was like, the final nail in the coffin as to why you can't use PayPal, you know, like, oh, buy my nudes and pay me on PayPal, because if PayPal finds out they will seize all your money and shut you down.
Parker
And they have and they do do that but they do that all the time.
Carta Monir
Yeah. So that's why we use sites like OnlyFans, despite them taking 20% It's because there are really not better options currently.
Parker
Yeah, not to mention starting your own website is expensive and, and, that's probably why OnlyFans is like, they only promote non sex work sites, because or people content creators because they fear losing their entire site, if they
Carta Monir
absolutely
Parker
promote sex workers.
Carta Monir
Right. And they also have like, pretty arbitrary rules, which is common also where people are kind of trying to hedge their bets in posting pornography.
Parker
Yes.
Carta Monir
Like, you can't show menstrual blood. You can't show fisting.
Parker
mmm no knife play. None of that.
Carta Monir
No knife play. Part of it is that OnlyFans Corporate is based in England, which has its own extremely weird rules around
Parker
oh yeah.
Carta Monir
pornography. But part of that is also just straightforwardly SESTA FOSTA like American websites have the same thing. Like you can show someone drinking cum no problem but can’t show someone drinking female ejaculate, quote unquote,
Parker
Oh my god.
Carta Monir
Right? Like?
Parker
What's Yeah. That could be a whole episode in and of itself. How stupid that shit is. Yeah.
Carta Monir
Yeah. No, it's absurd.
Parker
And sexist.
Carta Monir
Yeah. Extremely. Yeah. So that, that as I said, I'm sure most people listening to this podcast already know this. So sorry for the redundant info. But like, that's why we use sites like OnlyFans and it's also just the question of audience, you know, like we were saying, there are better designed sites every once in a while someone will be like, I'm launching my own OnlyFans competitor. It's amazing and everyone will get briefly excited about it and then discover, nobody is paying to be on it. Nobody is using it. Like,
Parker
It doesn't have that name recognition.
Carta Monir
It doesn't. Beyonce hasn't sung about pocket stars or whatever.
Parker
Yeah, come on Beyonce get a Foxy song out there. Come on. We're here for it? I don't know. I think getting like the, the, technical that wow, I can't use words today. I know I have them. Um, the technological side of it. Like the website being frustrating and everything is a whole thing I have when I first started, I like hated OnlyFans confession time, I hated it. I was like, I don't like creating this content. I don't feel a connection with anyone because I was doing solo, and I still do a lot of solo content and I was just super frustrated because I was just like longing for connection and then I started to kind of find my groove with it and do things that felt sustainable. And you seem to like it, I mean, you're OnlyFans, you had done some, some, porn content like creating with folks and some solo content. And I was just wondering, like, what's been your favorite content to create? And like, do you have a favorite scene that you've that you've done as a content creator?
Carta Monir
I would say easily my favorite is when other people are involved and like, earlier I did mention that I started my OnlyFans after the lockdown had started. So, you may be wondering, how does this work Carta? Earlier in the pandemic, I live in an area where, like, same day rapid testing was extremely available and before things had gotten too bad, it was like something that I felt comfortable doing where like, I would set up shooting with people who had been quarantining, we would both get tested sometimes multiple times, and then meet up and then get tested again, you know, etc, that stopped being viable. So, I haven't done any, in person content with anybody in a while.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
But I definitely prefer, you know, shooting with other people, because it's more interesting for me, you know, like, at this point, most of my content is solo content, and I'm finding ways to mix it up. But like, it doesn't feel as interesting to me because it, you know, there's only so many ways I can touch myself, you know,
Parker
Yes.
Carta Monir
like, so I am definitely more interested in like the dynamics of being with other people. As far as my favorite stuff that I've shot goes. I have to remember to say hmm because I'm on a podcast, and people can't see my thinking face. I would say one of the things that I shot that I felt like most proud of just like, on an execution and sort of conceptual level, there was this couple that I've filmed with a bunch, who are engaged, and the I guess I can't call him the husband, because they're just engaged, but the boyfriend, the fiancé with one e, had never had any kind of sexual interaction with anyone with a dick before.
Parker
Wow.
Carta Monir
So, I got to film him going down on me and like giving his first blowjob, ever,
Parker
oh, my god.
Carta Monir
And I also got to film a bunch of like, pretty fun, like, sort of light cuckhold content with him and his, his GF. And it was really fun. Like, I really enjoyed that kind of dynamic and like, although I'm not terribly interested in cis, men, like, it was very fun, you know, like to see him being vulnerable in that way.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
As far as your content that like I really like a shot a bunch with this trans guy named Sterling, who is just one of my favorite performers and people like we're, we're, friends outside of outside of filming. And I feel like everything we shoot together, it's just extremely hot and like, I have a good dynamic with him, like, off camera as well. And like,
Parker
Awesome.
Carta Monir
I just feel really good about, about, those scenes too and they're also like, just very consistently ones that I can like show clips of and get people very excited about them. So,
Parker
Oh, that's so great. I can't wait until we can go back to being able to make in person content, or like interact with people, or just fuck in general.
Carta Monir
Oh my god me too. I This is like the longest dry spell in my adult life. So frustrating.
Parker
It's for a good, cause it's for a good reason I get it.
Carta Monir
It's for a very good reason. Like I'm not gonna, Yeah, I live with people and it's not worth the risk of any of it . You know,
Parker
Yes.
Carta Monir
like I would never ever want to bring COVID home to my spouse or my roommate. But it's so it's so hurtful that I just got started on my big slut adventure and then I had to shut it down for over a year.
Parker
Tell me about it.
Carta Monir
Probably like two years before this is all over.
Parker
Yeah, I feel the same. I feel like I'm just coming into my big slut adventure and like as COVID was like really setting in and I was just like God dammit, like I can't ,
Carta Monir
Yeah,
Parker
I can't ethically go on my big slut adventure. So, we're gonna postpone it for another year.
Carta Monir
We're gonna have to set up like a really good orgy in this area after COVID is done.
Parker
You know I'm down.
Carta Monir
Absolutely.
Parker
Yeah, I'm there. One of the questions. This was a question I threw on this list at the end because I was like, I don't think people understand how much work OnlyFans really can be. How many hours would you say you put in to Creating content and like, posting and like all of the OnlyFans work, how many hours a week?
Carta Monir
It depends on what kind of content I'm doing. There are, admittedly some weeks where I shoot everything in one night, and then I sort of, like, space it out, you know, but especially if I'm filming any video, because that always takes like, a long time to set up And then, you know, I would say it's at least 40, you know,
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
and it's, it's a weird 40 Where it like, happens after everyone else in my house has gone to sleep, because that's when I can have the living room to myself as a studio.
Parker
Yep.
Carta Monir
So, it's like a very weird after hours, kind of like shuffling around lighting and shuffling around equipment, and then shooting, then editing video, and uploading. And then also, like, just responding to comments responding to messages, like, it definitely takes time Maintaining the Twitter presence and everything.
Parker
Yeah,
Carta Monir
like, I'm definitely busier when I'm shooting with other people Because there's just more to do than there is when I'm taking pictures of myself. But yeah, it's still pretty, pretty time intensive. I will say though, like, of jobs I've had, this is my favorite. Like I've worked hourly, in so many different jobs And I also you know, run my print shop and stuff, which I do love I love my print shop But the print shop loses money it doesn't make money.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
So, like, of jobs I have had that, that make money OnlyFans is like, just the best that I've that I've ever had And I know that like, not everyone can say that And I'm very lucky. But yeah, personally, I'm very happy with this job.
Parker
And I'm so glad to hear that you're very good at it. So that's,
Carta Monir
Thank you.
Parker
That's so fun. Yeah, it's a joy to follow you. I'm glad we've I'm glad we've traded links.
Carta Monir
me too.
Parker
Okay, so this is, this is the moment where we go into rapid fire questions. Are you ready?
Carta Monir
I'm ready.
Parker
Okay. Vanilla or chocolate?
Carta Monir
Vanilla.
Parker
Pancakes or waffles?
Carta Monir
Waffles.
Parker
And this one's specific to you, screen printing or lithography?
Carta Monir
Oh, shit. Um, I've never done lithogrpahy. So I would, I would, have to say lithogrpahy because I would want, I wouldn't want to mess around with that.
Parker
Hell yeah. I thought you might say that. Um, favorite place you've ever been?
Carta Monir
Oh, geez. I, you know, I love LA. I might have to say LA.
Parker
Hell yeah. A book from your mandatory reading list.
Carta Monir
Oh, Susceptible by Geneviève Castrée
Parker
Oh, what's that? What's that about?
Carta Monir
It's a graphic novel. It's about its autobiographical. It's really, really beautiful about her growing up and then breaking away from her emotionally abusive mother. It's really stunning.
Parker
As a graphic novel that sounds amazing.
Carta Monir
It's an I mean, her art is just like, some of the greatest art ever made. She's so incredible.
Parker
It's time to go to vault of midnight for me. I'm gonna go check that out.
Carta Monir
Absolutely
Parker
What is a secret talent of yours?
Carta Monir
Um, I don't have a lot of secrets when it comes to things like that. But something people might not know is that I used to ride a unicycle. I don't anymore because it's not safe for me with my joints, but I used to.
Parker
You still have it?
Carta Monir
I don't I sold it.
Parker
Shit I was like, I will buy that from you. That's awesome
Carta Monir
Yeah, when I when I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos and the doctor was like, you're not allowed to run anymore. You're not allowed to like, you know, I was like, well, I might as well sell this because like there's no way.
Parker
yeah, like surviving a biffing it on a unicycle is.
Carta Monir
Yeah,
Parker
Yeah. It's, it's quite an impact.
Carta Monir
It is.
Parker
That so cool. Okay, a song, a musical artist, or an album that you're currently obsessed with?
Carta Monir
Oh, I've been listening a lot. So, I'll answer like a sophisticated answer and a guilty pleasure answer.
Parker
Yes, this is all I want
Carta Monir
On the sophisticated side. I've been listening to a lot of Ice Choir because my spouse really loves Ice Choir. It's like and synth pop, like, group.
Parker
Cool.
Carta Monir
That's really really amazing. I love the song amorous in your absence. On a guilty pleasure side, I've been listening to a lot of Green Day's American Idiot.
Parker
Yes.
Carta Monir
Yeah.
Parker
Oh, I might have to revisit that. Okay, finish this sentence good sex is,
Carta Monir
Fun.
Parker
iIf you had one superpower, what would it be?
Carta Monir
Oh god. Um, I should say, hmm. Once again, you can't see my thinking face. Jeez I don't know, it's, it's hard to say. A very trans answer would be like shape shifting or like control over my, my body.
Parker
That's a good one
Carta Monir
Yeah, let's go with that.
Parker
Yeah, I like that one. And what is something simple that brings you joy?
Carta Monir
I really love drinking Lapsang Suchong tea. It's my favorite tea and I drink it every day.
Parker
Do you have a do you have a special like table or cup that you prefer to drink out of?
Carta Monir
I don't I actually I'm drinking some Lapsang right now and it's in this mug that a person I'm dating got my spouse for their birthday, which is really sweet?
Parker
Oh, yes.
Carta Monir
Yeah, it's like a New York coffee like we are happy to serve you. Lapsang is like super smoky it's tea thats smoked over pine. So, it's like it has like a campfire aroma that I really love.
Parker
That sounds dreamy. Now I want to go camping.
Carta Monir
Excellent.
Parker
I'm gonna have to get myself.
Carta Monir
So many things.
Parker
I know. Soon enough, we're onward. We're in the homestretch. We're gonna make it
Carta Monir
Unpaid advertisement time Tea Haus spelled T EA H A U S in Ann Arbor sellls my favorite lapsang.
Parker
Hey-Oh, perfect. I haven't been there yet. I have to go there.
Carta Monir
I love it. Yeah, when it's not a pandemic, let's go there together. It's super nice.
Parker
I'd love that. Yes, please. Fucking pandemic.
Carta Monir
It's terrible.
Parker
Yeah. I'm excited, I'm excited to meet in person soon. Whenever, whenever we're able, because this has been great too.
Carta Monir
Me too! For me, too. I'm really, really enjoying getting to know you.
Parker
Well, let's do a cute little sign off.
Carta Monir
Yes.
Parker
Okay. So, they yeah, thank you so much for joining me today. And I'm super excited to meet you whenever the stars align and excited to see the work that you continue to come out with and everyone should buy your zine and subscribe to your OnlyFans and all the things. Do you have any parting parting words for our listeners?
Carta Monir
ning from a book published in:Parker
I love this.
Carta Monir
and it is really, really interesting. Like it's this extremely thorough sex manual that like does not even suggest the existence of oral or anal sex. Which I find interesting. I mean, like it gives you a peek into like some cultural expectations I guess or maybe babs weren't available enough for people to even consider it.
Parker
Yeah.
Carta Monir
of ideal sexual encounter in:Parker
Oh, that's exciting. I also love reading out loud so much. Like, that's, that sounds wonderful.
Carta Monir
It's great. I highly recommend it.
Parker
I'm excited to read it and I I'll see you soon. We'll say goodbye to everybody and yeah, so goodbye, everyone.
Carta Monir
Bye, everybody.
Parker
What a magical human being. I just really appreciate it when people can show up and be vulnerable and, and have fun with it. And I really enjoyed this interview, be sure to check out that zine it is really beautiful. It's I enjoyed every moment of reading it I got sucked in and reading has been hard for me lately because my attention span has been so short with social media being such a thing right now. I know there's plenty of you out there that can relate. So, getting sucked into something that is like text is saying something right now. So that's linked in the show notes as well as Carta's OnlyFans, as well as the show Patreon. So, get in there and do your thing, and thank you for listening, and I'll see you in another couple weeks. This is where I say something spacey and I'm never prepared every week so it's a little-known fact of the universe that while there are flying saucers there are also flying teaspoons, just wait until you see the flying teaspoons. Nanu Nanu Motherfuckers.