ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the production of knowledge and authority in sex and relationship vlogs by looking at YouTuber Hannah Witton’s #TheHormoneDiaries series as a case study. Following the method of reading images horizontally, it argues that, in sex and relationship vlogs, knowledge and authority are produced through bodily experience. In addition, the chapter’s analysis of vlogs as technological and affectively networked material which include the YouTube comment section highlights how the knowledge production process transcends the YouTuber’s body. When users relate to Hannah’s sensuous experiences, particularly her pain, and share their personal realities in the comment section, the collective body of knowledge created exceeds the boundaries of individual experiences. This chapter draws on these findings to reflect on the generative nature of sex and relationship vlogs and how they may produce intimate publics.
