AVN Stars Spotlight: Goddess Shona

LOS ANGELES—We realize that it can be difficult to convey tone of voice on paper (or digitally), so it’s very important readers know that Goddess Shona, speaking to AVN from her home in the Midwest, is confident, not cocky. With her profile rising on AVN Stars, the femdom specialist and self-styled “Exploiter of Simps” has a gentle, musical voice that might seem at odds with the words that come out of it. “Every boyfriend I had said I was ‘comfortable being mean,” she says, “but they stayed around anyway.” Like many new dominatrices, Shona’s work has been entirely online. A makeup artist and esthetician for seven years, she had a strong sense of what would look good on camera, and had friends and colleagues from her “vanilla” Rolodex—like a photographer who was only too happy to help—to launch the Goddess Shona brand in 2019. But before that, she did a lot of research. “I’m not surprised I’m here now,” she says, laughing. “My dominance does tend to show itself. But I looked at how a lot of dommes presented themselves first, even though what it looks like on the outside doesn’t seem too hard because that’s the way I am already.” Shona is aware that, among some dommes who worked in the physical world before platforms and pandemics came along, that there is wariness about “Insta-dommes”—women who think that all they have to do, as Shona says, “is just post some pictures, just be mean to men, and they’ll pay you.” Not quite. Shona prepares, scripting her clips, getting her hair, makeup, and nails done, and hiring a photographer. “I’m a very feminine woman in normal life, and I really prepare for the payment I receive,” she says. “And I should be paid! I work hard.” But, though she admits that the experience of getting a tip from an appreciative fan is “electrifying,” Goddess Shona approached online mentors “with the respect they deserved” to further learn the ropes, and found them to be kind and supportive when they saw she was seeking their counsel with an attitude of gratitude. Shona is grateful to AVN Stars for providing “a place to grow” but says that she is both nervous and excited about the world opening up again. She’s particularly interested in conventions where she can actually meet some of the other women and mentors in the domme space. “With friends or other people I know, they have a lot of questions and they want to hear crazy stories,” Shona says. “But I also look forward to talking with other dommes or sex workers who know what I’m talking about, who aren’t saying ‘What’s that?’ or ‘You do what?’ I love my friends, but it is a liberating feeling to have discussions without explaining all the time, so I’m looking forward to meeting knowledgeable people in person.” Still, she says that, in her part of the world, it’s very easy to shed the Goddess Shona persona when she’s not online, and with vaccinations coming available and restrictions loosening, there may be increased demand to meet people in person—as many non-digital dommes travel to do—and Shona wants to not jump too quickly into that world. Nevertheless, she knows the effect she has on people in the real world. “Sometimes I finish a session with a sub and I go out and the feeling is still with me,” she says. “I can talk to a waiter (for example) and look him straight in the eye and see the way he responds to it. At that moment I’m that bitch. I’m her. It’s a tremendously powerful feeling. But I promise I use that power for good!” We talk about the misperception that dommes are simply mean to people. It’s much more complicated. “I know I’m beautiful,” she says, matter-of-factly. “I know it. I know the way men look at me. But if you’re going to talk to me, talk to me with a purpose. Talk to me without using empty compliments, or I have no use for you.” Regarding the title “Exploiter of Simps,” Shona defines a simp as “a person who’s very weak for the attention of their superior and who is willing to sacrifice for that attention.” So it’s not a derogatory word, necessarily? She thinks for a moment. “No,” she says, “a man should want to simp for a beautiful woman.” Photography by StacksStudios.com.