By: AC, SFU Student
Content warning: brief mention of child exploitation and descriptions of sex work.
As society becomes more accepting of sex-positive narratives, it simultaneously created a new landscape of sex work for young girls. Platforms like OnlyFans have simplified and encouraged access to the new digital age of sex work; instead of having to be in physical contact with a stranger, you can be digitally connected and seemingly not need to worry about any potential danger that comes with physical intimacy. OnlyFans especially rose to prominence in mid-2020; as sex work was pushed out of the physical world, it developed in the digital one. OnlyFans becoming popular allowed sex workers to continue to make a living while allowing them to remain in the comfort of their own homes with their own hours, taking “working from home” to the next level. Moreover, for marginalized sex workers, online work helps them continue making income safely. Sex work is a legitimate source of income and expression, but under the patriarchy, the industry is exploitative. Adding a middle-man (literally, in this case) to sex work does not make it less exploitative, it only makes entrance to the industry easier.
Legitimate and safe entrance to sex work makes it accessible, which is important in a line of work that has historically and continues to heavily stigmatize its workers. Recognizing how sex work is exploitative under patriarchy, and that sex workers should be paid, safe, and satisfied in their work are ideas that can coexist. The Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons was passed with the intent to protect sex workers by criminalizing buying sex services to “reduce demand.” According to the Sex Workers Action Network, though, this forces sex workers into more dangerous situations by forcing them underground, “putting them at risk of violence, exploitation, and poor working conditions.”
Being able to continue sex work online removes some of this physical danger, but there are other dangers that accompany online sex work. As the western world embraces the sex-positive movement, there has been dynamic conversation of where this leaves sex workers; how can we be sex-positive safely?
While some claim that OnlyFans is a profitable and empowering way for people to take control of their bodies, it does not necessarily protect its user base. Despite claiming that it is an 18+ only website, a Reuters investigation documented “30 complaints in US police and court records that child sexual abuse material appeared on the site between December 2019 and June 2024.” According to the investigation, these cases contained over 200 explicit videos and photos of minors.”
“Selling digital content of yourself has become the new, sexy side-hustle, with many content creators promoting how they afford their extravagant lifestyles and encouraging their followers to do the same.”
Selling digital content of yourself has become the new, sexy side-hustle, with many content creators promoting how they afford their extravagant lifestyles and encouraging their followers to do the same. A recent example includes Lily Phillips, an OnlyFans star who slept with 100 men in a day for content. Even though she chose to do it and seemed “in control” of the situation, she later spoke out about the effects that it was having on her mental health. It is also important to note that she has a team of people who organized this event. This is notable for two reasons: one, most sex workers do not have a team of people working for them. This highlights how OnlyFans can become a business with the person’s body and actions becoming their brand. This may also provide a false sense of security, but in reality, her employees are benefiting from the repeated exploitation of her body and well-being for shock-value, views, and most importantly, profit.
Dr. Elena Martellozzo and Paula Bradbury, from the Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies at Middlesex university, are concerned that the popularity of OnlyFans creates a competitive market for its creators, especially young women, to compete by “sharing more of their bodies, and perform sexual acts requested by subscribers to maintain their interest.” The deceptive opportunities that OnlyFans and other forms of digital pornography present young vulnerable women has re-created exploitation under the guise of autonomy. The owner of OnlyFans is, you guessed it, a man! A man who according to People Magazine, made over one million dollars a day from the platform in 2022. Does he have any real vested interest in the autonomy of his creators? More importantly, can he protect them? Since women sign up for the platform themselves, they feel as if they have complete control. However, the platform takes 20% of what its creators earn, which means that the average person on OnlyFans makes around $150 per month. Even women who have made much larger sums have spoken out about how “the money wasn’t worth it” due to the extensive emotional toll it took on them.
OnlyFans and its adjacent platforms have become mainstream with a vast majority of people now aware of their existence due to the social waves it made during its rise to fame in 2016. Despite popularity, these platforms won’t try to curb the stigma surrounding sex work, as the same criticisms and judgements still exist around women who engage in them. In 2023, Kirstin MacDonald, a teaching assistant in BC, lost her job when a colleague accidentally discovered her OnlyFans account under a pseudonym. This is not an isolated incident; employers do not want to associate with women who participate in sex work because they’re seen as “dirty” and their actions are seen as undesirable and desperate. Presenting OnlyFans as a legitimate source of income without supporting creators through the trauma that can come from their boundaries being pushed is disingenuous. Platforms like OnlyFans do nothing but offer a faster pipeline for young girls to participate, especially as the demand for pornography of teenage women (18–19 years old) is highest and other career choices are not half as lucrative.
The reality is that the patriarchy benefits from women engaging in sex work, and any attempt to take that empowerment into your own hands will be met with instant pushback by the patriarchy. Just because something is marketed as empowering doesn’t mean it is inclusive or inherently produces a net positive effect on society. Instead, the sex work industry can continue to profit on ignorance without addressing how users can be protected under the guise of empowerment and the deception of agency.
To read about the experiences of sex workers, The Peak recommends checking out our 2020 article,“Myths and realities of being a camgirl, told by a camgirl” on our website. If you’re a student who wants to share an opinion about sex work industries or lived experience as a sex worker, please email opinions@the-peak.ca.
