Students are using the popular site OnlyFans, an online content subscription service, to earn extra income during times of uncertainty.
The rise in unemployment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic coincides with a rise in people looking to work part-time to supplement their income. The unemployment rate from December 2020 is double the pre-pandemic rate from February 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A portion of college students have created OnlyFans (OF) accounts to bring in extra income.

OF is an online platform founded in 2016 that allows content creators to charge fans a monthly fee for access to exclusive content. Currently, there are 450,000 creators earning a total of $600 million a year collectively, according to Influencer Marketing Hub. Content creators on OnlyFans typically film themselves making videos about their interests and upload them to the site. Generally, content creators set their own rates and price their content for potential and pre-existing subscribers to pay, view and access their monthly content.

OF has a wide range of creators that feature artists, filmmakers, and even soap makers. A few of the popular creators on the platform include Belle Delphine a widely popular cosplay model/gamer, Erica North a Youtuber/Social Media Influencer, and many more. Along with the many influencers and gamers on OF, there is another popular niche the site is known for — adult content.

Historically, sex workers are marginalized by society at large. According to the Canadian study "Helping women transition out of sex work: study protocol of a mixed-methods process and outcome evaluation of a sex work exiting program" in the BMC Women’s Health journal, “For women who want to, exiting sex work can be complicated by multi-traumatic symptoms and challenges related to addictions, physical and mental health problems, legal matters, housing issues, and lack of employment skills.” Going into sex work is usually quite easy since there is a low barrier of entry, but leaving and transitioning into another career path is much harder.

According to Sex Work Among Students in Higher Education: A Survey-Based, Cross-Sectional Study, published in 2014 by the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, “The prevalence of students being or having been involved in sex work was found to be 7%. The prevalence we found was several times higher than those found in other studies.”

Although this study was published two years before OF was popularized among sex workers, it shows that even then, students used online sex work as a means of financial gain.

As the pandemic continues, many people find it hard to make ends meet. As a result, many students and people who have faced shortened hours or complete job loss have looked to sex work to get by.

Professor Sara Brewer, who teaches Media 10: Gender and Race Studies at Santa Monica College (SMC), says that the media especially looks down on this profession. "Sex workers are symbolically annihilated by the media—they get mocked or murdered and stories of trans sex workers and sex workers of color do not get told," said Brewer.

There is still a stigma surrounding sex work, but college sex workers from all walks of life continue in the field.

Mistress Santana is a college senior hoping to pursue a career in psychology and art. They prefer to keep their work separate from their personal life and use the alias “Mistress Santana” to remain anonymous in their line of work — as well as in this interview. They have found it difficult to get a job on their college campus, as students with higher financial needs quickly secured those jobs.

Mistress Santana has a part-time job outside of their sex work but can only get 20 hours a week, which doesn't even cover their rent. While they had a few in-person and digital clients before the pandemic, they had to expand their business to keep up with current expenses.

Mistress Santana mostly keeps their work from their family, except for their sister, who is fully supportive of them. All of their friends support Mistress Santana’s lifestyle — they all follow Mistress Santana’s private Instagram account and see their new art and sex work outfits on that platform.

Due to the pandemic, Mistress Santana will often set up phone calls or online meetings with their clients through OF's private messages to maintain safety. As Mistress Santana gets ready for the day, they post themselves doing their makeup on a private Snapchat that viewers pay to have access to. They also do an online erotic show where clients pay an admission fee to gain access — Mistress Santana receives money in the form of tips during the show. They also offer packages on OnlyFans where personal videos or private interactions can be purchased.

Brie A. is a college junior studying business who also does online sex work, predominantly on OF. Brie began her OF career a little after quarantine started, but said she was selling content privately before that, now in her third year of doing this line of work.

She shoots videos and other content wearing a range of outfits from lingerie to cosplay — costume-play where people dress up as characters from popular TV, comics, and cartoons. Cosplay is a major focus in her career as it helps in regards to competition among other creators. A lot of the friends she has met through cosplay conventions subscribe to and promote her work.

Brie's OF journey started 11 months ago. Her family is unaware that she has an OF page. She works in a coffee kiosk at a grocery store but uses OF as another source of income. She said, "it’s harmless fun, and who doesn't like a confidence boost." It has helped her grow more confident in her mind and body.

These are just two students out of thousands who are part of this younger sex worker demographic. They still face much of the same treatment from the media and society as previous generations of sex workers. “Sex workers are objectified and dehumanized. Many people get into sex work because they have to—media often does not tell the back story," said Brewer.

OF places power into the hands of the creators instead of other entities like adult entertainment companies. Digital sex work has a growing number of advocates who fight to change how sex workers are treated by the government and communities. Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) is one of the many groups that provide resources at the local level while lobbying for change at a national level. Ultimately the short-term infusion of cash provided through OF is extra income for those in need during these times of uncertainty.

Collegiate Sex Work on the Rise