Call it a case of premature administration. Remember when, just a few short days, OnlyFans caved to pressure from bankers and announced that it would be banning any sexually explicit content from its site beginning in October? Yeah, well, you can forget all about that. OnlyFans porn is back (for now, anyway).
Less than a week ago, OnlyFans executives shocked lovers of adult content and the hard-working sex workers who provide it by announcing that the site — which had become somewhat of a safe haven (and savior) for sex workers to continue to earn money during the COVID pandemic — would follow the path of Tumblr a few years back and no longer allow its users to post sexually explicit content. The reason? “To comply with the requests of our banking partners and payout providers,” the company told Variety.
The Evangelical women trying to make onlyfans disappear don’t realize if I lose that income I’ll start fucking their husbands for money again
— Sydney (@sydneyelainexo) August 19, 2021
Clearly, someone must have informed those banking partners and payout providers that there would be far less money to count if the platform pivoted to PG-only content, as the reversal on this decision came pretty quickly (pun only mildly intended).
As Variety reports, the company confirmed that it had “secured [the] assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community.” In other words: Sex sells. OnlyFans executives were understandably thrilled that its lewd-lovin’ members spoke up when the threat of turning the site into something out of an old-school Disney cartoon seemed imminent. On Wednesday morning, the company tweeted:
“Thank you to everyone for making your voices heard. We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned October 1 policy change. OnlyFans stands for inclusion and we will continue to provide a home for all creators.”
Thank you to everyone for making your voices heard.
We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned October 1 policy change.
OnlyFans stands for inclusion and we will continue to provide a home for all creators.
— OnlyFans (@OnlyFans) August 25, 2021
Naturally, people have thoughts, mainly marveling over the power of protest while also slamming OnlyFans as shady and untrustworthy…
OnlyFans is literally that ex that leaves you, then texts you “you up?” when they regret it.
— Rebecca Goodwin (@beckymil1) August 25, 2021
It's so funny that JP Morgan didn't want to do business with sex workers but was OK with the 20 tons of cocaine on its ship.
— MonsterKing (@CerromeRussell) August 25, 2021
sexworkers if you decide to stay on onlyfans pull your money out as often as you can. don’t trust these motherfuckers. https://t.co/HIjdzZFMw4
— 💕 em ☭ (@bimbomarxistt) August 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/unitedswers/status/1430514468472115202
I hope some intrepid reporters are doing a deep dive on the OnlyFans kerfuffle. It is quite unusual to see huge financial institutions change their policies at all in response to public criticism, much less to do so within days. We should learn how to replicate that. https://t.co/MhMEZFZQ9V pic.twitter.com/KZjAAF3ep2
— Max Kennerly (@MaxKennerly) August 25, 2021
I call for a reduce in fees for all of us who have been affected by this. I’ve lost over 150 subscribers overnight but I’m still paying you the full 20% of my earnings?
— Ruby Hexx (@rubyhexx) August 25, 2021
Shorter OnlyFans: "We discovered that 99% of our revenue is porn and Visa and MasterCard decided they like the revenue" https://t.co/4J3S5TPQfq
— Laurie Voss (@seldo) August 25, 2021
I've never seen such a wave of media in favor of sex work as a labor issue, banking discrimination as a crucial part of that conversation, and workers themselves being centered — as I have in the last few days. really hope that momentum continues https://t.co/0fILICI665
— Samantha Cole (@samleecole) August 25, 2021
It’s important for non-SWers to realize that — whatever happens with OnlyFans in the short or long term — SWers are vulnerable and need real allyship and advocacy for their safety and well-being.
— Lux Alptraum 🦋 luxalptraum.com (@LuxAlptraum) August 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/sapiotextual/status/1430521245309808642
shouts to sex workers showing us all, once again, that collective power can force change. https://t.co/xj9QjkqTaT
— 🌺 skkrrtt cobain (@tirhakahlove) August 25, 2021
All of the sex workers who’ve lost an incredible amount of subscribers/income after Onlyfans’ previous announcement should be compensated. https://t.co/v5jEW3mFq4
— Savvy ☭ (@sleepisocialist) August 25, 2021
(Via Variety)