OnlyFans promotors now infiltrating higher education

[coronaway]

The whole online sex work is cool fad has been concerning me for some time now but it seems to have stepped up a gear of late.

Recently Ohio state university offered advice to people interested in starting their own onlyfans page and how to get started in the industry.

Is this really something we want to be promoting to the next generation? I mean sure you could study engineering or medicine but have you thought about doing porn? I mean really?!

No doubt the only people who attended were women... Somehow it's beneath men to consider this line of work.

It just feels with every passing year we undo the good previous generations have fought for.

The stall's organisers made it clear they are there to support existing student sex workers or those who feel they may need to do sex work to pay bills or Uni fees, they also provide condoms and info on sexual health.

It's not quite a "Become a sex worker here! Sign up now!" is it?

Prostitution can have long-term consequences for health and well-being (ranging from PTSD, difficulties maintaining relationships, STIs, back problems and uro-genital issues), and I would hope that information stalls point to these, too. Condoms are but the most basic protection.

I'm also wondering about the ambiguity of universities teaching their students that 'consent' must always be sought but at the same time normalising the idea that 'consent' can be purchased. Surely, the whole point of prostitution is that you end up having sex with someone that you wouldn't have sex with for free?

So you think all support services for sex workers should be withdrawn because you find it morally wrong?

I haven't seen anyone saying support services for sex workers should be withdrawn. The SWOP stall at the University of Brighton's freshers fair was offering tips on how to become a prostitute, as if it's just another job. Now forgive me, but becoming a prostitute in Brighton is not another job like any other, it comes with the risk of sti's, connections to organised crime, violence and drug addiction. I'd argue that no one hopes their child will go to university to have this promoted as a serious option amongst other stalls with innocuous offerings. Before the event, SWOP tweeted: "1 in 6 students does sex work or thinks about turning to sex work. We can help."

How has this come to pass? Who is orchestrating the normalisation of prosititution???

OF was the topic of our (Ireland) TV equivalent of Newsnight two weeks ago, where the main presenter interviewed an Irish man making 000's on the site per week - and of course every young man and woman in Ireland now think they can do the same.

I mean - would they promote a website which recruited drug dealers on National TV?

How are we going to protect our DC (boys and girls) growing up in a world where stripping for others is seen as a great way to make money???

The stall's organisers made it clear they are there to support existing student sex workers or those who feel they may need to do sex work to pay bills or Uni fees, they also provide condoms and info on sexual health.

It's not quite a "Become a sex worker here! Sign up now!" is it?

It normalises prostitution to young women and men, Not good.

I genuinely don't know what can be done to turn the tide now. It's like online pornography - once the genie is out of the bottle I don't see how we can put it back in.

"1 in 6 students does sex work or thinks about turning to sex work."

If the stats are that high then if anything more Universities should be having some sort of support for these students. And again, offering support is not the same as "normalising" sex work.

Should all support services for illicit-drug abusers and addicts be withdrawn too because that would be seen as normalising drug abuse?

Whatever your stance on sex work is, the fact is there are a lot of sex workers out there and young women contemplating it. Support services are important.

Again not saying or reading anywhere here that support should be withdrawn, but do keep repeating that even though it's not true. It's about whether a stall handing out condoms and offering tips on prostitution should be part of the standard freshers fair offering for students. What does that say about what women can hope to achieve from their education? Normalisation certainly serves a purpose and it's not for the wider benefit of women or their place in society.

@SunsetBeetch

I do see a bit of a positive with OnlyFans, in that the woman herself is in control, and not at the mercy of unscrupulous directors or pimps.

But isnt OnlyFans the pimp? Aren't they just pimped by a faceless nameless entity instead of a man.

Again not saying or reading anywhere here that support should be withdrawn, but do keep repeating that even though it's not true. It's about whether a stall handing out condoms and offering tips on prostitution should be part of the standard freshers fair offering for students. What does that say about what women can hope to achieve from their education? Normalisation certainly serves a purpose and it's not for the wider benefit of women or their place in society.

This.

Also not objecting about promoting safe sex - which is standard fare for uni students - before the free condoms remark is picked up on.

But isnt OnlyFans the pimp?
Aren't they just pimped by a faceless nameless entity instead of a man.

I've read some disturbing Twitter threads from young women about it.

The point is whether support services for women who choose to sell sexual access to their bodies (whether this involves physical contact or images) are fit for purpose.

The reality of prostitution is:

• that you will sell sexual access to your body to someone who you would not consider as a sexual partner IRL
• you will be required to pretend that you are aroused or enjoying the interaction even when you are not
• all of this can have long-term negative consequences (see above)
• violence and degrading treatment are part of the industry at a level vastly exceeding that of other occupations (for instance, there are online review boards for punters where women’s bodies are discussed in the most objectifying way)

Are support services honest about these things?

By the way, stats that merge actually selling sex with ‘thinking about it’ seem a bit useless. A curious young mind will think about many things.

Thanks to PPs for links and confirming it was Leics I was thinking of.

Sorry to continue to be vague but I remember a woman saying she questioned how the guidance was promoting prostitution and she was shut down. It's another free speech issue and where women are trying to help and protect other women, esp vulnerable young women, away from home etc, they are demonised.

I do not think it is done in the best interests of the young women at university at all.

@MargaritaPie

"1 in 6 students does sex work or thinks about turning to sex work."

If the stats are that high then if anything more Universities should be having some sort of support for these students. And again, offering support is not the same as "normalising" sex work.

Should all support services for illicit-drug abusers and addicts be withdrawn too because that would be seen as normalising drug abuse?

Whatever your stance on sex work is, the fact is there are a lot of sex workers out there and young women contemplating it. Support services are important.

Well quite apart from the fact thinking about sex work is very different from doing it. I think the comparison with drugs support services is an interesting one. Would you agree then that, like with drugs, the university should present sex work as harmful and as well as offering advice to try and minimise harms, be actively promoting routes out of sex work and supporting young women trying to do so? And also to be actively discouraging women from getting involved in sex work?

Yes, IMO Uni support services for sex work should be letting students know what options are available (including info on other support services) according to their wishes, and to let them know all the risks involved to help them make their decision. I would presume this is what they already do.

I’m horrified but unsurprised at the creeping attempts to normalise sex work to our young women, reinforcing the idea that it is their bodies that they are ultimately valued by, perpetuating their subordination by men, and ignoring the harm this can do, mentally and potentially physically.

Sorry, I know this is an old thread, and I’ve seen a more recent one but can’t find it. I was stuck in traffic today today behind a car with ‘Only Fans’ ‘paying the bills since 2020’ on the back window. I know I read something here recently but I was shocked.

"I do see a bit of a positive with OnlyFans, in that the woman herself is in control, and not at the mercy of unscrupulous directors or pimps."

How do you know? What if a pimp made her set up an account? It happens with camming so no reason why it can't happen with OnlyFans too.

whoops didn't realise this was a zombie thread