Surviving, Thriving, and Everything in Between:

Sixty dollars. Three twenty dollar bills. What does that get us in today’s world? In Louisville, Kentucky? A dinner for two, perhaps? A modest trip to the grocery? A tank of gas in a large SUV?  

That amount of money may keep us going for a few days, if we budget just right, but it certainly isn’t going to keep a roof above our heads or utility bills paid. Sixty dollars per week is what Phelix Crittenden was approved for from the Kentucky unemployment office at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, after she was denied any assistance at all the first time. She had thirty dollars in her bank account. Having been a veteran in-person sex worker as a sugar baby for some time and even using OnlyFans as a platform for two years prior, she decided her wellbeing during this pandemic was up to her alone.

“A bitch had to
get a little more
resourceful”

said Phelix, “I stepped it up.” Now, a year later, she’s in a much different position and her dreams are within her grasp thanks her own drive and commitment to online sex work, and specifically OnlyFans as a platform — an unabashed lifeline for so many sex workers during the pandemic. 

Lia Gordita was, like Phelix, a sugar baby for some time before transitioning to online sex work in February 2020. At 21, she was homeless, she’d been kicked out of her home by an abusive ex-boyfriend, and was out of options. 

“There was this man who thought I was hot and wanted to have sex with me, basically. And he was like, ‘I’ll feed you and I’ll do this,’ and I was essentially a sugar baby out of survival,” said Lia, recalling her early days. Now, she has many options and wears various hats day-to-day, as the owner and founder of a Colorado-based CBD company and social media consultant, but she still runs her successful OnlyFans page because of the freedom and flexibility it provides her, “I started [online sex work] because I have a chronic illness called endometriosis, and it leaves my health very unpredictable. My body is very unreliable. I can’t work a normal 9-5, that schedule doesn’t work for me.” 

Lia is able to use the time when her body is feeling good to “batch content,” a strategy many online sex workers use, where she produces photos/videos she may need for the coming weeks on a day that her illness isn’t completely debilitating, but she says she still works 12-hour days on her platform to ensure her subscribers are getting the content they came for. She is constantly engaging with her subscribers, creating custom content, always on her phone. “This is my fucking job,” she says, and she takes it very seriously. 

Marla West began her career in sex work years before OnlyFans ever existed, and credits that time to helping her build much-needed confidence. 

“Back when I first turned 18, I was an on-and-off stripper for a very long time. I needed money quick, so that’s what I got involved in. I loved it. I was always kind of an awkward teenager . . . it was a great time in my life and I was making great money,” Marla said. 

She, too, was slighted by Kentucky’s unemployment compensation at the onset of the pandemic, and while she was able to secure a grocery store job, $15 per hour simply wasn’t cutting it. Friends had suggested that she make an OnlyFans page, and she questioned whether she should do it. After discussing the option with her partner, who was supportive, she made a profile and began posting photos. “It’s helped me get through this. It’s kind of been a lifesaver for me. I’m able to live and pay my bills on time. And, I work for a big corporation (at my grocery store job), so it’s kind of a double fuck you.” 

In detailing their day-to-days, Phelix, Lia and Marla all make it abundantly clear how much tireless work goes into online sex work. There is strategy when it comes to what you charge, when you post, how you post, who you connect with on the platform (many OnlyFans sex workers engage with each other and share content, which helps new creators get a leg up). Then, there’s also what you give all your subscribers and what you leave for custom inquiries. From purchasing outfits, lighting, cameras, make-up, toys, to outfitting their home spaces to fit the fantasy they’re portraying, the overhead costs for the production of their content isn’t minimal. Lia and Marla both post seven days a week, and Phelix posts 3-4, going live on Saturdays. Lia has partner content, and Phelix has guest stars whose identities are protected by a ski mask. All three of them provide photo sets, video, engage with their subscribers and provide custom content when folks pay for something specific that they’re wanting. 

“Someone asked me for a video of just my face while having an orgasm,” said Marla, “If you want to be successful, you have to be flexible. If you’re into something specific, I am pretty open to making it happen. I am not into kink shaming.”  

Despite the constant need to justify this work in today’s society, Phelix, Lia, and Marla believe that the reputation of sex workers has evolved, to a certain extent, due to the pandemic.

 “I think people have realized how easy it is to find yourself in a situation where you don’t have means to turn to — to support yourself or sustain your family,” said Phelix. 

We talk about how OnlyFans has been a lifeline for many sex workers during the pandemic, but it’s also true that OnlyFans, and sex workers themselves, have stepped in to a much needed companionship role for users during lockdown. It’s clear that a lack of human interaction, touch, and intimate relationships can have a lasting negative effect on our mental health, and online sex workers have been that salvation for so many. “The companionship is a huge part of it,” said Phelix, “you try to make them feel like you care. I try to remember, when people tell me Friday that their birthday is coming up on Wednesday so I will say ‘how was your birthday?’ And it really means a lot to them.” 

“It helps disabled people a lot,” said Lia. “Disabled people, not only are they sex workers, they also hire sex workers a lot.” 

Lia brings all her identities to the table on her profile, and says that many folks have reached out and supported her because of her authenticity and openness when it comes to her chronic illness. “Myself being disabled, it’s hard to find people willing to accept those parts of you. When you hire a sex worker, they know all those parts of you going into it and they don’t care, and it still provides you a really good time. I think thats how sex workers have helped and continue to help people.”  

Kelsey Westbrook (she/her) is a queer bisexual spirits professional, freelance writer, and non-profit organizer. Along with her career as the Beverage Director & Events Coordinator at NoraeBar, Kelsey’s writing has been featured in national publications including Bourbon+ Magazine, Difford’s Guide, Churchill Downs Magazine, and for iconic spirits brands including Diageo and Sazerac - Mr. Boston. Kelsey is the founder of the non-profit Saving Sunny, a community outreach and animal welfare organization. She is passionate about social justice, liberation, and her hobbies include cooking, travel, dog cuddles, and weightlifting.