OnlyFans and the Realization of Women’s Freedom

Abstract: Women’s social and economic freedom is violated on both in the private and public life, and this needs to be resolved in order to achieve a society which realizes human dignity. This thesis aims to position the sex work on OnlyFans within the realization of women’s social and economic freedom. Using argumentation analysis through the theoretical frameworks of liberal feminism and radical feminism, this thesis investigate whether the sex work on OnlyFans is compatible with the social and economic freedom of women. The analysis was further divided into the factors of safety, economy, and agency. Based on both academic studies with interviewed sex worker as well as statistic sources on the question, this thesis engages with the question of online sex work with the added elements of the gig-economy and celebrity-influence to fully grasp the scope of the issue and its consequences for women. The findings show that both liberal feminism and radical feminism recognize that OnlyFans have major safety deficiencies which poses a threat on women’s social freedom. Furthermore liberal feminism recognize that the possibilities of economic gain for sex worker women exist, but radical feminism finds that these possibilities are slim and require skills in marketing and technology, and lastly the findings showed that in line with liberal feminism, the free will of sex workers is to be fully realized and respected, but at the same time radical feminism shows that there are elements of coercion and financial pressure present when agreeing to provide certain sexual content and services which does not comply with the realization of women social and economic freedom.