Why are so many regular people walking away from their jobs to join racy social platforms such as OnlyFans? For Emily Mai, it’s one of the very few sustainable options available in an increasingly expensive housing market that is unaffordable to most.

The top Australian content creator, who just recently purchased her second home thanks to her OnlyFans salary, says that people working ‘normal’ jobs at a ‘normal’ wage are no longer getting by without serious hardship.

“Forget property ownership, many people – since the pandemic, dare I say most people – can’t even afford regular rental properties these days, which are far and few between thanks to lack of availability and the market driving prices up,” she says. “Ever-rising inflation, stagnant wages, food, medicine, the cost of driving to your job… we are in a serious crisis, and many people are turning to sex work because, quite frankly, it pays the bills.”

Mai, who paid off her first home in less than five years and bought the second property as insurance in “building a better future for my children”, says that she was always pressured to follow the traditional route of working her way up the corporate ladder in an office job “because it’s what my strict, conventional Asian parents wanted for me, but I was so unhappy in all of my jobs.”

Entering the adult industry, and specifically working as an OnlyFans creator, is when Mai started making real money and said goodbye to regular employment. “Even though my family doesn’t approve, they know I’m setting up a future, so my kids don’t live in commission housing, on Centrelink benefits, or get Christmas presents from charities as I did.

“I can’t afford a home with a regular job; we’ve got a real crisis in our communities, and something needs to be done to benefit middle and low income people in terms of housing and living affordability. I made what I believe to be the right choice for my family, and I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to make a living this way, and I truly enjoy it. And I’m not going to apologize for it.”

You can follow Emily Mai on Twitter at @itsemilymai.