Growing up, the Internet wasn’t a thing, so what we did in private wasn’t an issue for us at work. But today, things aren’t the same. If you get buck ass naked on the Internet, people are going to find out, no matter how careful you think you are being.

So what does that mean for people with jobs at Fortune 500 companies or as teachers or police officers?

The case of Rachel Dolezal, who found herself ousted from her Arizona school district job not for her controversial past but for her OnlyFans account, has reignited the debate over the intersection of private pursuits and professional obligations. Dolezal, now known as Nkechi Diallo, is one of many caught at the crossroads of burgeoning adult content platforms and conventional employment, from teachers to judges and TV personalities. This burgeoning conflict is emblematic of a larger societal negotiation over the place of adult entertainment within the fabric of everyday life.

The rise of OnlyFans, a platform democratizing the adult entertainment industry by enabling creators to distribute self-produced content, has spotlighted the economic realities driving individuals to this form of income supplementation. Amid the pandemic, OnlyFans’ allure as a financial lifeline became even more pronounced, swelling its creator count to over 3 million, each sharing content with a user base exceeding 220 million. This explosion of adult content creation has inevitably led to clashes with more mainstream professions, raising critical questions about employment rights, moral judgment, and societal hypocrisy.

Critics argue that creating off-hours pornography provided it doesn’t infringe upon one’s professional capabilities, shouldn’t be grounds for dismissal. This stance underscores a broader call for employment evaluations based on work performance rather than personal life choices, especially when those choices stem from financial necessity.

Conversely, many employers, driven by moral convictions or concerns over workplace dynamics, deem such activities incompatible with their organizational values.

This debate is further complicated by the legal landscape, which largely permits employers to terminate employees for engaging in adult entertainment on their own time. Yet, this legal precedent doesn’t quell the ethical dilemmas or the accusations of hypocrisy it engenders—given the vast, yet discreet, consumption of adult content by the public at large.

Furthermore, the gender dynamics at play—whereby the majority of those penalized are women—raises questions of discrimination and disparate impact, suggesting potential legal challenges based on employment law.

As society grapples with these issues, the debate surrounding OnlyFans and similar platforms highlights a broader cultural reckoning with sexuality, privacy, and economic survival in the digital age. It invites a reflection on how we balance individual freedoms against collective moral standards and what that balance reveals about our values as a society.

So what do you think? Should a girl be fired from her main job if she has an Onlyfans page in her spare time?