Shelby Criswell
I‘m Layla. Many in Santa Fe know me, just not by this name. And even if you don’t, you’ve likely seen me around town, maybe on a barstool at the Matador or in line at Trader Joe’s. I’m sure our paths have crossed in some Santa Fe way or another, but what you don’t know about me is that I am a sex worker.
Sex work is something that is constantly expanding and evolving, but at its most basic is an umbrella term for consenting adults who exchange sexual goods and/or services for money. It includes obvious things like erotic performances and sales, pornography and engaging in actual sex, but it also includes a relatively new world of online content creation. As someone running an OnlyFans account, that’s where I fall in.
My exploration into the world of sex work started about five years ago when the body positivity movement took off. Overnight, my Instagram feed was flooded with plus-size women—women who looked like me—celebrating their bodies in a way I hadn’t seen before. Big booties like mine were everywhere and people were loving it! As a plus-size woman, I’d constantly received the message that my body should be hidden, that there should be shame around it, that it certainly was not sexy. Seeing representation like that on such a large scale was an incredible feeling, and I immediately knew I wanted to make other people feel that way.
While I weighed my options, I learned sex workers were making unreal amounts of money. I’m talking upwards of $40,000—per month. Many were also choosing to pay their gains forward in some way: I followed a woman who traveled the world building homes with Habitat for Humanity and paid for her expenses by selling photos of herself in lingerie. I followed others who opened animal sanctuaries and founded nonprofits. I discovered a community trying to be and do things in the world they’d have likely needed when they were younger, and they were doing it all by engaging in sex work of some kind. That’s when the lightbulb switched on for me. Was there really a way I could be my authentic self, celebrate my body, have a little fun, make some money and pay it forward?
This is where OnlyFans comes in. Until I went down the exclusive content rabbit hole, I’d lived in a world where sexual imagery was a click away and almost always free. Now I had the option of paying someone for their labor, and not in a some-virus-is-going-to-blow-up-my-computer kind of way. Content on OnlyFans was and continues to be wide-ranging, and photos and videos come in every variety, from flirtatious and sexually expressive to engaging in self play, partner play…well, if you can think it up, it likely exists on OnlyFans. New offerings flared into existence as well, like sexting and cock ratings (you read that right). You could even purchase worn panties and have them shipped to your front door. All the while, things like consent and power dynamics and moneymaking were put directly into the hands of creators. OnlyFans takes a cut, of course, but unlike the mainstream porn industry, their users’ autonomy and consent are prioritized, and people can make real money. Today that’s where I sell my own exclusive content.
For me, this is all about the bigger picture. Because of its popularity and accessibility, OnlyFans is helping to de-stigmatize sex work one subscriber at a time, and it helps independent creators such as myself earn money how we see fit—through carefully curated materials decided upon by sex workers themselves. I never have to do anything I don’t want to do, and I earn a little bit while I’m at it.
I’m excited to finally tell the world that for the last 13 months that’s exactly what I have been doing. I don’t make an unreal amount of money just yet, but I’m still paying it forward in my own way. I am a radical self love enthusiast, so engaging in sex work in a meaningful way has not only expanded my own concept of self love, it’s encouraged my audience to do the same. I have created a wonderful space online, but my real dream is to build a physical space that fosters self love and body connection in a safe and mindful way. Something close to my heart and something my younger self definitely needed. My vision is of a self love ripple effect that starts right here in my own community. I truly believe helping people in this way helps everyone.
My journey remains a unique experience influenced by women who have resonated with me. It feels important to say that every sex worker has their experience and identity, all of which are valid and deserving of respect. They all are a part of a community somewhere with a little dive bar and a hipster grocery store. Maybe you just know them by a different name.
Layla is a local sex worker on a mission to spread radical self love to her community and the world
