Billie Beever, an influencer in Australia who has monetized her online presence by posting adult content on OnlyFans, says the current economic downturn has devastated her business.
The 26-year-old, who charges subscribers $12.99 per month for her photos and videos on the adult
She went on to tell her 24,000 followers on the app that simply "go[ing] back to work" at a strip club is not an option, as the industry is effectively shut down due to social distancing regulations. She's not alone: The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on virtually every industry, from construction to manufacturing to sex work, largely due to lack of consumer confidence and required social distancing measures, respectively.
"I've got nothing else going for me," she added, appearing distraught. "I have no other talent. I've got nothing else. I can't dance, I can't sing, I can't do anything."
Ultimately, Beever said, she hoped things would "go back to normal" so her subscribers could continue to pay for her content.@billiebeever I’m an essential worker to.... its a tough time for everyone right now ..... even s3x workers ##fyp ##coronavirus
♬ original sound - billiebeever
The video, she says, received immediate 'abuse' from online trolls
A post shared by BILLIE BEEVER (@billiebeever)
Shortly after posting the video and reading the influx of "abusive comments," the content creator decided to archive the video, the Daily Mail Australia reported.
'Things are still slow, as a lot of my customers were let off their jobs — which is really the only people the news are speaking about — and sort of the whole point of my video [was] to shed light on such a dark subject," she told the outlet on Monday. "I was just really upset when I made it and it was misinterpreted way more than I expected."
Negative comments online, the stay-at-home mother explained, are a reality that adult content creators face every day.Advertisement"I receive hate on a daily basis that I'm just a sl-- or a wh--- and that I should be disgusted in myself," she said. "I love my job, I choose my hours, I provide for my daughter, I allow what people can and cannot see, I am in control of my body."
Beever added that she wants her critics to understand that adult content creation requires work, like any other job — and the relentless criticism online is baffling.
"We do more than just taking a photo and uploading it. We have to find clients, marketing, advertising, we have to edit photos to meet certain criteria," she told the Daily Mail. "We have to continuously have content, we have to strain our bodies just like a labourer does, and people have the audacity to say that sex work isn't a real job? It's completely mind-blowing."AdvertisementThe video has since been restored to her profile where it's racked up over 15,000 views, but comments on the post have been turned off.
Beever has continued to receive feedback on Twitter after turning off TikTok comments
While some critics took to Twitter to continue bashing Beever, calling into the question the legitimacy of her work, her story also received support online.
"Sex workers are workers. A loss of income and not being able to do your job is distressing for anyone. Leave moral judgment out of it," one Twitter user wrote. Advertisement"This is gross," another said in response to online backlash. "Losing your income is extremely distressing. How she gets her income doesn't make her reaction to losing it trivial."
Beever retweeted both responses from her account.
The influencer is continuing to speak out on Instagram
In a recent Instagram story, Beever gave her followers the opportunity to send in questions. One submission that she re-posted to her story read: "Get a real job."AdvertisementA post shared by BILLIE BEEVER (@billiebeever)
The content creator was quick to respond.
"Just because I'm not entitled to annual leave, sick pay, and fixed salary doesn't mean my job isn't real," she wrote. "If anything I probably work more than you."
Billie Beever and OnlyFans did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. AdvertisementRead more:
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